Development of mobile phone based agro-advisory system through ICT mediated extension approach in North-eastern himalayan region of India
Journal Title: Journal of Applied and Natural Science - Year 2017, Vol 9, Issue 3
Abstract
To achieve gainful development in agriculture to ensure food security in the north-eastern Himalayan region of India, an initiative was taken to develop mobile phone based agro-advisory system with the objective to empower the farmers by providing right information at right time through Information and Communication Technology mediated extension approach. 2000 farmers and farm women were selected as beneficiaries through snowball sampling method based on certain criteria. The major features of the system to deliver the farm advices (Pull Based) and information services (Push Based) through toll free Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), Smart Phone Application, Mobile phone and Web based agriculture advisory system. It was found that on an average almost 200 advisories were provided every month, which even shoot up to almost 300 calls per month in the peak Kharif seasons as bulk of the advisories were provided during the months of May to November as most number of calls from the farmers came during the period. Majority of the advisories were provided on fishery management practices (17.32%), source of seed (9.95%), livestock management (9.18%), disease and pest management of crops (8.75%), training information (9.35%), rural development schemes (7.76%) etc. Moreover, the inclusion of need based training component and convergence with different extension functionaries helped to develop an ICT based Stakeholder Interface (Experts-Line Departments-Agripreneurs-Farmers) in the field of agriculture in the region. This alternate extension system also helped to develop better rapport with the farmers and can be replicated in other hilly region of the world.
Authors and Affiliations
Biswajit Lahiri, Swapinali Borah, Natasha R. Marak, Thiruchirapalli Sudarshan Anurag
Bud take success, growth and foliage characters of different Prunus cultivars on Myrocal and Julior clonal rootstock
The present study determined the effect of clonal rootstock of Prunus and their graft compatibility with peach, plum and apricot cultivars. Prunus scion cultivars were tongue grafted on respective Prunus clonal rootstock...
Studies on pollinator fauna and their relative abundance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
Pollinators provide key services to both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Agricultural productivity depends, in part on pollinator populations from adjacent semi natural habitats.The diversity and abundance of ...
Productivity and quality of Anthurium andreanum influenced with growing conditions and fertilizers
An experiment was carried out to study the productivity and flower quality of Anthurium andreanum cv. Evita cultivated in shade house (75% shade net) and under natural forest trees at Herbal garden, School of Earth Scien...
Mushroom cultivation: Substantial key to food security
The worldwide sustenance and wholesome security of the expanding population is a gen-erous test, which searches for new harvest (better yield from conventional ones) as a wellspring of nourishment sustenance and recoveri...
Effect of biofertilizers on soil microbial count, nutrient availability and uptake under november sown onion
Biofertilizers improves the soil microbial content, Soil nutrient status and nutrient uptake by plant. In an experiment, fifteen treatments comprised of various combinations of biofertilizers, organic manures and chemica...