Small farms anchor local food systems, yet they confront numerous, unique business and agricultural hurdles. Recognizing this, Harvard Master in Design Engineering students Akhil Dayal and Darren Chin used their expertise and capstone project to support these critical enterprises. Their journey resulted in the creation of Terra, an artificial intelligence-based platform engineered to streamline farm operations and advance sustainable agriculture.
Addressing the Distinct Needs of Small Farms
Raised in agricultural environments, Chin and Dayal noticed that small farms face challenges combining those of family-run businesses with the wider agricultural sector. Many existing management tools were either too broad or too complex. Sensing an opening, they designed a solution tailored specifically for small farms, prioritizing simplicity and practical usability over generic features.
Introducing Terra: AI for Farm Administration
Terra automates and simplifies essential administrative tasks, including tax management, sales tracking, and crop analysis. The platform provides actionable insights, guiding farmers in decisions such as optimal pricing and crop planning for each season. By centering on what the farmer grows, Terra becomes a valuable daily tool for smarter decision-making.
- Administrative Automation: Reduces paperwork and ensures regulatory compliance
- Market Analysis: Recommends profitable crops based on current market data
- Pricing Support: Helps farmers competitively price their products
Real-World Testing and Insights
To ensure Terra met real-world needs, Chin and Dayal collaborated with two farming collectives: Ho’ola Farms in Hawaii and the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in New York. Ho’ola Farms, which champions local food systems and assists new farmers—including veterans—highlighted the challenges of food distribution on an import-dependent island. Glynwood’s emphasis on sustainable agriculture and varied growing conditions in New York provided a contrasting yet complementary perspective.
Through these partnerships, the team discovered that while direct-to-consumer connections are valuable, enabling farmers to understand and manage their business data is even more critical. Terra’s focused, straightforward design resonated with both collectives, confirming the demand for specialized digital tools in small-scale farming.
Human-Centered Design and Entrepreneurial Impact
Chin and Dayal drew on rich professional backgrounds for their project. Chin’s expertise in operations management and product strategy, and Dayal’s blend of mathematics and architectural design, made them ideal collaborators for the MDE program’s fusion of design and technology. Their previous work on platforms for STI care and elder therapy honed their ability to pinpoint impactful solutions and measure them by real-world results.
Their philosophy centers on the idea that impact should be at the heart of innovation. For them, achievement is measured not just by profitability but by meaningful advances in community health, food availability, and local economies.
The Road Ahead for Terra
As they graduate, Chin will return to consulting while Dayal joins an AI company, yet both remain invested in Terra’s future. They are exploring open-sourcing the technology and sharing best-practice guides with the farming collectives that influenced its development. Advisors even see potential for Terra to become a thriving business, highlighting its capacity to modernize local agriculture.
Empowering Small Farms for a Sustainable Future
Chin and Dayal’s efforts underscore the critical role of small farms in food security and economic vitality. By working closely with farmers and focusing on practical, human-centered technology, they exemplify how design engineering can drive real change. Initiatives like Terra not only optimize farm operations but also reinforce community resilience—demonstrating the wide-reaching benefits of empowering small-scale agriculture.
Source: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, "Designing a better farm-to-market" by Matt Goisman
AI-Powered Platforms Like Terra Are Transforming Small Farm Operations