1. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT (IJM)
International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
ISSN 0976-6502 (Print)
ISSN 0976-6510 (Online)
Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013), pp. 258-265
IJM
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INTEGRATING GIS AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE: SOCIAL AND NATIONAL
CONCERN FOR INFORMATION SHARING
Prof. (Ms) Manisha Shinde-Pawar
Assistant Professor,
Faculty of Management (Information Technology), Bharati Vidyapeeth Univerisity, Pune,
IMRDA, SANGLI
Prof. (Mr) ChandraShekhar Suryawanshi
Associate Professor,
Faculty of Management (Marketing), Bharati Vidyapeeth Univerisity, Pune,
IMRDA, SANGLI
ABSTRACT
Indian Agriculture which is waiting for revolutionary growth in crop productivity and
agriculture related business is looking forward to implement the knowledge by next
generation youth handy for computerized technology. Agriculture and concerned resources
had been seen of rare interest of technical knowledge creators to implement technology in
this field though this is main stream line in national level growth of India.
The ability and usability of both Geographic Information System and Knowledge
Management and Mobile computing has become unavoidable part of Indian life system.
Young farmers need proper guidance, frequent knowledge and direction to increase
productivity, reduce cost, and to get control on hazardous risks. The Researcher would like to
explore that by integrating GIS, Knowledge Management and Mobile Computing Services to
provide social and national concern for sharing of information can help to these farmers
which are handy to use for these techniques, to efficiently get benefited and to avoid risk.
Keywords: Indian Agriculture, Knowledge Management, Geographic Information System,
Mobile computing.
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2. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Geographic information system:
Geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store,
manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data. The acronym GIS is
sometimes used for geographical information science or geospatial information studies to
refer to the academic discipline or career of working with geographic information systems.
In the simplest terms, GIS is the merging of cartography, statistical analysis, and database
technology.
A GIS can be thought of as a system—it digitally creates and "manipulates" spatial
areas that may be jurisdictional, purpose, or application-oriented. Generally, a GIS is custom-
designed for an organization. Hence, a GIS developed for an application, jurisdiction,
enterprise, or purpose may not be necessarily interoperable or compatible with a GIS that has
been developed for some other application, jurisdiction, enterprise, or purpose. What goes
beyond a GIS is a spatial data infrastructure, a concept that has no such restrictive
boundaries.
1.2 Knowledge management
Knowledge management (KM) comprises a range of strategies and practices used in
an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute, and enable adoption of insights and
experiences. Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in
individuals or embedded in organizations as processes or practices.
KM includes courses taught in the fields of business administration, information
systems, management, and library and information sciences. More recently, other fields have
started contributing to KM research; these include information and media, computer science,
public health, and public policy.
1.3 Mobile computing:
Mobile computing is human–computer interaction by which a computer is expected to
be transported during normal usage. Mobile computing involves mobile communication,
mobile hardware, and mobile software. Communication issues include ad-hoc and
infrastructure networks as well as communication properties, protocols, data formats and
concrete technologies. Hardware includes mobile devices or device components. Mobile
software deals with the characteristics and requirements of mobile applications.
1.4 Agriculture in India:
The economic contribution of agriculture to India's GDP is steadily declining with the
country's broad-based economic growth. Still, agriculture is demographically the broadest
economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic fabric of India.
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3. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January February (2013)
January-
Preliminary estimates suggest that in 2009 10 the combined all India poverty rate was
2009-10
32% compared to 37% in 2004-05. Going forward, it will be essential for India to build a
-05.
productive, competitive, and diversified agricultural sector and facilitate rural non-farm
rural,
entrepreneurship and employment. Encouraging policies that promote competition in
agricultural marketing will ensure that farmers receive better prices."
—World Bank: "India Country Overview 2011"
World
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 Concept of Integration
The proposed integration involves the conceptualization, modeling, construction of
architecture, evaluation and application of Geographic Information System, Knowledge
,
management and Mobile Computing in innovative ways to use information and
communication technologies (IT) in the rural agricultural field, with a primary focus on
ologies field,
agriculture growth for economic contribution to India’s GDP. By implementing such system,
GDP
the researcher would like to represent logical extending of computerized solution scope to
ext
change and evolve as farmers understanding of the area grows.
Figure No. 1
Geographic
Information System Integrated Agriculture Information System
Knowledge Mobile
Management Communication
As shown in the above Figure No. 1, Geographic Information System will create and sense
1,
the geo-spatial information and knowledge of other stakeholders, skillful experts that will be
experts,
captured, organized to generate knowledge by applying strategies to identify key entities
entities,
facts helpful to take decisions in time variant problematic situations and as understanding and
situation
usability of mobile devices is popular among young farmers mobile communication system
will be used to disseminate and share the generated knowledge.
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4. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
2.2 Model of Proposed Integrated System:
Figure No. 2:
GIS Knowledge
Hydrograph, soil, Management
structures,
Generates Documents,
Geo Sphere Transports, Database, Reality,
wetlands, Constraints…
Agri-
administrative
Stakeholders
boundaries
Regional
Characters
Mobile Computing
Atmosphere
sensing
Mobile
Devices
Farmers seeking Information
Mostly accuracy of judging and predicting to soil, regional demand, atmosphere,
transportation and availability of all resources depends upon experience and skill farmer will
have, and that too may be specific to general situations so inclusive of chances of disasters
and risks.
Model as shown in above Figure No.2 can be implemented to serve the basis to satisfy
different needs for information related to agriculture. Young Farmers always tries to seek the
accurately predicted information to take proper decision which will lead in increased crop
productivity and optimized cost.
2.3 Architecture
The integrated framework for data/knowledge repository tier maintains a store for
agricultural data and a knowledge base where agricultural information knowledge can be
captured, represented, shared, and reused by using latest technologies to achieve or maintain
level of crop productivity by getting accurate and timely information.
As shown in the Figure No. 3 below, architecture can be composed of different four different
components as:
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5. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
2.3.1 Application Tier
Application Tier will sense the real time data, conditions, risk, and cost to map it to
models to serve to middleware layer.
2.3.2 Common Middleware Services Tier
Common Middleware Services will mainly integrate the data with conditions and
risk-cost facts based on which data will be organized by applying different strategies
and practices to generate knowledge. This will help to create structural models, to
formulate plan for repository and activities to be performed on repository.
Figure No. 3: Architecture of Integration Framework
GIS Interface Tier
Applications Tier
Mapping Condition Modeling Real Time Report Cost Risk
Tools Assessment Data Generation
Common Middleware Services Tier
Data Knowledge Modeling Maintenance Operations
Integration management & Planning
Data/ Knowledge Management Tier
Agricultural Resources and Agricultural Real Time Data
Experts Opinion Repository Repository
End Users Tier
Mobile Devices All Stakeholders
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6. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
2.3.3 Data/ Knowledge Management Tier
Integrated System now will lead in bifurcated repositories based on number of
elements involves in process of decision. Meaningful Data here can be real support
for farmers in their weak horizons.
2.3.4 End User Tier
End users for system will be not only the farmers but also all other stakeholders
related process, cultivation, selling and distribution as well as agricultural experts.
Either they can use mobile devices, laptop or computerized technology.
2.4 Case
A prototype representing problem case is discussed with implementation of framework.
2.4.1 Problem statement
Quantify Grape Maturity at Optimum level to avoid light effect on concentration
causing quality changes.
2.4.2 Case Summary
As stated above, when a grape crop product maturity need to be analyzed by farmer,
he needs to take different decisions depending on correct judgment. Each step in the process
plays a vital role in the development of grapes with ideal characteristics.
The time of harvest depends on a variety of factors-most notably the subjective
determination of ripeness. As the grape ripens on the vines, sugars and pH increase as acids
(such as malic acid) decrease. The threat of detrimental weather and vine diseases (such as
grey rot) can also play a role in the time table. The balance of all these factors contributes to
when a winemaker or vineyard manager decides that it is time to harvest.
He may decide exact time of maturity to continue process as:
1. Harvest
2. Crop cutting
3. Storage
4. Packaging
5. Transportation
2.4.3 Theory Concept applied to Integrated Agriculture Information System:
Geographic Information System Interface will sense the information for need,
availability, quality, quantity and alternatives for same related to grape product as
atmosphere, water, soil, land, air, topography, market, transportation, labor, capital, fertilizer,
pesticides. Based on data collected as real time data, by using application tier this data will be
mapped and modeled to analyze for cost and risk factors. For the same System will generate
reports for different conditions.
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7. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Middleware Services will integrate the overall captured data, reports, cost and risk
assumptions/probabilities by applying different strategies to represent insight knowledge views as
explored models, plan of strategic organizing in files or repository and list activities/operations to
perform on database. So Knowledge Management will be supported by the middleware to create
Grape Distribution and Selling data repository, Experts Opinion/Historical Case Repository and
Grapes Crop Production Information Repository.
So the above repositories will be requested by farmer to get proper information to scale
/quantify maturity at optimum level and to avoid quality changes.
2.4.4 Alternatives:
Based on real time conditions different alternatives may be there
Table No.1
Sr. No Condition Rule Action Rule
1 Increase in acids, pH Quantify and check proportion and Plan
the Process
2 Change in color due to light effect Pesticide to control
3 Threat of detrimental weather and Control measures, Insecticide and
diseases Fertilizer
4 All factors are well balanced Timetable
Integrated System can judge the factors and can provide best solution from the above alternatives.
With the help of information and knowledge created, it can prepare the further plan and schedule
as per requirement and availability for resources by applying condition rule to determine action
rules as shown in Table No.1.
2.5 Applications
The Integrated System can help to take decisions and properly manage different
applications as Crop cultivation, Water management, Fertilizer Application, Fertigation, Pest
management, Harvesting, Post harvest handling, Transporting of food/food products, Packaging,
Food preservation, Food processing/value addition, Food quality management, Food safety, Food
storage, Food marketing.
3. CONCLUSION
In this paper, along with the recent developments in computerized technology of
Geographical Information System, Knowledge Management efficient multi-disciplined
information repository and dissemination system is explored. The development and deployment
of such integrated information system can be focused to strengthen agriculture growth by: 1)
Providing accurate and realistic information for decision making; 2) Providing Knowledge
Repository; 3) To support sharing of information at wide distributed level; 4) To provide base to
formulate agriculture related strategies to government and other stakeholders.
In future research, this framework need to be focused in proper direction for architectural
design improvements for efficient and fast solutions. Other agencies, dealers, companies related
to crop resources production and distribution can be highlighted for equipping our farmers with
support of IT people to go ahead to reach to height of success.
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8. International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 –
6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
REFERENCES
[1] “Mobile Computing Technolgy, Applications and Service Creation”, Ashok
Talukedar, Hasan Ahmed, Roopa R Yavagal
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICT_in_agriculture
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_management
[5] http http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_computing
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_India#cite_note-wboverview2-6
Note: all above online links are active as on 27th Feb 2013.
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