GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — While most high school students are focused on prom or passing algebra, one West Michigan student is innovating a new form of Uber Eats for farmers.
Junior Krishna Mano at City High School has created a platform called Krishi, which aims to help local farmers easily profit from the produce they grow directly on their farms.
"I decided to combine my passion for coding and technology with my will to, you know, make the world better and have an impact in the community," Mano said.
Mano was inspired from a personal connection he has with farming. His dads grandpa bought a farm back in the 1930s in India, which his family has maintained until now. After frequently visiting the farm, he felt as though farmers in the U.S. don't get that same level of credit. Mano has grown a strong appreciation for the agricultural industry.
What started as a school project in class called the "personal project," during Mano's sophomore year has turned into a creation that could change the farming landscape.
Mano says he came up with the idea after speaking with local farmers at the Fulton Street farmers market in the summer of 2024, who told him their main problem was not being able to sell all of their produce in time, leading to 20-40% of it going to waste.
"They were all telling me that their main problem that they face is that they're not able to sell all their produce in time. So I was looking for a solution to, you know, make that easier for them," Mano said.
The Krishi platform allows customers to see farms within a 20-mile radius and order produce directly from the farmers. Once an order is placed, both the farmer and a delivery driver can see the order and prepare it for delivery.
Mano's teachers and mentors at City High saw the potential in his creation and encouraged him to take it a step further. He submitted it for the Congressional App Challenge and ended up winning for Representative Hillary Scolton's district in Michigan.
Mano traveled to Washington, D.C. in March to meet with the representative alongside other tech leaders from companies such as, Broadcom and Snapchat, where he got the opportunity to do a demonstration of his app and receive live feedback. He also emphasizes how he couldn't have done it without the support of his teachers and family.
"I'm still, you know, working out the minor fixes that we have right now, and I'm hoping for it to become an actual app that people can use," Mano said.
The Krishi website is currently up and running, with the hope of a summer app launch. If you want to check out the website, click the link below.
https://farmkrishi.wordpress.com
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