4 e-EXT-NGO

Transcript

Basic Introduction

Hello Friends. In our previous discussion we were talking of the e-Mediated extension efforts initiated for the allied sectors of agriculture. And how they influence the crop husbandry. What kind of relationship both these enterprises have. In this section we will be discussing about the e-Mediated extension efforts launched by non-governmental organizations. Non-governmental organizations are the organizations which are having the motto of service. And which work on no profit no loss basis for the purpose of welfare of the society.

Department of Humane (DHAN) Foundation

• So having said this, so the foundation which was supported by the Oracle group. So which is providing the ICT enabled Community Resource Centers.
• So it provides services like producing and broadcasting voice sms’s for the local communities.
• Then it supports the activity of Voice sms on livestock management. Healthy and nutritious food for women etc etc. Means for animal husbandry as well as for the women folks.
• Then they are organizing WhatsApp group for sharing the information on crop diseases, livestock diseases and pests. So being a non-governmental organization. So they are taking holistic care of the entire community, whether it is the womenfolk or men or the animal husbandry, crop husbandry etc etc
• Then they are providing the support services like online consultations for health, education, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and on legal issues also.
• Then they are developing the multimedia content in local languages for educational use and for developing software for agriculture and animal husbandry services.
• Then they support the community radio stations to design and deploy radio programs also.

So these are some of the activities of DHAN Foundation, a non-governmental organization which was founded in 1997.

MS Swaminathan Research Foundation

One of the most popular NGO, that is MSSRF, which was established in 1988.

• So they launched a Fisher Friend mobile app, basically a Decision Support System for small scale fishers.
• The basic idea of developing this fisher friend mobile app is reduction in risk from livelihood asset loss in the event of disaster, which are common feature, specially for the fisher folk who go deep into the sea for the purpose of fishing. Then increased income per trip. Because every trip it involves huge amount of risk. But whether they are going to get the required amount of fish or not, it is an issue. Then resource saving of fuel. Every journey incurs huge amount of resources, so that can be conserved with the help of this app. And the reduced number of fishing days per trip.

So these are some of the objectives of introduction of this particular app.

• It offers a package of scientific and relevant information in a single window platform, so that the fisher folk is the real beneficiary of this app, which is an initiative of non-governmental organization known as MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.
• In partnership with Oracle, they started the GIS based forewarning system on the pest attack.
• About 500 farmers in Tamil-Nadu were trained on pest as well as disease management practices for paddy as well as brinjal and jasmine.

So it is available in the regional languages Tamil, English, Telugu, then various other Indian languages also. So that the farmers are the real beneficiaries of such apps in agriculture sector as well as in case of fisheries sector.

Coming to the Jayalakshmi Agrotech- Crop specific mobile app in regional languages, which developed more than 20 crop specific apps updated on the regular basis.

• So the basic target group of this apps are the illiterate farmers
• Which are providing the content in audio-visual as well as in multiple languages
• It reminds on irrigation, fertigation, spray etc etc for those registered farmers
• And it provides end to end information on every crop that the farmer desires
• Then it guides to use the growth hormones, fertilizers and pesticides. The use of growth hormones by the farmers are on a very very limited scale. But with the help of such app they try to develop that scientific temperament, and they can go for use of these things.
• Then information on allied sectors the goat and sheep as well as dairy farming are also available with the help of this app
• Then this particular app reminds you regarding the vaccination of goat, sheep as well as cows.
• Then it provides the pricing analytics as well as the break even analysis as far as the marketing services are considered.
• And on demand weather reports are also available with the help of these apps.

Digital Green

Then coming to the case of Digital Green, another non-governmental organization. We had a detailed discussion on this. So far they have produced more than 5,000 videos in 50 languages. So which are spreading the information and knowledge, which are the outcomes of the efforts of the grassroots innovators.

The AFC India Ltd which was established in 1968.

• So they have customized the farmer’s training and extension and online agriculture monitoring through application of information-communication technologies at block level in the State of Uttar Pradesh.
• The services include
  o Broad based consultancies. Agriculture and all allied sectors are part of this
  o Then grassroots project implementation in rural areas, this is another priority of AFC India Ltd
  o And training as well as capacity building is another area in which this AFC is working

The technical divisions which take the role in providing services include

• Agriculture and water resources
• Natural resource management
• Socio-economic changes
• Then monitoring and evaluation of the projects as well as the efforts
• Then external consultancy
• each division is equipped with manpower, just to take care of the needs of the society.
  The Naandi Foundation is another non-governmental organization,
• which is serving for the purpose of Adivasi community
• So they have created a Facebook page, from where the information related to the Araku coffee is being posted. Then farmers are really exchanging their informations related to the marketing of this Araku coffee.
• And they started selling their coffee through online auction. And they are receiving 3 times more than before because of this, being part of this Facebook page for the purpose of selling of Araku.
• More than 45,000 farmers are the beneficiaries of this particular Facebook page, and their involvement into the marketing of their Araku coffee

Then Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP)which was established in 2001.

• So basically it is an NGO with the support of Microsoft
• It offers the services like the Community Technology Learning Centers
• Query redress systems
• Then Community Radio Stations

So the Community Technology Learning Centers were established in the remote villages in Maharashtra to provide training to the 4,500 farmers and unemployed youth.

Working on online weekly prices monitoring system of 101 herbal as well as medicinal plants, in 50 marketing centers across the country.

They collect the information and they disseminate it among the farming community. So that now they can begin the cultivation of this aromatic as well as medicinal plants. And they can enter into the marketing of them also.

Then Query Redress System

• Provides solutions to the farmers queries pertaining to agricultural practices. Problems related to productivity, improvement, scientific farming as well as the technology for production to farming community.
• Then queries received by mail, by post or through telephone are responded within 24 hours. This is what is the query redressal system.
• Currently ISAP is receiving about 300 queries per day. So this is what shows the popularity of this particular services, which are being offered in the States of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. In these three states.

Then coming to the Community Radio Stations of ISAP.

• So it is an effective tool for communication and create platform to share experiences, perspectives, innovations. To increase the yields and reduce the labor

So basically this Indian Agriculture Professionals (IAP) on Facebook are also present.

1. So there are more than 2, 30,000 membership is there on this Facebook page. So basically to exchange the information on various issues related to agriculture.

Conclusion

To conclude we can say that,

• Non-governmental organizations are filling the gaps in the community by providing the services, where the government cannot reach or there is a difficulty in reaching the government functionaries. There the non-governmental organizations are taking this messages to the community.
• Then they are supplementing as well as complementing the public extension services, so that the ultimate beneficiaries of these efforts are the farmers
• Then with information-communication technology, the creative services are being offered to the stakeholders. So this is what is the unique nature of this non governmental organizations. They are working for the non-profit, but for the benefit of the society.

So this is in a nutshell about the e-Extension initiatives launched by the non-governmental organizations. In the next discussion we will be taking up interaction regarding the e-Extension services that are launched by the private sector organizations.

Thank You.