ikp centre for advancement in agriculture practice (icaap) in partnership with ifpri march 4, 2013

IKP Centre for Advancement in Agriculture Practice (ICAAP) in partnership with IFPRI

March 4, 2013

EMPOWERING FARMERS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE INTERVENTION

International Food Policy Research Institute


Issues in agriculture sector • Small land holding pattern i.e. Average size of land

holding 1.23 ha per farmer

• Access to quality inputs i.e. spurious seeds in the market

• Increased cost of inputs• Labor scarcity i.e. migration to urban and unremunerative

farming

• Depends of agriculture on weather i.e. Climate change

• Poor rural infrastructure i.e. roads, storage, warehouse and market


Issues in agriculture sector

• No proper management of irrigation i.e. surface irrigation

• Access to credit from financial institutions i.e. Rural penetration is poor by public and private banks and dominated by money lenders

• Poor risk mitigation i.e. Production and price risk

• Use of technology is inadequate i.e. weak extension mechanism

• Subsidy driven policies i.e. Fertilizers

• Exploitation of natural resources i.e. Ground water, soil health degradation


Issues in agriculture sector

• Production not aligned with emerging demand pattern i.e. cereal based production Vs high value commodities (F&V) and dairy products

• Poor investment in research, education and extension

• Poor post harvest management and value addition

• Weak institutional mechanism in agriculture


Background – the importance of information

• Generalized vs local, context-specific• Local info = more resource intensive but could

be more valuable for farmer• Farmers differ in their information searching

behaviours and information needs


Where do farmers get their info?

% farmers for each info source (NSSO, 2005) Not accessed any source

Other progressive farmersInput dealerRadioTVNewspaperExtension workerKVKPrivate agency/NGO


Felt & unfelt needs from farmers

• High quality agriculture inputs i.e. seed varieties • Advanced technologies for best practices • Mechanization for cash crops • Value addition & market access• Diversified agriculture for sustainable income • Reduced cost of economics through resource

optimization • Capacity strengthening for farm oriented

entrepreneurial activities


Rice information needs


Preferred information source

• High search prefer mobile phone helpline• Print least preferred by low searchers


Constraints to information access

• Poor availability• Poor reliability • Lack of awareness of information sources• Poor access to computer • Illiteracy of farm holder


Private sector in knowledge delivery model

• Advisory through cell phone RML, IKSL and Nokia Life tools• Rural retail chainITC’s e-Choupal, Hariyali Kisan Bazaar, Tata Kisan

Sansar (Hub & Spoke model)• Contract farmingPepsiCo, Mahindra, Suguna poultry, Venky’s &

Global green company

ICAAP Knowledge Management Portal

• Goal: Improve farm productivity and incomes

• Objective: Advance agricultural practice in India through research and capacity strengthening

• Target: Farmers and knowledge intermediaries



Knowledge Management portal framework

ConnectivityContent

KnowledgeResearch Capacity

Global, National & Local Knowledge

ICAAP Knowledge

Management Portal

Farmer Association

NGO

Extension worker

KVK

Agri-clinic Banks Inputs Agri-machineries

Progressive farmers

SAU

Private sector

Technology for ICAAP Portal

Server: Linux Platform: Open Source Software - Media WikiService provider: Amazon Web Services

(AWS) for better connectivity and data storage.


Currently

• Developed for paddy, black gram, green gram, sugarcane, banana and Coconut in Thanjavur and Thiruvarur districts

• Partnered with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) for Tamil Nadu and University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore for Karnataka

• Plans to partner with State Agricultural Universities and research institutes across the country to populate the portal

Scaling up and out

Additional commodities in Tamil Nadu • Cotton, maize, groundnut• Cassava, turmeric, jasmine• Cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, poultry• Fodder cropsGeographical coverage:• More districts in Tamil Nadu• Karnataka• Other states in India


STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & DELIVERY

PARTNERS FOR KNOWLEDGE

AGGREGATION

CGIAR FOR GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE

ICAR INSTITUIONS, NATIONAL

RESEARCH CENTRESSTATE

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES

REGIONAL RESEARCH STATIONS

FARMERS

SYNTHESIS DELIVERY

ICAAP KNOWLEDGE

MANAGEMENT PORTAL

FINANCIAL INSTITUIONS

AGRIBUSINESS COMPANIES

STATE DEPARTMENT’S

EXTENSION STAFF

FPOs, NGOs & ENTREPRENUERS

IMPACT


Knowledge Delivery

• Plans to disseminate farm specific information to paddy farmers in partnering with PUDHUAARU KGFS in Thanjavur coming June 2013.

• Partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra, National Agro foundation and other agribusiness firm to work with farmers for impact.

• Partnered with IFMR B School to offer a elective course on “Agricultural finance” to students during June 2013. Curriculum preparation is underway – link with e-learning platform in the portal.


CASE STUDY

TNAU : PROJECT IMPLEMENTING AGENCYMode: Turnkey Project on consultancy basis

Plan of Work:

• 400 ha @ one ha / farmer in Dharmapuri District

• 1 st crop was raised by Scientist of TNAU

• Offer technical support for 2nd to -5th crop raised by by the farmer

Now scaled up to 40000 ha across the State

Objectives

To prepare the farmers for market led horticulture

To empower the Farmers and Farmers’ Forum

To promote Hi tech Horticulture inbuilt with precisionfarming elements

To be the model hi tech production system to maximise the productivity

Long term:

Short term :

Dimension of Precision …..

Temperate Countries

• GIS and Sub cubic cm soil grid level• Uniform Nature of Soil (Sensor based) • Single Crop Cycle system• Highly mechanized Farming system

Tropical Countries

• Prohibitive GIS Cost• Diverse nature of Soil• Multi cropping system• Manual Farming system

Precision elements in tropical farming system

1. Soil Preparation : Humus level, microbial load, aeration & drainage, fertility restoration 2. Nursery : Physically, physiologically uniform seedlings with intact roots3. Crop geometry : Single ,double ,triple and tetra rows ( straight and alternate)4. Fertigation : Nutrients at critical stages, subsoil moisture regime 5. Growth management: Regulation of flowering, training the canopy,6. Plant protection : Monitoring System , IPM and IDM7. Field Level PHM : Harvest Index, handling, sorting and grading and labeling crates8. Cluster Approach : Registered Precision Farmers Associations at Cluster level9. Market linkage : Collective marketing, Market info by SMS, Market exposure10. Empowerment : Precision Farmers Producers Company Ltd.,

Precision Farmers Mega Market Ltd.,

Cultivated Crops

Agriculture: Sugarcane, Cotton, Maize, Sunflower, Ground nut, Sesame, Finger millets, Sorghum, Pearl Millet

Horticulture: Tapioca, Banana, Tomato, Brinjal, Chilli, Curry leaf Watermelon, Papaya, Bitter gourd, Bottle Gourd , Snake gourd , Lab lab, Turmeric, Yam, Onion ,Musk melon

Potato, Carrot, Cabbage, Radish, Beet, Cucumber Cauliflower, Coriander, Chow chow, Beans, Paprika, Ash gourd, Rose, Chrysanthimum, Limoniums Marigold, Aester,

Measurable out puts:

1. Doubled the productivity of crops2. 95 percent marketable produce with less unmarketable produces3. High end quality parameters and 30 % premium price in the market4. Water economy 30 to 40 %5. Electricity economy 50 %6. Extended period of harvest to match lean season in the market7. Less labor dependence8. Extended shelf life9. 25% more weight per unit volume for the produce10.Empowerment of farmers ( Technical, Economical and social empowerment)


www.advanceagripractice.inTHANK YOU

http://www.advanceagripractice.in/

ikp centre for advancement in agriculture practice (icaap) in partnership with ifpri march 4, 2013

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