E-CHOUPAL
Indian conglomerate ITC transformed the lives of many rural Indians at the same time that it
was benefiting the company. Continually plagued by an inefficient supply chain in rural
agriculture, ITC implemented the e-Choupal initiative in 2000. Under the initiative, ITC set up
small Internet kiosks in villages that allowed farmers access to an efficient and transparent
alternative to the traditional mandi for marketing their produce. By establishing a direct channel
between the farmer and ITC, e-Choupal significantly marginalized the role of middlemen,
thereby ensuring farmers more money for their produce. In doing so, e-Choupal not only
mitigated ITC’s agrarian supply chain concerns but also achieved a greater good-the economic
uplift and empowerment of the Indian farmer.
E-Choupal:
Mandi was the source for the farmers to sell the produce to the buyers (ref: fig1) where the
