G. C. ShrotriyaIFFCO KISAN SANCHAR LIMITED

New Delhi

Farm Advisory through Mobiles-IFFCO -Airtel

Workshop on“Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Indian Agriculture,

October 16, 2015; Hyderabad, India

IKSL : JV Partners

• Serving rural India since 1967, enjoys tremendous loyalty in rural India

• World's largest Cooperative in Fertilizer Sector

• 40,000 Co-operative societies, 5.5 Crore members, 33 Crore indirect dependents

• Largest GSM and integrated telecom player in India. World’s 5th largest

• 162mn subscribers in India. 220mn customers in 19 countries

• Pan India footprint, 4.52 lakh towns & villages

• Enhance penetration amongst Low Income Rural Household

• Build Stickiness with the Brand

Objectives

• Provide additional services to enhance farmer productivity

• Build closer bonding with members

• Pioneer in rural telephony• Dissemination of content through

mobiles

Information Dissemination

Crisp and timely dissemination of

relevant day-to-day information is

crucial for farmers.

Huge gap exists between the information

needs of a small holder farmer and the

current means to satisfy them.

Information created by agencies such as

National Research System, Agricultural

Universities, Meteorological Department, and

other Government agencies suffers from last

mile connectivity issues.

This lack of information led to lost

productivity and enormous financial distress

for the farmers.

Challenges

Providing information directly to

farmers

Delivering location specific, time

sensitive information and important alerts.

Ensuring that this service does not

add economic strain on the farmers

Solution !

providing leverage to the

communication needs of farmers

converting their mobiles into dynamic

Power Houses of Knowledge

Telecom revolution, particularly mobile is -

Overview of IFFCO KISAN Services

Services to every rural subscriber

• Up to Four free voice messages on areas of interest

• Helpline Services managed by Experts

• Phone - in Programmes

• Mobile based Quizzes

Formation of Communities with common interest

• Focused information services on areas of common interest

• Strengthening NGOs, SHGs and other stake holders in rural areas to provide more intensive information services to members

Telecom Subscribers (wireless) - June 2015

562.95

417.85

Figures in Millions

Urban

Rural

Wireless Telecom Subscribers - June 2015

Area Subscribers Figures in Millions

Urban 562.95 Mn

Rural 417.85 Mn

TOTAL 980.80 Mn

Urban Tele Density 149.7%

Rural Tele Density 48.7%

Source: www.trai.gov.in on (1st September, 2015)

HIGHLIGHTS OF SERVICES

S. No. Particulars Apr.’14 – March‘15

1 No. of States Covered 19

2 No. of Zones in States 108

3 Content strength 47

4 Experts on Panel 44

5 Total Messages 110,856

6 Helpline Queries 53,951

7 Feedback 18,207

8 Phone In Programmes 866

9 Quiz Programmes 892

10 Communities 79

11 Regular Listeners 11 Lac

Architecture & Service Construct

IFFCO Database, Specialist’s Inputs,

Universities & Research Institutions

PUSH : Voice Based Information

PULL : Helpline

Message Planning

Proactive

• Crop calendar

• Cropping Pattern

• Agro-Ecological Situation (Horticulture, Animals, Soils, climate etc.)

• Weather Forecast and Market rates

Reactive

• Helpline Queries

• Alerts and Warnings

• Government Announcement

• Events

Message mix for every day is determined and

weekly message calendar is prepared .

Crop Calendar v/s Information Need

Crop stage/Crop life (days)/ Information need

Pre-sowing (-30days) Nursery raising (-5 to 0

days)

Nursery (0-25 days)

Soil testing

Field preparation

Soil amelioration(S/FYM/ Green manuring)

Hybrid/variety selection

Inputs availability

Soil treatment/sanitation

Seedbed preparation

Seed treatment (Bacterial/Fungal)

Application of fertilizers

Seed rate, seeding method)

Weed control

Water management

Biotic-abiotic stresses (termites,

hoppers, birds,b light)

Transplanting ( 25-35 days) Pre flowering (35-60 days) Post flowering ( 60-80 days)

Puddling

Basal nutrients application

Seedlings treatment (pesticide/nutrient)

Transplanting (spacing/seedling number)

Top dressing of urea

Water management (alternate

wetting/drainage, critical stages)

Alerts &Management of Insects

(hoppers, shoot borer, termites) and

diseases (blight, blast)

Alerts & management of insects

(hoppers, bugs, borers) and diseases

(neck blast, smuts)

Water management

Rouging

Maturity/harvest (80-150 days) Post harvestWater management, Rouging, Harvesting

Field drying

Threshing, Grain drying, Winnowing, Storage/fumigation, Mandi rates/ arrivals.

Crop Calendar v/s Information need for transplanted rice crop(Zero sowing date should be adjusted for different cultivation situation and maturity cycle of the variety/hybrid under cultivation)

Source: IMD, India

Annual calendar is prepared for animal and perennial Fruit crop.

Wet Season Cropping Pattern of North Bengal

S. No. Crops Area in Hectares %of total Kharif Area

1 Rice 841231 67.11%

2 Maize 19885 1.59%

3 Moong 519 0.04%

4 Urad 16523 1.32%

5 Other Pulses 17274 1.38%

6 Sesame 298 0.02%

7 Ground Nut 433 0.03%

8 Jute 224318 17.89%

9 Mesta 6639 0.53%10 Fruit Crops 67662 5.40%

11 Coconut 3118 0.25%

12 Areca nut 6284 0.50%

13 Vegetables 49374 3.94%

Total area 1253558 100%

Diversified information thru Voice Messages

Cover Diverse Areas

Crop Production/ Protection,

Horticulture/ Vegetable crops,

Market rates,

Weather forecast & Weather based agri- advisories information,

Natural Resource Management

Post Harvest and Processing

Animal husbandry/ Fisheries

Human Health,

Employment opportunities,

Government schemes,

General awareness on human rights, Environment etc.

Quality Assurance

Adherence to Content Plan and protocols is important.

Content plan – crop calendar, cropping pattern

Available protocols Gender policy

Weather policy

Marketing policy

Chemical protocol

Quality assurance criteria

Quality Parameters - Actionable, Authentic, Adequate, clear

Weather Based Crop Advisory

• Dear Farmer

• Tomorrow at <name of district>, min temperature will be X, max temperature will be

X, relative humidity will be X%, it is likely to be Xmm of rain, wind from (Direction) will

blow X km per hour

• For your crop X, please take the following actions <relevant action as per agro-advisory)

• Irrigation (if required if there is no rain, less rain, less humidity)

• Agronomic practices (e.g. fertiliser application, as per the crop calendar)

• Increased likelihood of X Pest and Y disease – please look for symptoms of X and take

these control measure (take appropriate control measure )

• Please follow contingency plan (As provided by Agriculture Department)

Integrated Information Management System

Crops Coverage -IIMS

• Field Crops - 60Cereals -10, Oilseeds - 12, Pulses - 12, Fodder -5, Fibre – 4, spices-10, others -7.

• Horticulture Crops - 131Fruits - 26, Vegetables - 39, Flowers -12, Aromatic & Medicinal Plants -6, Condiments -10, Tuber Crops – 6, Forestry -26, Plantation -6

Information Classification on 9X9 Matrix

1st Layer Field Crops, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry…

2nd Layer Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, Commercial…

3rd Layer Rice, Maize, Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Wheat, Barley…

4th Layer Crop requirement, Land preparation, Seed and seeding…

5th Layer Climate, Soil, crop rotation, …(Keywords)

IKSL classifies information on a 9X9 matrix in the following manner:

Tag words/key words are equally important

Feedback from Farmer

“Abhi kuch dino pehle mujhe phone par mandi ke bhaav maloom chale the. Accha rate mil raha tha. Isliye maine fasal jaldi kaatkar bech di. Ab kam daam mil rahe hain. Accha hua bech diya “

Individual Testimonials

Farmer Name : Nagappa

Village : Kudarimothi (Korpal), Karnataka

Mobile : 9611430225

Land Holding : 0.8 Ha ( Marginal farmer)

Crop : Crossandra Flower crop

Problem : Plants not flowering

Solution : Spray of Calaxin @0.5 ml/litre

water

Result : Started getting 5-6 kg flowers

every day from 0.2 ha area and

Rs. 12,000 as monthly income

Individual Testimonials

State: Rajasthan

Region: Dodasara (Churu)

Farmer: Navrang Lal Ji

Mobile: 9928826440

Problem faced: Weakness in Buffalo, low yield in milk.

Solution given: Himalaya batisa 50 gm, anaraczone 2 tab mixed with sugar lump – once in a day for three days to the buffalo.

Cost incurred: $ 6.65/-

Benefit obtained: Stronger buffalo, increase in milk productivity.

Net increase in income : $ 68.7

Community Testimonial – An illustration

Partners : Vidiyal, Vidivelly

Location : Theni (Tamilnadu)

Initial no. of Women members: 569

Focused Voice Messages & Helpline on

Goat & Cow Rearing Education on Women's Rights Other areas of interest (Women’s Health)

Improved Income levels of members

Loan to create assets - Rs. 2.31 Cr. Income - Rs. 6.21 Cr. Profit - Rs 4.00 Cr.

Group increased to 1200

Banks willing to finance more women; Group to be extended to 5000

The Women’s Community received International Appreciation

Survey by TNS engaged by GSMA Foundation

Profile of the Farmers Surveyed

71.4%

87.5%

Households Earning less than Dollar a Day

Households Earning less than 2 Dollars a Day

Survey Result

Perceived usefulness of Voice Messages

7.5

9.5

10.5

33.2

39.2

0 10 20 30 40 50

None of them

Few of them

About half of them

Most of them

All of them

Useful and Interesting

10

12

14.5

39

24.6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

None of them

Few of them

About half of them

Most of them

All of them

2.9

97.1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Not perceived as trustworthy

Perceived as trustworthy

Trustworthiness

Learnt this for the first time

• 70% + find most messages useful

• Most have got access to info for first time

• Extreme trustworthiness

IKSL vs. Other Sources of information

19

27.6

34.5

49.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Extension officers of line departments and

banks

Government helpline

Agricultural related programs on TV/ Radio

Not using any other source

Percent

Better,

76.6%

Same,

23.4%

*Multiple responses possible, percent do not necessarily add to 100.

Usefulness of other sources

Using other sources of information*

• Almost half of the customers depend on IKSL as sole source of info• Most people rate IKSL quality as better than other sources

Implementation of Information Received

17.9

16.9

24.6

40.7

10.6

24.5

31.5

33.3

0 20 40 60 80 100

Not applicable

Do not intend to

Not yet, but certainly

intend to

Yes, implemented

Percent

Voice message information

Helpline information

“ It is a Great Idea .. Do it Across the World, Great Work .. Keep It Up ”

Barak Obama,President, U.S.A

Nov 7, 2010;Mumbai

“Today, India is a leader in using technology toempower farmers, like those I met yesterdaywho get free updates on market and weather

conditions on their cell phones”

Barak Obama,President, U.S.A

Joint Session of Indian Parliament

8th Nov.2010, New Delhi

Rural Portal initiative

• Increasing adoption of data related services in rural India

• Leveraging IFFCO KISAN’s content repository

• Extend new services in an emerging area

• To target a wider spectrum of client segment

How can I

access

RURAL

PORTAL?

FOR INTERNET USERS:-

http://www.iffcokisan.com/

IFFCOKisan.com HOME PAGE

First Four Modules are Fixed

Second Four Module To

Be Customize By Register

Users

Each Icon provides access to different modules. ‘My Dash Board’ shows all modules with focus on voice messages and reference library.

Quick/direct search the content

Select Language like English, Hindi etc..

Set Locations

Mobile Apps download

Audio Option also Available

How to Customize, before register on portal .. See to next slide

Portal Login

IFFCOKisan.com portal login page

Enter the User name & Password

Enter the Password and Click on Login Button. Registered users have special privileges such as setting preferences, etc.

Or register yourself

DASH BOARD– TELUGU LANGUAGES (ANDHRA PRADESH)

DASH BOARD– KANNAD LANGUAGES (KARNATAKA)

AGRICULTURE MODULE

HORTICULTURE MODULE

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY MODULE

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY MODULE

IFFCO KISAN Mobile app

DATA USERS WITH IFFCO KISAN

• Data enabled Green SIM subscribers - 15.0 Lakh

• Existing Data users - 4.0 Lakh

LEVERAGING IFFCO KISAN CONTENT

• Harnessing existing rural specific content

• Deliver customized content and services

• Potential for greater interactivity

• Greater impact through contextual images and video

• Facility to drill down and search archives

IFFCO KISAN Mobile can be downloaded from

Android Play Store.

MOBILE APPS

Dash Board of All Services Customized information

THANK YOU

Contact

IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited IFFCO House, 34, Nehru Place .

New Delhi- 110019 Website: http://www.iksl.in .

E-mail: shrotriya.iksl@iffco.inContact Number: 011-46729916