EMPOWERING FARMERS THROUGH
KNOWLEDGE INTERVENTION
IKP Centre for Advancement in Agriculture Practice
(ICAAP) in partnership with IFPRI
March 4, 2013
International Food Policy Research Institute
Issues in agriculture sector
• Small land holding pattern i.e. Average size of land
holding 1.23 ha per farmer
• Access to quality inputs i.e. spurious seeds in the
market
• Increased cost of inputs
• Labor scarcity i.e. migration to urban and unremunerative
farming
• Depends of agriculture on weather
i.e. Climate
change
• Poor rural infrastructure i.e. roads, storage, warehouse
and market
International Food Policy Research Institute
Issues in agriculture sector
• No proper management of irrigation i.e. surface
irrigation
• Access to credit from financial institutions i.e. Rural
penetration is poor by public and private banks and dominated by
money lenders
• Poor risk mitigation i.e. Production and price risk
• Use of technology is inadequate i.e. weak extension
mechanism
• Subsidy driven policies i.e. Fertilizers
• Exploitation of natural resources i.e. Ground water, soil
health degradation
International Food Policy Research Institute
Issues in agriculture sector
• Production not aligned with emerging
demand pattern i.e. cereal based production Vs high
value commodities (F&V) and dairy products
• Poor investment in research, education and
extension
• Poor post harvest management and value
addition
• Weak institutional mechanism in agriculture
International Food Policy Research Institute
Background – the importance of information
• Generalized vs local, context-specific
• Local info = more resource intensive but could
be more valuable for farmer
• Farmers differ in their information searching
behaviours and information needs
International Food Policy Research Institute
Where do farmers get their info?
% farmers for each info source (NSSO, 2005)
Not accessed any source
Other progressive farmers
Input dealer
Radio
TV
Newspaper
Extension worker
KVK
Private agency/NGO
International Food Policy Research Institute
Felt & unfelt needs from farmers
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High quality agriculture inputs i.e. seed varieties
Advanced technologies for best practices
Mechanization for cash crops
Value addition & market access
Diversified agriculture for sustainable income
Reduced cost of economics through resource
optimization
• Capacity strengthening for farm oriented
entrepreneurial activities
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Rice information needs
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Preferred information source
• High search prefer mobile phone helpline
• Print least preferred by low searchers
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Constraints to information access
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Poor availability
Poor reliability
Lack of awareness of information sources
Poor access to computer
Illiteracy of farm holder
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Private sector in knowledge delivery
model
• Advisory through cell phone
RML, IKSL and Nokia Life tools
• Rural retail chain
ITC’s e-Choupal, Hariyali Kisan Bazaar, Tata Kisan
Sansar (Hub & Spoke model)
• Contract farming
PepsiCo, Mahindra, Suguna poultry, Venky’s &
Global green company
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ICAAP Knowledge Management
Portal
• Goal: Improve farm productivity and incomes
• Objective: Advance agricultural practice in India
through research and capacity strengthening
• Target: Farmers and knowledge intermediaries
International Food Policy Research
Institute
Knowledge Management portal framework
Connectivity
Content
Knowledge
Research
Capacity
Global, National &
Local Knowledge
Extension
worker
Farmer
Association
ICAAP
Knowledge
Management
Portal
KVK
SAU
NGO
Progressive
farmers
Agri-clinic
Banks
Inputs
Agri-machineries
Private sector
International Food Policy Research Institute
Technology for ICAAP Portal
Server: Linux
Platform: Open Source Software - Media Wiki
Service provider: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
for better connectivity and data storage.
Currently
• Developed for paddy, black gram, green gram,
sugarcane, banana and Coconut in Thanjavur and
Thiruvarur districts
• Partnered with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
(TNAU) for Tamil Nadu and University of Agricultural
Sciences (UAS), Bangalore for Karnataka
• Plans to partner with State Agricultural Universities
and research institutes across the country to
populate the portal
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Scaling up and out
Additional commodities in Tamil Nadu
• Cotton, maize, groundnut
• Cassava, turmeric, jasmine
• Cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, poultry
• Fodder crops
Geographical coverage:
• More districts in Tamil Nadu
• Karnataka
• Other states in India
Page 16
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT & DELIVERY
PARTNERS FOR
KNOWLEDGE
AGGREGATION
SYNTHESIS
CGIAR FOR GLOBAL
KNOWLEDGE
ICAR INSTITUIONS,
NATIONAL
RESEARCH CENTRES
STATE
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
REGIONAL
RESEARCH
STATIONS
DELIVERY
IMPACT
FINANCIAL
INSTITUIONS
ICAAP
KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT
PORTAL
AGRIBUSINESS
COMPANIES
STATE
DEPARTMENT’S
EXTENSION STAFF
FPOs, NGOs &
ENTREPRENUERS
International Food Policy Research Institute
FARMERS
Knowledge Delivery
• Plans to disseminate farm specific information to
paddy farmers in partnering with PUDHUAARU KGFS in
Thanjavur coming June 2013.
• Partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra, National Agro
foundation and other agribusiness firm to work with
farmers for impact.
• Partnered with IFMR B School to offer a elective course
on “Agricultural finance” to students during June 2013.
Curriculum preparation is underway – link with elearning platform in the portal.
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CASE STUDY
International Food Policy Research Institute
TNAU : PROJECT IMPLEMENTING AGENCY
Mode: Turnkey Project on consultancy basis
Plan of Work:
•
400 ha @ one ha / farmer in Dharmapuri District
•
1 st crop was raised by Scientist of TNAU
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Offer technical support for 2nd to -5th crop raised by
by the farmer
Now scaled up to
40000 ha
across the State
Objectives
Long term:
To prepare the farmers for market led horticulture
Short term :
To empower the Farmers and Farmers’ Forum
To promote Hi tech Horticulture inbuilt with precision
farming elements
To be the model hi tech production system to maximise
the productivity
Dimension of Precision …..
Temperate Countries
•GIS and Sub cubic cm soil grid level
•Uniform Nature of Soil (Sensor based)
•Single Crop Cycle system
•Highly mechanized Farming system
Tropical Countries
•Prohibitive GIS Cost
•Diverse nature of Soil
•Multi cropping system
•Manual Farming system
Precision elements in tropical farming system
1. Soil Preparation : Humus level, microbial load, aeration & drainage, fertility restoration
2. Nursery
: Physically, physiologically uniform seedlings with intact roots
3. Crop geometry : Single ,double ,triple and tetra rows ( straight and alternate)
4. Fertigation
: Nutrients at critical stages, subsoil moisture regime
5. Growth management: Regulation of flowering, training the canopy,
6. Plant protection
: Monitoring System , IPM and IDM
7. Field Level PHM : Harvest Index, handling, sorting and grading and labeling crates
8. Cluster Approach
: Registered Precision Farmers Associations at Cluster level
9. Market linkage : Collective marketing, Market info by SMS, Market exposure
10. Empowerment : Precision Farmers Producers Company Ltd.,
Precision Farmers Mega Market Ltd.,
Cultivated Crops
Agriculture: Sugarcane, Cotton, Maize, Sunflower, Ground nut,
Sesame, Finger millets, Sorghum, Pearl Millet
Horticulture: Tapioca, Banana, Tomato, Brinjal, Chilli, Curry leaf
Watermelon, Papaya, Bitter gourd, Bottle Gourd ,
Snake gourd , Lab lab, Turmeric, Yam, Onion ,Musk melon
Potato, Carrot, Cabbage, Radish, Beet, Cucumber
Cauliflower, Coriander, Chow chow, Beans, Paprika,
Ash gourd, Rose, Chrysanthimum, Limoniums
Marigold, Aester,
Measurable out puts:
1. Doubled the productivity of crops
2. 95 percent marketable produce with less unmarketable produces
3. High end quality parameters and 30 % premium price in the market
4. Water economy 30 to 40 %
5. Electricity economy 50 %
6. Extended period of harvest to match lean season in the market
7. Less labor dependence
8. Extended shelf life
9. 25% more weight per unit volume for the produce
10.Empowerment of farmers
( Technical, Economical and social empowerment)
www.advanceagripractice.in
THANK YOU
International Food Policy Research Institute