1. e-agriculture and
ICT based
Initiatives in India
Poornima Ravi Shankar, Ahmed Salahuddin, Noel
Magor and Shaik N. Meera
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2. Challenges Solutions
% farm households (n = 51,770)
• Tech heavy approach • Tech inclusive approach
Other progressive farmers
• Hub team dependant • Shifting onus to process/
Salesmen (e.g., fertilizer, pesticide)
• Cost intensive extension model partners
Radio
• Lack of infrastructure and staff • Cost light/share extension model
Television
• Individual interactions • Innovative method
Newspaper
• Complexities worker
Extension of technologies
• Breaking up technologies
• One way, transmission loss
Cooperative • Two way, no transmission loss
• Analytics and traceability Buyer
Government demonstration
Key Questions :
Others
• Who are the Influencers to the farmers ? 6
0 2 4 8 10 12 14 16 18
• How can you make the process more “need Based “ ?
• How can you make the process more “ Interactive “ ?
• How do “know “ your Technologies are being Adopted ?
Can innovative use of ICT technologies create a new approach ??

3. ICT in Extension: Triple Helix Model
Strand 1: Sources of agricultural information
(international/ national/extra-institutional)
NARS Portals: AGRISNET, Farmers Portal, RKMP,
RKB, Plantwise
Strand 2: ICT4D models
Govt. Initiatives (Gyandoot, Agrisnet), Cooperatives
(Warna Wired Village) , Private, Technical
Institutes, Web based (aAqua)
Strand 3: ODL methodologies and E-learning in
agriculture/RD
DRR, Agropedia

4. Where are the farmers getting their knowledge from
in the public sector?
ICAR Insts.
DOE Extension Education Institutions
Potential entry for
CSISA platform
extension material and
SAU SDA capacity building for KM
CONSISTANCY AND COHERENCE OF
MESSAGES ACROSS PARTNERS
KVKs ZRS NGO
Potential entry for
CSISA platform
extension material and
FARMERS capacity building for KM

6. Knowledge sources are
• Neighbouring Farmers
• Input dealers (Seed/ Pesticide/ Fertilizers)
• Television
• Demonstrations ( part of BGREI)
Potential knowledge sources that could be
tried (as perceived by farmers) are
• Mobile phones
• Video shows

7. Knowledge networks and possibilities
in Odisha and Bihar
Possibilities
Current
• AGRISNET, AGMARKNET (training)
• RKMP (repackages • KCC (training)
ready to use • AID/MSSRF (training)
material) • FARMSMART in Bihar and Odisha
• Digital Green
Pilots
– DG – KVK – DoA – CSISA linkage
– AID/MSSRF (Community radio - Odisha)
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8. Pre – Khariff focus
Knowledge networks and possibilities in Odisha and Bihar
End Feb, early March – Odisha; report – April
May, June – Bihar; report – July
Demand Analysis for Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak
End March – April; report – May
CSISA – DG – KVK – Agriculture Department linkage
Discussions and Proposal – Feb
Pilot – Khariff
RKMP repackaging pilot for Odisha and Bihar
May onwards
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