1 st and 2 nd February 2012 IITM Research Park, Kanagam Road, Taramani , Chennai – 600113

1. Group 1: Services and ApplicationsWork package : Agriculture Disease Mitigation and Advisory System 1st and 2nd February 2012 IITM Research Park, Kanagam Road, Taramani, Chennai – 600113

2. Partners Team • Kavitha Karthikeyan • Suma Prashant • IIT Madras, Chennai • University of Bristol, Bristol • Tamilnadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore • National Agro Foundation, Kanceepuram • Erode Precision Farm Producer Company Limited, Erode • Dharmapuri Precision Farmers Agro Services Limited, Dharmapuri • Industrial partner: Uniphore, Chennai Ideated & Mentored by Dr. Ashok Jhunjhunwala Acknowledgements • Jayalakshmi Umadikar • Annailakshmi. L T • Rose Meena • Sathishkumar. M • Suresh. A • Shanmugapriya. T P • Prabakaran. B

3. Background • Traditional farming • Farmer had considerable knowledge of the agricultural practices • The practices coupled with traditional wisdom had taught him to promptly deal with problems in farming • Modern Scientific farming • The farmer lost complete control of traditional farming • Has meager knowledge of new seeds, inputs, new crops, new technologies in current farming practices. • He largely depends upon the agricultural extension system to provide these inputs. • Extension services • Good understanding of modern new farming practices • But they have no knowledge of the specific farm-plot.

4. Research Questions (2010) An overload of generic information on pest and pesticides available to the farmers provide little benefit. The specific solution to be used at the time of pest attack would depend on a whole variety of parameters including plot-specific data about the soil fertility, amount of water used, water levels and flow, pesticides and seeds used, cropping techniques used, as well as about the specific pest attack that has taken place. • Can Information, Communication and Technologies be used for collecting farm-specific spatial and non-spatial data and enable the experts / extension workers to give farm specific advisory? • Can we tackle this information overload by building an efficient and specific consultation process using call center platform? • How can ICT be used to help a farmer in a situation of sudden pest attack?

5. Technology Innovation Modern Call Centre • Details of farmer and the farm, images, previous crop history, previous interactions, FAQs available for the extension worker at the call centre • On a farmer calling the farmer’s Dashboard pops up and with the help of the FAQs the extension worker is able to provide farm-plot specific advisory. • In case if the problem is new and FAQs doesn’t have the right solution, the query is escalated to experts - Multiparty conferencing Agriculture Advisory Call Centre

6. How is the Farmer registration done? Non-Spatial data Mobile application *English Spatial data GPS device

7. Mobile phone was used to provide the advisory

8. Query addressed from December 2010 to January 2012 Mobile phone was used to provide the advisory

9. Interacting with farmers for getting the feedback on the advisory given was started from December 2011 • Around 41 farmers were asked for the feedback • “No Changes” – trying to identify the reasons (Soil test, validation of the advisory, etc) Mobile phone was used to provide the advisory

10. Achievements • Achievements • The system is able to provide farm specific advisory services to farmers • Nearly 400 farmers out of 1200 farmers are using the system • Automatic call center is set up. Call center number launched in January 2012. (Number: 044-66098101 / 66098102) • Image upload training to farmers in progress • Queries have been addressed other than the nine crops also • Un-registered farmers also call to get advisory • Concerns • The multiparty conferencing system – to be developed • Validation of the advisories provided – started recently

11. New dimensions • Image upload by farmers • In case of pest or disease attack, farmers can send images through a simple application • Application trained to nearly 50 farmers • Farmers are very interested to use • Image database is prepared • Crop updation through IVR • Voice automation for updation – in Progress New opportunities • Partnership with MANAGE (National Institute of Agriculture Extension Management, Hyderabad) • KVKs at each district level • Registration through IVR • Advisory and updating crop information through web interface • TN Government Agri Initiative • FCMS (Farmer Crop Management System) • 6 district, Nearly 15 lac farmers

12. Publications • ICTACT Journal • "IU-ATC Theme Articles for a special issue of the ICTACT journal on Communications technology (IJCT)“ • Agriculture Disease Mitigation System • http://ictact.in/Scripts/JournalSpecialIssue.aspx?Id=2#

13. Way forward • Fully Automated set up • Voice automation for updation • Training to farmers to upload images • Address the research questions • How well trained should be the extension worker to provide high quality service? • How many clicks on the Dashboard is required? • How many screens pops up on the Dashboard? • Will the extension worker be able to handle the screens and clicks and also handle the calls? • Are the information available on the Dashboard relevant or not relevant? • What will be the cost of each interaction? • If an expert is to be consulted what will be the cost and time to revert? • Will the farmer pay? How much? • Will Government subsidize? To what extent? What mechanism?

14. Thank You!