Re –shaping agriculture for a sustainable future – focus on ICT platforms

Best practices in ICT-based approaches for open innovation in sustainable agriculture

Dr. Adapa Kiran Kumar, Senior Scientist(Horticulture) Dr.Y.S.R. Horticultural University, India

NO FARMER NO WORLD

Information exchange of some agricultural extension approaches in India

ATMA

DoA

FFS FBO/SHG

Extension Workers

ICAR SAU KVK

Agriclinic

Input Dealer

NGOs

Media/TV/Radio

e-Choupal

Other Farmers

Farmer

ATMA= Agricultural Technology Management Agency DOA= Department of Agriculture ICAR= Indian Council for Agricultural Research FFS=farmer field school FBO/SHG= farmer-based organization/self-help group SAU= state agricultural university KVK=Krishi Vigyan Kendra (farm science center) NGO=Non governmental organization.

Despite a wide range of reform

initiatives in Agricultural Extension in

India in the past decades, the coverage

of, access to, and quality of information

provided to farmers is uneven.

ICT Tool--- A Bridge for passing from Problems to solutions

Web portal

aAQUA www.aaqua.org

TNAU AGRITECH Portal www.agritech.tnau.ac.in

KISSAN Kerala www.kissankerala.net

AGRISNET www.tnagrisnet.tn.gov.in

DACNET www.dacnet.nic.in

e-Krishi www.ekrishi.org

ASHA www.assamagribusiness.nic.in

India Development Gateway (InDG)

portal

www.indg.in

Rice Knowledge Management Portal

(RKMP)

www.rkmp.co.in

Agropedia agropedia.iitk.ac.in

e-Agriculture initiatives in India

Telephony/ Mobile Telephony

Farmers Call Centre (Kissan Call Centre)

Lifelines India www.lifelines-india.net

IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) www.iksl.in

Mobile Advisory Services by Krishi Vigyan

Kendras(KVKs) of Indian Council of

Agricultural Research (ICAR).

AGMARKNET www.agmarknet.nic.in

ITC-e-Choupal www.echoupal.com

EID Parry- Indiagriline www.eidparry.com/agriland.asp

Indiancommodities.com www.indiancommodities.com

Mahindra Kisan Mitra www.mahindrakisanmitra.com

IFFCO Agri-Portal www.iffco.nic.in

Agrowatch Portal www.agriwatch.com

iKissan www.ikisan.com

Web Portals for Market Information and Agri-Business Firms’ Portal to Farmers

e-Arik www.earik.in

e-Sagu www.esagu.in

Digital Green www.digitalgreen.org

Hybrid Projects (Mix of ICTs, Info-mediaries and Conventional Extension Methods)

Knowledge Share Centres www.naipsri.org/ikisan

Village Knowledge Centres (VKCs)-

M.S.Swaminathan Research

Foundation (MSSRF)

www.mssrf-nva.org

Village Resource Centres (VRCs) –

Indian Space Research Organisation

(ISRO)

www.isro.org/scripts/villa

geresourcecentres.aspx

Community Information

Centres (CICs)

http://www.cic.nic.in

Common Service Centres (CSCs) www.csc-india.org

aAqua (Almost All Questions Answered) :

Answers are provided within 24–72 hours, depending on the question.

e-Sagu :

The advice is provided on a regular basis once a week

e- Solutions for Horticulture (e-SHORT)

A revolutionary ICT platform for a complete

solution in Horticultural Extension -- Crafting the future

•Information Technology (IT) is no longer the exclusive preserve of

the city folk.

•It is making subtle inroads into farming communities.

USER

Information input

Technical Support

Server

Output Data flow

Real time data analysis and

GIS based, web enabled reports

e - SHORT MODEL Dr. YSR

Horticultural University

Policy

makers Markets

• e-SHORT is unique in the sense that it has a voice-based application system, which guides the farmer and the extension worker in the local language.

• e-SHORT devices provide continuous feed to the handheld devices with latest farm technologies, modifications and recommendations.

• e-SHORT will make the work of the extension service worker easy, enhance their efficiency and at the same time provide the farmers with solutions right in his field in real time.

• e-SHORT has features that can bring the farmer, extension worker, scientist and policy maker on the same plane, thereby, helping to find solutions that are more practical and in lesser time.

Content • Pests • Disease • Nutrition disorder • Miscellaneous

CROPS : 1. MANGO 2. BANANA 3. CHILLI 4. TOMATO

PILOT PROJECT WITH FOUR CROPS

TABS DISTRIBUTED : 50

Horticulture Officer

• Register Farmer details • Field Inspection • Solution to the problem • Upload intensity of damage

Scientist

1. Check the Inspection data 2. Solution for new case 3. Reports

e-SHORT Users

Registration

Audio Record

Images

Intensity

Description

Solution To Open Case

District Wise Reports

Farmer Details

e-SHORT TRAINING PROGRAMME TO HORTICULTURE OFFICERS AND DISTRIBUTION OF TABS

HOWEVER…… •ICT is not a magic potion that will solve all the issues related to

problems in Agriculture/Horticulture .

• ICT is only a means of providing a better service.

• Illiteracy and local language ( more than 20 languages in India) is

a major challenge for ICT based services to farmers.

SO…..

• Listen to framers and field staff , understand the real problems.

•keep the solution simple – in both the technology and the service

offering and there has to be a two-way communication.

•Plan for the future not the now.

The difference that e-SHORT programme of Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural

University is making in the lives of the farmers signals a new dawn