Unsung Heroes: Death of farmer led to idea of utilising technology for better future, says Boomitra CEO Aadith Moorthy

Aadith Moorthy, CEO and founder of Boomitra, said, “This award stands as a testament to the passion the Boomitra team has poured into every aspect of our work and validates the strength of our technology, solution, and the partners and growers we work with, who work every single day towards moving the needle on climate change.”

During a journey to a remote village in south India in 2016, Moorthy said, he encountered a funeral procession of a farmer who had taken his own life. This incident made him realise the impact of climate change on farmers and further led to the creation of Boomitra.

According to Moorthy, Boomitra’s cutting-edge satellite and AI technology measures soil improvements and tracks the soil’s ability to store carbon over time. (Express Photo)

Moorthy recalled, “I learned that the failure of monsoon rains had caused crop yields to collapse. It was then that I realised the dire suffering experienced by farmers due to climate change. This revelation gave birth to Boomitra. In 2021, we announced our seed investment of $4 million. Boomitra originated from the success of ConserWater, the first startup that I founded. This was a platform that leveraged artificial intelligence to help farmers grow more with fewer resources, such as water, electricity, and fertilizers. ConserWater successfully reduced water and fertilizer usage by over 30 per cent. To further enhance farmers’ income, the concept of ConserWater was scaled into Boomitra, an international soil carbon marketplace.”

According to Moorthy, Boomitra’s cutting-edge satellite and AI technology measures soil improvements and tracks the soil’s ability to store carbon over time. “In exchange, companies and governments looking to offset their emissions can purchase third-party verified carbon credits from Boomitra’s marketplace. The majority of the revenue generated from the sale of each credit goes directly to the farmer, rancher or landowner. Not only do they get additional income from the sale of carbon credits, but they also get data through the Boomitra app that helps them measure soil health so they can improve soil moisture, increase agricultural yields, water quality, and biodiversity,” he said.

Moorthy remarked that unsustainable farming practices such as stubble burning have entered the mainstream, leading to rapid soil degradation, soil infertility, and increased carbon dioxide emissions. “Additionally, the smallholder farmers of the region remain highly susceptible to drastic variations in climatic conditions and the repercussions associated with rising temperatures,” he added.

Talking about Bengaluru, he said, “Here in Bengaluru and Karnataka, we have an omnipresent sense of optimism in our ability to grow and tackle problems.”

The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize that is awarded to five winners each year for their contribution towards environmentalism. It was first awarded in 2021.