Free tips, updates for farmers on their mobile phones

CHANDIGARH: With a view to bridge the information gap at the bottom of pyramid using emerging media tools, the Union ministry of agriculture has started free mobile phone-based services for farmers engaged in agriculture and allied sector activities. The subscribers are sent SMSs and voice messages on their chosen subjects in their preferred languages, including Punjabi. Even illiterate farmers can avail the benefits of this service by opting for voice messages.

The agriculture ministry has roped in premier agricultural and allied sector research institutions, agricultural universities, krishi vigyan kendras (KVKs), Indian meteorological department (IMD) and agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry departments of states to send timely updates to the subscribers. Experts and officials from these institutions/departments will send SMSs and voice messages to subscribers as per relevance and need, sources said.

Information pertaining to four key sectors -- agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries -- is sent to farmers as SMSs and voice messages. This includes crop advisory tips, alerts on pest and diseases and their control, package of practices of various crops, weather updates, prices of different crops/commodities in markets and tips and remedies about diseases of livestock. Information about different schemes like loans, subsidies and crop and animal insurance is also being given to the subscribers.

Farmers can subscribe to this free service by calling up at the Kisan Call Centre (KCC), which is run by the Union agriculture ministry in collaboration with state agriculture departments, on toll free number 1800-180-1551. KCC runs from 6 am to 10 pm seven days a week. Farmers can give their preferences about crops or other activities to KCC agents.

Besides calling up KCC, net savvy farmers can also register for this service through the ministry of agriculture's portal http://farmer.gov.in.

Private players took lead in empowering farmers

Long before the Union government decided to start mobile phone-based information services for farmers, a few private players had already forayed into this domain. Reuters Market Light (RML), an innovative project of Thomson Reuters, and IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL) -- a joint venture of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), Bharti Airtel and Star Global Resources -- had launched mobile phone information services for rural area subscribers in October 2006 and April 2007 respectively. RML has paid SMS service for subscribers, which includes quarterly, biannual and yearly subscriptions while IKSL offers voice messages for its users, who have to buy a pre-paid SIM card.

Sending timely information a challenge

It will be a challenge for the experts to cater to the diverse needs of millions of subscribers. Information has to be sourced, crunched into text and voice messages and delivered to end-users in a timely manner. Unlike private players, free updates by agriculture ministry are not sent daily to the subscribers. Many subscribers, who are enrolled for the national do not call (NDNC) registry of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), will not be able to receive these updates as sending unsolicited information on mobile phones including calls, text and voice messages is barred. Subscribers will have to change their preferences to receive these updates.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/nopezam