This document discusses the use of ICTs to help farmers in Arunachal Pradesh, India. It describes a case study of farmer Balram Kumar who used the e-arik platform to access information on climate-smart agriculture practices and market prices. This helped him improve crop productivity and profits by changing cultivation practices based on monsoon patterns. The document then defines ICTs, explains their need in agriculture given issues like lack of education and market access for many farmers, and outlines various ICT initiatives by the government and private sector in India to help farmers. These initiatives utilize technologies like computers, internet, phones, and teleconferencing to provide services like expert advice, weather forecasts, pricing information and more. The

1. The changing
face of
agriculture:
Use of ICTs

2. Case Study of a farmer
Name: Balram Kumar
Occupation: Farmer, crops dependent on monsoon
Lives in: Arunachal Pradesh
Problem : Inaccessible terrain , excessive slope
susceptibility to land slides
Change: Came to know about e – arik-got
information about- "climate smart agriculture"
climate change, improved cultivation & day-to-day
market information
Result
Able to made changes in practices and the timing of sowing seeds .
Helped in to be less affected by irregular patterns of monsoon
Happy & satisfied from the results-enhanced crop productivity &
profit

3. What are ICTs?
Information & communication technologies
- an umbrella term
• Includes radio, television, cellular phones, satellite
systems etc
• Applied for processing, exchanging & managing data,
information & knowledge
• To communicate desired information to the target
audience in a participative way

5. Need of ICTs in agriculture
• Many Farmers are not educated
• Cut off from cites & information
• Lack of extension faclities
• Lack of knowledge of modern technologies & market prices
• Inability to compete with modern farmers
• There is a gap b/w traditional & modern technology

6. ICT initiatives by
various sectors
GOVERNMENT
 N-logue (with local
service provider)
 AGMARKNET (central
government)
 E-sagu (Andhra Pradesh)
 Kisan call centre(Ministry
of Agriculture)
 Weather advisory
PRIVATE & NGOs
 Agriwatch (IASL)
 TATA Kisan Kendra(TATA
Buiseness house)
 Tarahaat(TARA)
 Hariyali kisan bazaar
(DSCL)
 Weather advisory-
SKYMET
 E-choupal(ITC-IBD)

7. Some Initiatives
These are the
technologies
used in listed
initiatives.

8. Kisan call centre
Launched on January 21, 2004 by the Department of Agricultural & Co-
operation
Farmer dials toll free number ‘1551’ for any enquiry
If queries not answered satisfactorily then
the call is forwarded to level II & level III
Main technologies involved:
i. Computer system with Internet
ii. Telephone line
iii. Teleconferencing facility
 Important information gateway
 Cost is almost zero, response is in local language
 If needed, the agricultural scientists also visit the field

10. E-sagu
 Initiative of IIIT HYDERABAD
 Based on personalized agriculture extension system
 Improve agriculture productivity by agriculture expert advise to the farmers
 Generate advise based on crop situation – basis of text & photographs
 A high positive co-relation -between the compliance rate & the yields
 Agricultural scientist delivers advice by getting the crop status in the form of
digital photographs and other information
 Cost-effective system
 Capacitates rural livelihoods and generates rural employment

12. Kisan Sanchar Nigam Limited
 Developed by IIFCO
 IIFCO with Bharti Airtel & Star Global Resources Ltd. Promoted this initiative
 SIM Card is used for communication, relevant & free information is provided to framers
 Focus is to take the access to input from experts & services of reliable quality through
Value Added Service (VAS).
 Provide information with best packages & practices on various crops, mandi
information, weather information, expert advice, advisories & much more
on http://www.iffcokisan.com
 2 initiatives are-
• IIFCO kisan mobile app
• IIFCO kisan portal

13. Services
VOICE
MNESSAGES
HELPLINE
CALL BACK
FACILITY
OTHER PROGRAMES
THROUGH MOBILE
PHONE
FOCUSED
GROUPS
MOBILE
APP

14. Benefits of ICTs in agriculture
 Enhanced productivity
 Quick accomplishment of work
 Strengthen the seed sector: timely & updated information on seed related
issues such as new varieties release , fake seeds etc.
 Emergence of new threats such as diseases
 Reduce the gap between information rich & information poor & support
sustainable development in rural & agricultural communities
 Weather forecast ,Pricing control & Warning alerts

15. Limitations of ICTs in Agriculture
 Illiteracy/ low level of literacy of farmers
 Digital illiteracy
 Poverty
 Poor infrastructure such as internet connectivity
 Non ownership of computers, tablets and other digital devices
 Lack of awareness of farmers
 Lack of satisfaction with use of ICTs
 Several farming related issues unaddressed by ICTs
 Lack of access to markets and prices
 Challenges need to be addressed

16. THANK YOU
Made by:
MEETIKA (15)
SHALINI(150)
SUBJECT-ICT4D
B.Sc. HOME SCIENCE (HONS)
SEMESTER III
Department of Development Communication and Extension
Institute of Home Economics
University of Delhi