Founded in 2023 and based in New Delhi, Shunya Agritech is tackling a critical gap in Indian dairying, livestock nutrition. The startup delivers fresh, hydroponic green fodder to rural dairy farmers through its localized Growth & Logistics Centers (GLCs), using minimal water and no chemicals. Backed by IoT, AI and a farmer focused mobile app, Shunya runs a subscription based fodder as a service model aimed at improving animal health and farmer incomes. In recognition of its innovation, the company has been selected to represent India at the INNOVA Europe Awards finale in 2025.
In this freewheeling conversation with Vaishali Mehta of Agrotech Space, Vijay Singh, CEO and MD of Shunya Agritech, discusses the journey so far, the technology behind the model, and what it takes to build for India’s rural heartland. Following are the edited excerpts from the interview:
Agrotech Space: What inspired you to start Shunya Agritech, and how did your previous experiences influence your vision for the company?
Vijay Singh: Shunya Agritech is my seventh entrepreneurial venture. Before this, I built a company called AaramShop, focused on enabling hyperlocal commerce for India’s unorganized retail sector, what we call the Kiranas. Customers could view offers from their local Kirana on a mobile app, place orders and receive direct deliveries, a model we pioneered over a decade ago, well before it became mainstream.
We scaled to a few lakh retailers and were eventually acquired by Reliance. Our technology became the foundation for what is now JioMart. Post-acquisition, I worked on scaling the platform nationally, and by the time I exited, around 1.5 million retailers were using it in some form. During COVID-19, I spent more time in rural India, where my family runs a small village school. To support the school sustainably, I explored starting a dairy unit. That experience introduced me to the dairy sector and its challenges, most notably, the severe shortage of quality livestock nutrition.
Despite dairy contributing 5% to India’s GDP and supporting 30% of rural incomes, our average milk yield is just 50% of the global average, largely due to poor nutrition. This revealed a significant gap, and an opportunity. Instead of setting up a dairy, I decided to address the core issue: nutrition. After studying various Indian and global models, hydroponic fodder stood out as a viable, scalable solution. That’s what led me to start Shunya Agritech, with a mission to support the dairy ecosystem through localized, tech-enabled, and sustainable fodder solutions.
With a focused mission to support the dairy ecosystem by solving the problem of livestock nutrition through scalable, localized and technology enabled models.
Agrotech Space: What are the key challenges in livestock feeding, and how does Shunya Agritech aim to address them?
Vijay Singh: India has nearly 300 million large livestock and over 200 million smaller animals like goats and sheep. Most are raised for milk, and dairying has long been a tradition in rural India. For many households, milk is a daily source of income, unlike crops, which generate revenue only once every few months. The milk collection and payment system is well organized, with most villages having a nearby collection centre. So, the challenge is not milk offtake but productivity.
Milk yield is directly linked to animal nutrition. Ideally, a cow’s diet should include three components: dry fodder (boosa), green fodder, and concentrate. Dry fodder provides fibre and satiety but does little for milk production. Green fodder, which should form a major part of the diet, is now scarce due to the loss of pasture land. As a result, livestock are stall fed, and green fodder must be manually grown, cut, carried and fed daily, usually by women in the household.
Today’s youth are unwilling to do this physically demanding task, though they’re still open to caring for the animal in other ways. So, green fodder is often skipped or inconsistently fed. To compensate, farmers use more concentrate, but it is expensive and still doesn’t deliver optimal results. This leads to a skewed diet, 80–90% dry fodder and little green, resulting in poor productivity.
The national average milk yield is around 4 litres per day, compared to a global average of 8 litres. The issue isn’t breed quality, it’s nutrition. When animals are properly fed for just 3-4 days, milk output improves. But most farmers are caught in a “productivity trap,” spending more on feed with little gain. Animals remain underproductive, and the return on investment suffers, especially considering that they are dry for about 60 days a year.
At Shunya Agritech, we address this by providing fresh, hydroponically grown green fodder, removing the need for daily manual labour while ensuring the animal receives balanced, nutritious feed every day. This helps improve milk yield, reduce costs, and make dairying more viable for small farmers.
At Shunya Agritech, we aim to break this cycle by providing reliable, accessible green fodder grown through hydroponic systems. This eliminates the daily physical burden on farmers and ensures that animals receive balanced, high-quality nutrition every single day, without relying solely on costly feed supplements. Our model is designed to restore the core diet that animals are meant to have, in a form that is practical, efficient, and scalable for the Indian farmer.
Agrotech Space: Can you explain your hydroponic fodder model (B2B2C) and how it addresses land, water and climate challenges?
Vijay Singh: Before explaining the B2B2C model, I think it’s important to first outline what we’re growing and why. It was clear to us from the beginning that a traditional model, where green fodder is cultivated on large tracts of farmland, would not be viable in the Indian context. There is a fundamental issue of land scarcity. Owning or leasing hundreds of acres to grow fodder would be extremely expensive. In addition, there are growing concerns around water availability, especially in summer, and extreme climate conditions that can impact both crops and animals.
While water may still be accessible for the next 5-6 years through borewells, continuing at the current rate will likely lead to a severe water crisis within a decade. Traditional green fodder cultivation requires a large volume of water. On top of that, rising temperatures, which we often don’t talk about enough, have a serious impact on milk production. We conducted a study where temperatures reached over 40°C, and we saw milk yields decline sharply. So, addressing environmental risks was a key priority from the start. That’s why we chose hydroponics.
I had seen hydroponic fodder models at a few places, and while the idea seemed promising, many international systems were extremely energy intensive and not viable for small farmers in India. We spent a significant amount of time developing a model that would reduce energy consumption, avoid the use of expensive grow lights and chemical nutrients, and still produce high quality, dense fodder at a price point affordable to smallholder farmers.
Let me describe what we grow. We use trays where grains are sprouted without soil or chemicals. What results is a fully edible, nutrient rich plant, roots and all, that animals absolutely love. The grain component acts as a direct replacement for concentrate feed. It’s a natural diet, safe enough that even humans can consume it.
The entire grow cycle takes 10 days, from seed treatment to the point it is fed to the animal. Our facilities are designed to grow fresh fodder every single day. What’s critical is that the fodder is 100% natural, chemical free, and produces zero waste. For example, at our facility in Gurgaon, we use a high density, multi tiered growing system, up to 11 vertical layers. Other facilities have six or seven tiers. This vertical stacking means we can grow a large quantity of fodder using a very small footprint.
To put it in perspective, one of our 10,000 square foot facilities can produce 5 tons of fodder per day. If we were to grow the same quantity on open farmland, it would require nearly 75 acres. That’s a comparison of 10,000 square feet versus 3 million square feet. The difference is massive.
Water use is another critical differentiator. Our system uses precision irrigation based on our own protocols, consuming less than 1% of the water typically used in traditional cultivation. And even that 1% is significant, because conventional farming in India relies on flood irrigation where entire fields are filled with water. To grow fodder year-round, those fields would need to be watered every 15 days. Now imagine flooding 75 acres every two weeks, especially during dry summers. That becomes an environmentally unsustainable model.
In contrast, our facilities use large tanks that supply water to the entire system efficiently. Even a single tank is often sufficient to meet the needs of the full facility. This method is much more aligned with sustainable, ESG compliant practices.
So overall, our hydroponic model addresses three major constraints: land, water, and climate. It is scalable, resource efficient, and capable of producing fresh, high quality fodder 365 days a year, without depending on weather, soil, or large land parcels. Only once we had perfected this system did we begin thinking about how to deliver it to farmers through our B2B2C model.
Agrotech Space: How is the hydroponic fodder grown and watered, and what benefits does it offer to the livestock and farmers?
Vijay Singh: We use two different irrigation models to grow our hydroponic fodder. One is what we call the Aarambh model, which is relatively basic. In this system, water is sprinkled from the top at controlled intervals. The tray is the kind used in this setup. While it works, we believe there are certain inherent limitations to this model, especially when it comes to scaling up.
To address those challenges, we have developed an advanced model called Viksit where water is not sprinkled from the top but instead rolled through the seeds. This method provides greater control, especially in preventing infections and maintaining hygiene in the growing process.
As for the fodder itself, it reaches the ideal height and nutritional stage just a day before it’s dispatched to the farmers. From the point you’re holding it, it may grow about an inch more, but it’s already ready to go. What we grow is highly nutritious, much like the sprouts people consume for breakfast. Sprouting significantly enhances the nutritional value of grains. For example, sprouted maize offers more nutrition than regular maize seed. This principle is applied in our fodder as well.
However, it’s important to note that this fodder is not a complete replacement. Livestock still require fibre from dry fodder, and in some cases (such as pregnancy or lactation) they may need additional supplements. But what this fodder does very effectively is reduce the need for concentrate feed, which is expensive.
The impact on livestock is visible within just 4 to 5 days. While animals don’t immediately switch to a new diet, by the third or fourth day, most adapt fully and begin eating it eagerly. By the 8th or 9th day, farmers observe a clear increase in milk yield. More importantly, the fat and SNF (Solids-Not-Fat) content in the milk also goes up.
Since dairy farmers are paid based on both quantity and fat content, an improvement in either directly increases their earnings. This makes the hydroponic fodder not only a nutritionally superior option but also a financially rewarding one for farmers.
Agrotech Space: How do you use IoT, AI, and digital monitoring to manage your operations and scale your fodder model across rural India?
Vijay Singh: What you saw may appear to be a simple sprouting process, but it’s actually a highly sensitive and time-bound operation. The entire cycle takes about 10 days, 2 to 3 days of pre-treatment followed by 7 to 8 days of growth on racks. Because of its density and exposure to moisture, the risk of fungal infection, pest infestation, or poor seed germination is quite high.
If, for example, a fungal issue arises on the second day and is not detected early, it can spread rapidly. What may appear as a minor patch in the morning can cover entire sections by the evening. Fungal spores and pests reproduce quickly, and many pests lay eggs on broken seeds, which hatch into larvae within hours. The challenge becomes more severe because we cannot spray any chemicals on the fodder, since the crop will be consumed by livestock within days. Unlike open-field crops, where pesticides can be used with longer turnaround time, our fodder must remain chemical-free and edible throughout.
To address this, we’ve digitized every stage of our operations. For every physical process, such as washing seeds, laying them out, and watering, we’ve built a corresponding digital twin. This allows us to monitor and detect risks like infections or abnormal growth patterns in real time, far beyond what the human eye can perceive.
This digital infrastructure is essential because our business model is not based on building a few large centralised facilities. Instead, we operate through micro-markets, each covering about 25 villages. At the center of each micro-market is a Growth and Logistics Centre (GLC), where fodder is grown under a controlled environment. The product is delivered to farmers within an hour of harvest, fresh, unpackaged, and chemical-free.
Given the bulkiness, perishability, and weight of the product, conventional logistics or e-commerce models are not suitable. That’s why we use hyperlocal distribution. Each village has a local partner. Farmers place their orders through our app, where they can subscribe for regular deliveries, and the GLC supplies fodder to the local retailer within 40 to 45 minutes. The retailer either delivers it or the farmer picks it up directly.
Our model is designed to address a massive and growing need. India has over 5 lakh villages. Nearly every second rural household owns livestock, and 80–90% of villages face some level of fodder shortage. In some districts, the deficit is as high as 60%. To scale effectively, we need to set up hundreds, if not thousands, of GLCs.
We are not planning to own and operate all of these ourselves. Instead, we are building an ecosystem model. We onboard agri-entrepreneurs, such as agriculture graduates or women farmers, who are willing to operate a GLC in their village. We provide the infrastructure, protocols, and inputs. They grow the fodder, and we buy it from them and manage the distribution. Their only responsibility is to maintain quality. This model has proven both viable and profitable.
To enable seamless performance across so many decentralized units, we rely on two key systems: a science stack and a technology stack. The science stack involves selecting the right grain, determining seasonal mixes, and optimizing growing protocols. We’ve built this with support from our in-house R&D lab and partnerships with institutions like ICAR and IIMR, who provide scientific validation and inputs.
The tech stack, meanwhile, ensures every process, from seed washing to quality control, is digitized and traceable. Since no one else has implemented hydroponic fodder at this scale, we had to design these systems from scratch, identifying operational gaps and building proprietary tools to address them.
We’ve also ensured that the technology is accessible and intuitive. While we do use AI and machine learning in the backend, for things like image recognition, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance, we keep the user interface simple. The person using the system is often a 10th or 12th pass rural youth with a basic Android phone. They don’t need to understand technical jargon, they just need a smooth experience that helps them do their job well.
At the heart of this is our Operations Centre (OC), which monitors every GLC and every stage of production remotely. If something deviates from the standard, for instance, if seeds fail to sprout properly, the system raises a flag, and our team intervenes to resolve the issue quickly.
This level of process control is rare in Indian agritech. Much of our thinking is influenced by my experience at Reliance, where I learned the importance of building systems that scale predictably. We’re applying that same principle here: tight process integration, robust monitoring, and locally rooted, tech enabled execution.
Ultimately, this approach enables us to expand into new regions quickly while maintaining product quality and operational consistency across all units.
Agrotech Space: What role does your mobile app play in supporting farmers and how they have responded to adopting digital solutions?
Vijay Singh: We have multiple apps, but let me begin with the consumer-facing one, which is the farmer app, simply called Shunya. It is available across platforms and is designed to integrate seamlessly into the digital lives of rural users. We are a must-eat product, which means the farmer needs to use our fodder regularly. While it may take time before our solution reaches every farmer, we are currently focused on what are classified as R1, R2, and possibly R3 segments in rural India.
Digital awareness among these segments is surprisingly high. Most farmers own smartphones and are already active on platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and regional apps. So, integrating into their digital routine has not been a challenge. We position the app as a place where they can check if fodder is available, place or manage their orders, and access other services. Connectivity and data availability have also not posed any issues in our operational regions.
Now, among many apps that a farmer might use, we needed to offer features that are genuinely relevant. The key differentiator in our app is that our core product, fodder, is a daily consumption item. Unlike seed or pesticide purchases, which are seasonal, fodder must be supplied and consumed every day. However, we do not expect the farmer to place an order every day.
We operate on a subscription-only model. Within the app, there is a section called Dukaan, where the farmer can view and subscribe to fodder. While one-time orders are technically possible, we encourage farmers to subscribe for 10, 30, 60, or 90 days. Once subscribed, the fodder is delivered daily, just like milk. It is fresh, timely, and consistent in quality. This allows us to maintain reliability for the farmer while reducing friction in the ordering process.
We are likely one of the only rural subscription models operating at scale in the country. What’s notable is that the response from farmers has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, we currently run a 100% prepaid model, where farmers pay upfront for the duration of their subscription. In future, we hope to move toward offering credit-based options, once we have better understanding and risk profiling mechanisms in place. That too will be integrated into the app.
Once the farmer places the order, they receive real-time notifications, such as dispatch status and estimated delivery time, making the experience smooth and predictable.
Because the farmer is regularly using the app, we’ve added other high-utility features. The second section is called Bazaar, which operates as a peer-to-peer marketplace. Farmers can list and view products like cattle, tractors, motorcycles, or even bicycles. These transactions typically occur within their local area. The platform enables them to communicate and engage in commerce directly, creating a useful community feature.
The third section we’ve introduced is called Chikitsalaya, which focuses on veterinary assistance. Livestock health is a major pain point for farmers, and while the government provides vet services, availability is often limited. Through the app, farmers can access basic diagnostic support by uploading photos or videos of their livestock. Our system provides an initial assessment, and if necessary, connects them to a qualified veterinarian in their area for further diagnosis and treatment.
A fourth feature we are working on is credit access. Dairy farmers typically receive payments every 10 days from milk collection centers. During the interim, if a farmer lacks funds, they should not have to compromise on feeding their animals. We aim to provide short-term credit directly through the app to bridge that gap. These are small-ticket loans but can be highly impactful.
In summary, the app is not just an ordering tool, it is a full-stack engagement platform designed to support farmers in purchasing fodder, accessing services, trading locally, managing livestock health, and soon, availing credit. The adoption and response so far have been highly encouraging.
Also read: INTERVIEW | Vaidic Srijan’s Madhukar Swayambhu on Cownomics, MAGICC, and Science of Natural Farming
Agrotech Space: Have you faced any challenges while scaling your model to the new regions?
Vijay Singh: To be honest, we haven’t scaled widely enough yet to provide a complete answer. So far, we’ve entered regions like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, and we are in the process of exploring a few other states as well, though I would prefer to speak about those once the expansion is formally underway.
In the areas where we have launched, we haven’t encountered major challenges. We also haven’t yet entered regions with drastically different weather conditions, which could present operational hurdles in the future. Once we expand into such climatic zones, we may need to make certain adjustments. But as of now, our experience with scaling has been relatively smooth.
Agrotech Space: How do you see tech evolving in agri-tech and dairy tech sectors over the years?
Vijay Singh: I believe there has been some very commendable work done by various companies across the agritech and dairytech sectors. While I would not call myself an expert in every aspect of agritech, it is clear that significant advancements have been made, particularly in areas such as agri-inputs, procurement from farmers, and disease detection in crops. These are well-established focus areas where meaningful innovation has already taken place.
In the dairy sector, I think notable progress has been made on the milk procurement side, especially in building efficient collection systems. However, when it comes to interventions that directly support the farmer, there is still substantial work to be done. We are trying to contribute in that space, but overall, I feel the collection and infrastructure side of dairy in India has seen some outstanding work, while farmer-centric solutions continue to present an opportunity for further development.
Agrotech Space: What kind of government support or policies would help you grow your impact?
Vijay Singh: At our current scale, we’ve received strong support from the government, both directly and through institutional partnerships. Agriculture, as a sector, generally benefits from active government involvement, and the shortage of green fodder is a challenge that both state and central governments have already acknowledged.
We receive two key types of support. First is research collaboration through institutions like IIMR and IARI. Second, since we are not just a tech company but also manage physical infrastructure, the capital investment required is significant. Several state governments offer subsidies to support such infrastructure, and if more states include hydroponic units in these schemes, it would be beneficial. While it’s not yet consistent across India, we expect broader adoption as successful models emerge.
Beyond that, we don’t have major policy demands. Some of our input costs, like the high-quality maize we use, have risen due to competing uses like ethanol production, but that is driven by market forces and affects other sectors like poultry as well. Overall, we’re not looking for additional support, but wider facilitation would certainly help scale the model.
Agrotech Space: How do you view competitive landscape in Indian agriculture? And are you exploring any opportunities of partnerships and collaborations?
Vijay Singh: I can only speak for the segment in which we operate, which is livestock nutrition. The issue of poor nutrition has been widely acknowledged, and several players, including concentrate manufacturers and DDGS companies, are working to address it in their own ways. Most of these are large-scale processors that produce packaged feed or silage and distribute it to farmers. However, silage, for instance, is not necessarily nutrition-dense.
What we are doing is different, we focus on delivering fresh, integrated, and highly nutritious fodder every day, combining the benefits of both concentrate and green fodder. Within this specific category, there is currently very limited competition. In some cases, farmers grow and harvest green fodder themselves, but what we offer, a dense, ready to feed product at an accessible price point, is quite distinct. At present, we don’t see any direct competition offering the same combination of value, freshness, and nutrition.
As for partnerships and collaborations, we are absolutely open. In fact, our digital platform is designed to support such integrations. If a farmer is already using our app to order fodder, there’s no reason he shouldn’t also be able to purchase seeds, supplements, or other agri-products through it. We are keen to collaborate with partners across various categories in the regions where we operate. Our goal is to build a more comprehensive ecosystem for the farmer.
Agrotech Space: How do you balance innovation and practical needs of rural farmers?
Vijay Singh: That’s an important question, and a difficult one. If we build technology just because we can, the farmer may not see its relevance or impact. On the other hand, if we only ask farmers what technology they need, we might never arrive at transformative solutions. Often, the farmer is so accustomed to his daily challenges that he may not even recognize them as problems. He develops his own methods to cope, feeding cattle with whatever is available, improvising where he can.
Our approach is to bring a 10x solution to the farmer, something significantly better than what currently exists. Take WhatsApp, for example. Before it existed, none of us realized we needed it. But once it arrived, it changed communication for everyone. Similarly, farmers don’t yet know that hydroponic fodder can be a solution. It’s our job to introduce it and show its value, not as technology, but as a product that improves their life.
Farmers aren’t buying tech, they’re buying outcomes. We must ensure the cost of our solution makes sense in the context of their income. If a farmer sells milk at INR 60 per litre and his current input is INR 40, he won’t adopt something that raises his cost to INR 70 unless it also increases his income. So we work within that logic, either by helping him increase his milk price or by reducing effort and other costs.
We also bring dignity and comfort to farming households. For example, if our solution means a woman or child no longer needs to walk long distances daily to cut green fodder, that’s a significant improvement in quality of life. Still, we recognize that farmers won’t pay just for peace of mind, they want measurable benefits. Even if something brings comfort, if it doesn’t improve productivity or income, it likely won’t be adopted.
Today, rural homes have access to water, electricity, toilets, and mostly pakka (permanent) houses. But green fodder remains a daily source of distress. Collecting it is time-consuming, physically demanding, and often falls on women or children. We aim to remove that burden. But we must present the solution in a way that also shows clear economic and operational benefits, otherwise, adoption will remain limited.
We balance innovation with practicality by designing products that are technologically strong, affordable and deeply relevant to the farmer’s daily life and income.
Agrotech Space: What advice would you give to aspiring agritech entrepreneurs?
Vijay Singh: My advice would be simple, just get started. There is a vast amount of work to be done in this space, and waiting for the perfect plan or moment isn’t necessary. I don’t consider myself in a position to offer extensive advice, but speaking as an entrepreneur, I would say, don’t overthink, take the first step. Once you begin, you will find your way.