Krishi wins Rep. Hillary Scholten’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Michigan’s Third District

When asked what inspired the creation of Krishi, the student said, “The inspiration behind creating this app stems from my deep connection to the agricultural industry through growing up in a family of farmers. My passion in addressing challenges within this sector led me to engage with local farmers at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I discovered a common concern: significant amounts of produce were going to waste due to slow sales. This issue, coupled with the increasing prevalence of food deserts across the United States in marginalized communities, highlighted a complex nationwide problem. The US Department of Agriculture found in a 2021 survey that ‘10.2%, or 13.5 million, U.S. households were food insecure.’ Many consumers lack access to healthy, locally grown food, often due to persisting socioeconomic factors or busy lifestyles. Meanwhile, small-scale farmers face the challenge of managing produce waste and navigating multiple sales avenues, such as online platforms, on-site stores, and farmers markets. Having to organize and oversee various methods of vending their products causes these farms to lose valuable time and money that could otherwise go towards maintaining and expanding their own small business. To address these inefficiencies, I developed Krishi—a platform designed to expand access to healthier food options while supporting local farmers in reducing waste and streamlining their sales processes. Finding a way to aid small-scale farmers also helps bring me closer to my family’s agricultural traditions, fulfilling my objective of assisting vital aspects of the local economy and essential members of our community.”