E-VELANMAI
L
ess than 20 per cent of the technologies generated by Agricultural Universities were transferred to the farmers field in India due to the lack of an appropriate technology transfer model. Hence an action research was experimented to test verify and validate the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based agricultural extension model called ‘e-Velanmai’ (electronic Agriculture) for addressing the agricultural problems of farmers through ICT tool based dissemination of agricultural technologies from the Scientists of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) directly to the needed farmers. This action research was started during July 2007 with the support of the TN-IAMWARM project of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Its objective was to test and evolve an ICT enabled agricultural technology transfer model named as ‘e-Velanmai’ for addressing the problems faced by the farmers in selected command areas of Tamil Nadu.
Implementor: Centre for Agricultural and Rural Developments Studies, Agricultural University Tamilnadu Website: www.e-velanmai.com
“A video film explaining the process of technology transfer, implementation and success stories running to 8 minutes in English and Tamil is loaded in the scheme website.”
ACHIEVEMENTS • The farmers (members) or their children are trained to frame the photograph of symptoms in a digital camera and to upload them for advice from the scientists of TNAU and receive the technical advice through internet or mobile. • So far, 405 farmers joined the scheme by paying membership fee. At least one individual from each farmer’s family was trained to handle ICT tools successfully. • 1120 expert advices were offered to the farmers in all the three sub basins to solve both problems and decision based queries. Twelve visits were made by the scientists to the farmers’ field to solve complex problems. • The volunteer inspects the farmer’s field and frames digital images using a camera and transfers the photo through www.fileflyer.com using the lap top and internet surfing device.
KISSAN KERALA PROJECT
K
ISSAN Kerala – is an integrated, multi-modal delivery of agricultural information system, which provides several dynamic and useful information and advisory services for the farming community across Kerala. It is one of the citizen centric egovernance projects of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Kerala. The project was conceived, developed and managed by the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala for the Department of Agriculture, Government of Kerala. Objective of this project is to provide “right information to the right person(s) at the right time in the right place(s) and in the right context” dynamically using a combination of advanced technology portal, television based mass media programs, telephone based call centre, mobile SMS based advisory and broadcast service.
ACHIEVEMENTS • The core deliverables and achievements of the project is an integrated multi-component, multi-modal delivery of Agriculture Information Services system that is accessible anywhere anytime by all concerned. • A weekly agriculture television program - in local language that provides selective information dissemination of best practices, success stories, departmental news, news on various schemes, market analysis, cultivation methods, analysis of current issues, etc. Care has been taken to ensure that KISSAN Krishideepam is authentic and totally produced in-house by agricultural and media experts. • The project has launched the country’s first online video channel in Agriculture. More than 100 selected videos (telecast quality) were made available through the channel.
Implementor: Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Kerala Website: www.kissankerala.net
“The integrated model of the project ensures the speedy aggregation of relevant information from various sources, and dissemination through cross media platforms.” egov
SEPTEMBER 2009
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