1. Introduction :

1.1 Purpose:

The purpose of this platform is to combat ongoing inflation and dismantle the existing syndicate system that controls the distribution of raw agricultural products. The platform will make organic, toxin-free raw products readily available to the public by establishing direct communication between farmers, the platform, and consumers. By doing so, the platform will increase the value that farmers receive while reducing price hikes at the consumer level.

1.2 Intended Audience

Farmers

Both small-scale and large-scale farmers who produce organic and pesticide-free crops. They are the primary beneficiaries, as the platform will enable them to sell their products at competitive wholesale prices directly to consumers.

Consumers

Everyday consumers who are looking for fresh, organic, and affordable fruits, vegetables, and raw food products to fulfil their daily needs. This includes health-conscious individuals and households seeking transparency in the sourcing of their food.

1.3 Intended Use:

This platform will be used for purchasing daily fruits, vegetables, and other raw organic foods by the general consumers at reduced prices. Farmers will use the platform to sell their goods at higher wholesale prices than what they typically receive. This will also free farmers from the exploitative third-party syndicate system.

1.4 Product Scope:

The product aims to create a transparent, efficient, and direct marketplace connecting farmers with consumers. It will eliminate middlemen, reducing the impact of inflation by offering fair prices to both producers and consumers. Farmers will be able to sell their organic products directly to buyers at competitive wholesale prices, ensuring higher earnings without being exploited by syndicates. Consumers will gain access to fresh, organic products in bulk directly from farmers at lower costs. The platform will emphasise sustainability and organic farming practices, fostering healthier food consumption while stabilising market prices.

1.5 Risk Definitions:

Technological Risks

There could be system downtimes, data security breaches, and difficulties in maintaining smooth communication between farmers and consumers

Resistance from Syndicates

The current syndicate system may attempt to undermine the platform’s operations, posing a significant risk to its success.

Agricultural Output Fluctuations

Changes in weather conditions or other environmental factors may impact product availability and prices.

Regulatory Compliance

Ensuring that the platform adheres to organic certification and food safety standards could present challenges.

Rural Infrastructure Limitations

Many farmers live in rural areas where internet connectivity may be poor, and they may lack the knowledge to fully utilise a digital platform. To address this, the platform will need to offer free digital training to farmers and deploy ground teams to assist with the collection and distribution of goods. However, this will incur significant additional costs.

To mitigate these risks, the platform must implement a robust technological infrastructure, maintain strong security protocols, and ensure transparent and scalable operations.

2. Overall Descriptions

2.1 User Classes

Consumers

Consumers are individuals who seek fresh, locally-sourced agricultural food commodities to purchase at affordable prices.

Farmer

The producer who sells their goods on the website since they want a syndicate-free outlet that accepts a reasonable price.

Delivery Agent

The third party services transport the perishable goods from farmers’ countryside regions to Dhaka, and from the warehouses to consumers.

Supply Chain Coordinator

The logistics manager oversees the flow of goods within the supply chain and interacts with the web application to manage inventory and track shipments.

2.2 User Characteristics

Consumers

Consumers value high-quality, fresh products, and prefer supporting small, local businesses. They may have moderate online shopping experience and expect a user-friendly interface for easy browsing and purchasing.

Farmers

Young to middle-aged individuals who are farming in the countryside, must be sufficiently tech-literate to be able to interact with the website interface.

Delivery Agent

Agents are skilled drivers, aware of the most optimised routes to destinations, have all necessary arrangements for loading and unloading the transport vehicles, and are quick to inform on any complications and updates.

Supply Chain Coordinator

Logistics managers are detail-oriented, organised, and tech-savvy, with strong communication skills and a solid understanding of supply chain operations.

2.3 User Needs

Consumer

Consumers need an easy-to-use online platform to find and buy fresh food directly from small farmers. They want clear product details, to know where their food comes from, and dependable delivery options. They also look for simple payment methods, updates on seasonal items, and clear order tracking.

Farmer

Requires a fair selling price for their goods, an online storefront, a means of requesting delivery to their consumers and monitoring the status of the delivery, a digital transaction system to receive their payments quickly and conveniently.

Delivery Agent

Agents need to know the addresses of farmers and the warehouse.

Supply Chain Coordinator

They require a user-friendly interface for monitoring inventory and tracking goods, real-time data for decision-making, and tools for coordinating with suppliers and delivery teams.

2.4 Operating Environments

Hardware Requirements:

• A web server to host the website (e.g., a basic cloud server).
• A database server to store product and user information.
• User devices, including personal laptops or smartphones for accessing the site.

Software Requirements:

• Operating systems: Linux (e.g., Ubuntu) for server environments.
• Web server software: Node server module.
• Database management system: MySQL.
• Development tools: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, NodeJS.

Network Environment:

• A reliable internet connection to access the website and databases.

User Environment:

• Users accessing the website through various devices (desktops and smartphones).
• Focus on a mobile-responsive design to ensure usability on different screen sizes.
• Simple user interface for easy navigation and product browsing.

2.5 Constraints

2.6 Assumptions

User Stories

As a farmer

• I want to create an account so that I can store, access, and modify my required personal and business-related data in one place.

  • If I forget my account’s password, I can use my email to get a password reset link

• I want to set up an online store so that I can put up my products for sale.

  • I can set a price on them freely
  • I can upload sample images / videos of the product so customers can judge its quality before ordering.
  • I can send notifications to my loyal customers when my products are back in stock

• I want to receive consumer feedback via reviews and ratings so that I can evaluate the quality of my products.

  • I can reply to customers to appreciate their good reviews or apologize for complaints
  • It is upto me whether I refund a customer for a bad product complaint, and such refunds will be publicly shown to redeem my reputation

• I want my produce picked up by trucks at a set address and be notified when they are delivered to Dhaka

  • If products are not delivered / picked up on time, or somehow damaged during delivery then the company will compensate me.
  • In case the pickup address is hard to reach/locate, I shoukd be able to call and chat with the truck driver.

• I want to periodically receive notifications via email regarding sales and reviews so that I am informed about my store’s performance and events even when I’m not active on my account.

• I want to receive payments via online transactions such as debit/credit cards, or financial services like bKash, Rocket, etc.

As a Consumer

• I want to browse through a selection of fresh products so that I can discover new items to purchase.
• I want to search for a specific product so that I can quickly find what I need.
• I want to complete my purchase easily so that I can receive my products.
• I want to create an account so that I can save my shipping information, preferences, and user activity data.
• I want to read reviews of a product so that I can make an informed decision before purchasing.
• I want to track my current order so that I can know when it will be delivered.
• I want to access my purchase history.
  • As a thrifty consumer, I want to monitor my expenditures so that I can manage my spending over time.
  • As a satisfied consumer, I want to reorder previously purchased items from the same producer.
• As a loyal customer, I want to follow my favourite farmer so that I am updated on their latest product offerings and discounts.

Non-functional requirements

• Performance: many rural areas of Bangladesh lack smooth, fast internet. Our website will sport a lightweight UI to reduce long load times caused by any such poor network.
• Accessibility: Most Bangladeshi farmers are not proficient in english and technology due to cultural and financial factors. Hence our website will default to bengali language and contain an extensive help page which guides them through each key feature.
• Security: Any online transaction will be performed by highly trusted third party financial services.