2. Presented to Presented by
Dr. Y.D. Mishra Toran Lal Nishad
Major Advisor Ph.D (Ag.) Ext. Edu.
Extension Education
Doctoral Seminar - I
On
Information Communication and Technology
(ICT’s) Application in Agriculture
Department of Agricultural Extension & Communication
College of Agriculture
Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (M.P.)

3. MEANING AND DEFINITION OF ICTs
 The word ICT stands for ‘Information and Communication
Technology.’
 ICT refers to technologies that provides access to
information telecommunications.
 ICTs focus on communication technologies.
 Global term includes technologies for manipulation and
communication of Information.
 ICTs includes any medium for recording and broadcasting
of information.
Definition: ICTs can be defined as electronics and digital
technologies for storing, processing, transferring of
information & communication. They are enabling of
information.

4. ICTs in Agricultural Extension
I. ICTs for strengthening linkage between extension,
research and farmers.
II. Information needs of farmers
 Most appropriate technological options.
 Management of technologies, including optimal use of
inputs.
 Changing farm system option (mixed farming and
diversification, animal husbandry, fishery).
 Sourcing reputable input suppliers.
 Collective action with other farmers.
 Consumer and market demands for products.
 Quality specification for produce.

5.  Implication of changing policies (input subsidies, trade,
liberalization)
 Access to credit and loans.
 Sustainable natural resources management and coping
with climate change.
 Time to buy input and sell produce.

6. S/No. Name of the
app
Name of the
organization
Information/ Service provided
1. Kisan suvidha ICAR- New
Delhi
Weather, market prices, seeds, fertilizers,
machinery etc.
2. Mobile app rice
expert
ICAR-NRRI,
Cuttack
Insect pests, nutrients, weeds, nematodes
and disease- related problems, rice varieties
for different ecologies, farm implements for
different field and post harvest operations.
3. Pusa krishi ICAR-IARI,
New Delhi
New varieties of crops developed by ICAR,
resource conserving cultivation practices as
well as farm machinery and its
implementation
4. Oilseeds at a
glance
research
ICAR-IIOR
Hyderabad
Comprehensive information about 9 oilseed
crops viz. Groundnut, Soyabean, Sunflower,
Safflower, rapeseed- mustard, Sesame,
Niger, Castor and Linseed.
5. Cotton Mobile ICAR-CICR
Nagpur
Cotton cultivation, planning for cultivation,
selection of BT varieties, cotton sowing,
seed treatment, nutrient mng., weed & water
mng., cotton growth mng., pest mng.,
picking & storage.
Applications of ICTs

7. S/No. Name of the
app
Name of the
organization
Information/ Service provided
6. KVK portal Agril. Extension
Divison, ICAR-
IASRI new delhi
Information & advisory to the farmers and
facilitate online monitoring of KVK activities.
7. Digital Mandi BSNL Allow farmers to call up a (BSNL) number
and get the rate of commodities like
vegetables, grains, pulses or fruits in any
mandi (market) across the state
8. Agri market Brinvik This app is for agriculture traders and
farmers in india. Farmers can see the
commodity prices on their mobile anytime.
App is covering most of the farm products
from all over the indian agriculture markets,
market yard.
9. mkrishi TCS (Tata
Consultancy
Services)
Information on microclimate, local market
price, enables farmers to send queries
specific to their land and crop to recieve
personalized replies from agril. Experts on
their phones
Conti...

8. Components of Information
Communication Technology (ICTs)
Written
Print Media
News paper
Circular letter
Leaflet
Bulletin
pamphlets
Audio
Radio
Telephone
Visual
Picture
Exhibition
Audio-visual
Films
Television
Video
New ICTs
Computer
Internet
VC
Kiosk

9. Classification of ICT tools
 Web portals
 VKCs/VRCs/CICs/CSCs
 Telephone/ Mobile Telephony
 Hybrid projects
Mix of ICTs, Info-mediaries &
Conventional Extension Methods

10. Sl.No. Name of
the project
Particular
1. aAQUA Online discussion, archived, multi-lingual
and multimedia based. Post 3.3 million
views by 12964 viewers (www.aaqua.org).
2. TNUA
Agritech
portal
Dynamic portal and e- linkage with
research stations and farm science centres
in for agro-advisory services
(www.agritech.ac.in).
3. AGRISNET Agriculture Resources Information System
Network (AGRISNET) is mission mode
project funded by the ministry of
Agriculture, GoI to develop a
comprehensive online knowledge portal to
disseminate relevant information to farmers
4. e- Krishi Web based farm advisory services, market
Information, resource library and online
expert advisory (www.ekrishi.org).
Web portals

11. Sl.No. Name of the
project
Particular
a. Village
Knowledge
Centres
(VKCs)- M.S.
Swaminathan
Research
Foundation
101 VKCs in tamilnadu, puducherry, MH,
Orissa, AP & Kerala state of India. VKCs
working with 315 partners for
implementation and location specific
content generation. Demand driven
information and knowledge with support
services, social inclusion, community
ownership and partnership proven
critical for the success and sustainability.
b. Community
Information
Centres
(CICs)
CICs in North-East india e- Infrastructure
for accessing rural information needs of
farmers and other (http:/www.cic.nic.in/)
VKCs/VRCs/CICs/CSCs

12. Sl.No. Name of the
project
Particular
c. Village
Resource
Centres
(VRCs)-
Indian Space
Research
Organisation
473 VRCs have been set up in 22
states/union territories in india. The VRCs
are connected to knowledge/ expert
centre (Ecs) like Agricultural Universities
and Skill Development Institutions (SDI).
d. Common
Service
Centres
(CSCs)
Web based e-governance to services,
including agriculture information to rural
areas. So far 96163 CSCs were rolled out
in india (www.csc-india.org).
Conti..

13. Sl.No. Name of
the project
Particular
a. Kisan Call
Centre
32 Kisan Call Centre, toll free no. 1800-
180-1551
b. IFFCO
Kisan
Sanchar
Limited
(IKSL)
Information related to mandi prices
weather forecast, agricultural advisory,
best practices tips related to agriculture,
animal husbandry, horticulture; a buyer and
seller platform & all agril. Related news
and govt. Schemes.
c. mKisan
SMS portal
Enables all Central & State govt.
Organization in agri. and allied sector to
give information/services/advisories to
farmers by SMS in their language,
preference of agril. Practices and location
Telephone/ Mobile Telephony

14. Sl.No. Name of
the project
Particular
1. E-Sagu Agro-advisory services by digital
photographs and coordinators for 3035
farmers (4130ha). (www.esagu.in)
2. Digital
Green
Farmer participatory video for agricultural
extension. 1681 videos produced and
60313 farmers involved. Increased seven
fold more adoption of farm practices and
ten times more effective per dollar spent as
compared to traditional extension system
(www.digitalgreen.org).
3. E-Arik Internet, Office CDs and farmer to farmer
communication , conventional extension
methods. (www.earik.in)
Hybrid projects (Mix of ICTs, Info-mediaries &
Conventional Extension Methods)

15. Expert System
 An ‘Expert System’ is an intelligent computer programme that uses
knowledge and inference procedures to solve problems that are
difficult enough and require human expertise for their solution.
 Human expertise is scarce & perishable which can be saved and
shared.
 It allows the organization to replicate its very best people.
 Expertise can easily be transferred to other members.
 Consistent
 Cost effective
 Efficient

16. Expert System
 Rice – crop doctor
 Rapeseed-mustard expert system
 EXOWHEM, wheat expert system
 Maize expert system
 Expert system on mushroom
 Weed control systems
 Expert system for sugarcane
 Banana expert system
 Expert system for cattle and buffalo
 Expert system on sheep and goat
 Expert system on poultry

17. Touch Screen Kiosks
 What is touch screen system
 What is touch screen kiosk.
 How the information get available on the kiosk.
 Present application of touch screen systems.
 How touch screen can be used for agriculture sector.

18. Information Kiosks
 In generalized term information kiosks are the public installations
wherein computers are installed to make G2C, B2C services
accessible to the farming community.
 Information kiosk is a hub of information as per the need of the area.
What kind of agriculture information get available:
 Plant protection measures.
 Nutritional deficiencies and their management.
 Symptoms of various pests and diseases & their control.
 Video clippings on various agriculture technologies.
Major Initiatives:
a. ITC’s e-Choupal b. CICs c. CSCs
d. NDDBs Dairy Information Services Kiosk
e. MSSRF’s Village Knowledge Centre

19. Interactive Voice Response Service
IVRS is a technology that allows a computer system to interact with
humans through the use of voice and inputs via keypad.
IVRS technology automates interactions with telephone callers.
The system responds with pre recorded or dynamically generated audios
to further direct user on how to proceed.
Application of IVRS in Food technology:
Implementation of IVRS for extension of food technologies can be an
innovative step for wellbeing of farmers. Most of the quarries raised
by farmers are common which can be addressed by IVRS and more
complex questions can be solved by direct interaction with experts.

20. Artificial Intelliigence
Every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in
principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to
simulate it.
An attempt will be made to find how to make machines use language,
form abstractions and concepts, solve kind to problems now reserved
for humans and improve themselves.’
Meaning:
The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks
normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception ,
speech recognition, decision – making and translation between
languages.

21. Seven aspects of Artificial Intelliigence (AI)
 Simulating higher functions of the human brain.
 Programming a computer to use general language.
 Arranging hypothetical neurones in a manner so that they can form
concepts.
 A way to determine and measure problem complexity.
 Self- improvement.
 Abstraction: defined as the quality of dealing with ideas rather than
events.
 randomness and creativity.

22. Application of AI in Agriculture
 AI- based decision support systems.
 AI- based precision agriculture
 Smart sensors and Internet of things.
 Agriculture knowledge – based systems
 AI in agricultural optimization management
 Expert system in agriculture
 Machine learning and pattern recognition
 Remote sensing in agriculture
 Automatic navigation and self driving technology.

23. Future of AI in Agriculture
Digital farming and connected farm services can impact 70 million indian
farmers in 2020. thereby , adding $9 billion to farmer incomes.
In 2017, the global AI in agriculture market size was 240 million US$ and it
is expected to reach 1100 million US$ by the end of 2025 and CAGR
CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 20.8 percent during 2018-
2025. thus initiatives to increase digital literacy in rural landscape can
be seen as a weapon in doubling farmer in near future.

24. Thank you..