SARAH BINTAY SHAKHAWAT
Dr. Chashi is Bangladesh’s first comprehensive digital agriculture platform, empowering farmers, gardeners, and agro-dealers with AI-driven tools to optimise crop health, boost yields, and promote environmental sustainability. By integrating AI-powered disease detection, weather-indexed advisory systems, and scalable solutions, Dr. Chashi reduces chemical dependency, lowers input costs, and increases productivity by up to 30%. The platform also provides e-commerce access to climate-resilient inputs and ensures food traceability to meet global standards.
Founded in 2020 by Medina Ali, an entrepreneur with deep roots in Bangladesh’s agro-industry, Dr. Chashi was inspired by her family’s 45+ years of experience in the sector. Identifying critical gaps in real-time crop health diagnostics and effective product usage, Medina launched the platform at a time when farmers were struggling with unpredictable weather, rising input costs, and environmental degradation.
Dr. Chashi aims to transform farming practices by providing data-driven solutions that align with national and global climate goals, including Bangladesh’s climate change strategies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a vision to lead the global Agro Tech industry, the platform promotes sustainable agriculture, mitigates environmental impacts, and enhances food security. Today, Dr. Chashi has over 15,000 organic users and partnerships with organisations such as USAID, the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), and Genetica Industries Ltd. The platform has helped reduce crop losses by over 20%, improved soil fertility, and increased farmers’ profitability through precise dosage recommendations and early disease detection.
Looking ahead, Dr. Chashi plans to expand into coastal regions to address salinity issues and promote climate-resilient aquaculture. The platform also aims to integrate IoT devices for enhanced monitoring and real-time data collection, introduce microfinance solutions to support smallholder farmers, and develop weather-indexed crop insurance to mitigate financial risks caused by climate change.