Good read: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/going-against-the-grain/article8195568.ece
How can mobile phone empower Indian farmer? With examples, examine the different ways by which mobile phone and its applications can be used to aid and empower farmers. (200 Words)
With rise in penetration of mobile network and mobile phones in rural areas, government doesn’t want to miss the opportunity of reaching the last mile farmer through sms and call. This is win-win for both govt and farmers. For farmers: as it doesn’t involve TV set, physically reach office for advice. For Govt: an opportunity to help rural population to make them self-sustaining and achieve dream of 4% agro growth.
Examples of usage of mobile phones and its application to help farmers:
- mKrish– Developed by TCS provides on-phone suggestions for which crops best for which soil, seasonal info, diseases spreading for crops, best time for harvest. It helped farmer to be get good information with scientific reasoning behind them.
- Help Centre by Krishi Vigyan which is joined with Soil Health Card. Once a farmer gets his soil health card attached with mobile number. He regularly gets update customised for his farmland.
- Many states starting registration of mobile numbers to send regular SMS information about crops, fruits to enrich farmers with new knowledge and horizons for innovation in agriculture. Like developing orchards, sowing timber trees on the side of farmland etc.
Hence, Mobile phones is great medium for govt to reach farmers, also it reduces cost of providing facilities service.