Applying Digital India to Tackle Challenges in Agriculture

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Taking cognizance of the long gestation period involved, the State should give undivided attention to transforming researches undertaken at regional, national and international institutes into a format understandable and accessible to farmers in an App format; from genuine sources. The following information can be provided to famers on apps:

- Details of location specific crop-production technology

- Authorized sources of timely availability of standard quality inputs [seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc.] farm equipment, sprinklers, drippers, among others, along with costs

- Post harvest management technology including transport, storage, processing, preservation, packaging and marketing

- Commodity prices, weather and measures to minimize impact of climate change

- Availing credit, insurance and subsidies

State Functions-

In July 2015, the Govt approved setting up of an Online Agriculture Market which aims to provide more options to farmers to buy raw material and sell their produce. Currently farmers are confined to selling their produce to local mandis and market committees through middlemen that levy taxes of 2.5-6%. By 2019, a two-way platform will be created between farmers and buyers primarily through broadband connectivity.

- Farmers will have options to buy and sell fruits and vegetables across India through the online platform

- The direct link will delete intermediaries resulting in higher profits for farmers

- The online trade being a free of cost service will result in improved income

- An agency will be set up to monitor smooth functioning in online trading, transportation and storage facilities.

The three portals viz. farmer portal, kisan call centre and mkisan portal will empower farmers to take informed decisions under varying climatic conditions

Under the e-governance programme, soil health card software and a web-based app is being developed to provide integrated nutrient management recommendations using soil test crop response methods.

PM Jan Dhan Yojana under online banking can be used to avail cheap credit and insurance; which will render borrowing from moneylenders at exorbitant rates obsolete.

Governance and services can be accelerated to farmers, for instance, subsidies could directly be transferred in bank accounts, reducing leakages

PILOT

A nationwide survey needs to be conducted to assess the impact of ICT initiatives on agriculture through a phased pilot project. Factors to be evaluated- 1) number of farmers receiving and using mobile-agricultural information services 2) feedback from users about content and ease of use 3) increase in productivity from availing services 4) reduction in costs of inputs; 5) grievance redressal mechanism

A PPP model should be employed to design a digital ecosystem focusing on

- Simplicity of access, layout, content and themes

- Higher interactivity

- Use of non-textual information

Recommendations, feedback and results from the pilot should be incorporated into the full fledged development of the PPP model to address problems in agriculture.

While every problem in agriculture would not be solved solely through D.I, it would be a stepping stone to a digital revolution, capable of integrating the sector and serve as a means to the solution and not the solution itself.

(Sources- tech.firstpost.com

Indiamicrofinance.com)