Nidhi Bhasin assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at Digital Green Trust (DGT) in September 2024, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to empowering small and marginal farmers in India through digital technology and sustainable agriculture.
Bhasin brings to the position over 25 years of experience in social development, program management, and leadership in technology-for-good initiatives.
Based in New Delhi, she leads a team of more than 80 employees focused on transforming agricultural practices to improve livelihoods at scale.
Her appointment marks a significant strategic moment for DGT, as the organisation seeks to expand its reach and deepen its impact amid growing challenges in Indian agriculture, including climate change and the need for gender-sensitive interventions.
Digital Green Trust’s Mission and Reach
For 17 years, Digital Green Trust has been building a knowledge and technology ecosystem to serve over 4.7 million Indian farmers, primarily those working small plots or facing marginal conditions.
The Trust leverages digital tools to enhance agricultural extension services, which traditionally rely on face-to-face contact that is limited by geography and resources. Among DGT’s flagship innovations is Farmer.Chat, an AI-powered conversational assistant enabling personalised, on-demand agricultural advice in multiple local languages.
This technology supports farmers in overcoming information gaps, improving crop productivity, managing risks, and adapting to climate variability.
Beyond technology, DGT integrates a multi-stakeholder approach involving government bodies, philanthropies, corporates, and local communities. Working closely with around 12 state governments in India, the organisation tailors scalable interventions that emphasise sustainability, gender inclusion, and climate resilience.
These partnerships enhance the delivery of agriculture advisory and inputs, build capacities of extension workers, and promote collective action through farmer organisations.
Over the period from December 2024 to March 2025, DGT registered a gain of over 100,000 active users in Bihar alone, with farmers engaging actively on average 9 to 11 queries per user, reflecting strong uptake and trust in the platform.
Nidhi Bhasin’s Transformational Leadership
Bhasin’s extensive leadership background includes her previous tenure as CEO of the Nasscom Foundation, where she drove technology-driven social initiatives aimed at bridging digital divides among underserved populations in India.
Her experience also spans over 20 years with Concern India Foundation, focusing on education, health, and women’s empowerment. This breadth of expertise positions her uniquely to lead Digital Green Trust’s ambitious vision of integrating technology with social development at scale.
In her statements, Bhasin has emphasised the potential of DGT to act as an enabler for the agriculture ecosystem by creating synergies between government programmes, philanthropic ventures, and corporate social responsibility efforts.
She expressed a commitment to “scale our impact, in numbers and depth,” by spearheading thought leadership initiatives that influence rural livelihoods positively.
Bhasin’s focus includes advancing regenerative farming practices, improving gender equity by empowering women farmers, and applying climate-smart agriculture techniques that enhance resilience against environmental shocks.
Board Chairperson Tejesh Shah highlighted the alignment of Bhasin’s dedication to social good and her expertise in technology with Digital Green Trust’s mission.
He underscored her role in “revolutionising agricultural practices for the betterment of farmers and their communities,” anticipating that her leadership will catalyse fresh energy and growth in the organisation’s ongoing efforts.
Operational Innovations and Impact
Digital Green Trust’s operational model combines technology adoption with capacity building and inclusive community engagement. Key innovations like Farmer.Chat and eFarm apps have not only digitised agricultural advice but have also helped build organisational strength among farmer groups and improved access to markets.
These tools offer customised communication to farmers, extend the reach of agriculture extension workers, and collect real-time data to inform decision making.
The AI assistant provides contextual, timely advice on crop management, pest control, market prices, and weather patterns, vital for smallholder farmers operating in risk-prone environments.
The organisation’s approach is data-driven and results-oriented, with performance metrics tracked across states. Increased user engagement, improved crop yields, and enhanced income levels among participating farmers provide quantitative evidence of success.
DGT’s initiatives also dovetail with governmental schemes focused on doubling farmers’ incomes and promoting sustainable agriculture, creating a coherent policy environment for impact scaling.
Broader Context: Indian Agriculture and Social Development
India’s agriculture sector remains critical to national food security and rural livelihoods, employing close to half the country’s workforce. However, challenges such as fragmented landholdings, dependency on monsoon rainfall, limited access to capital and inputs, and climate change impacts constrain productivity and sustainability.
Digital Green Trust operates within this complex environment, using technology as a tool to mitigate some of these systemic barriers. Bhasin’s leadership coincides with a period of heightened governmental focus on digital agriculture, women’s farmer collectives, and climate mitigation strategies.
Her prior roles have familiarised her with multisectoral collaboration models, which she is now applying to create integrative frameworks for sustainable agricultural development.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
From The Logical Indian’s standpoint, Digital Green Trust’s work under Nidhi Bhasin’s stewardship embodies how technology, when grounded in empathy and inclusivity, can become an effective catalyst for social transformation. The Trust’s model aligns with principles of environmental stewardship, economic empowerment, and social justice values essential for the future of India’s rural communities and agriculture.
The Logical Indian encourages policymakers, civil society, and corporate stakeholders to support and scale initiatives like Digital Green’s, which leverage innovation alongside human-centred approaches. Such efforts must prioritise equitable access, particularly focusing on marginalised groups such as women farmers, to ensure that technological advancements translate into broad-based development outcomes.
How can society collectively strengthen frameworks that integrate technology and grassroots knowledge to foster a resilient, fair, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem for India’s smallholder farmers?
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