Question 1 (opens 17 Sept.)

Ritu, thank you for the detailed information about Digital Green. Could you also tell us:

- How long as Digital Green been in operation?

- What are the types of funding that keep Digital Green going?

Thank you!

Hi Michael,

Digital Green started off as a Microsoft Research in 2006.In 2009, Digital Green was registered as a society in India and as a foundation in the United States. In 2010, it initiated operations in India and in 2011 began operations in Africa.

Further, Digital Green is supported by  national and international donors and we have also partnered with governments.

Hi Ritu raj,  Digital Green sounds great, I must check it out.  I think video is a great way to connect farmers, there is a local project near us called Pasture Promise TV where farmers post educational videos around pasture management. Also another UK project called Farmers on Film , you may have met Sarah on Twitter?, she heads up the initiative and was doing her very best to get farmers noticed during the Olympics  for the important work they do.

Hi Wefarmit,

Thanks for the appreciation! I will definitely connect with Sarah on Twitter.Also thanks for providing information about Pasture Promise TV it sounds interesting. 

Hi, Ritu, thanks for info on Digital Green, which I have heard of.  It is very effective way of helping spreading good practices. Do you work in the Africa region. besides in India?  Do you know if there are initiatives like yours in Africa?

Hi wbicc-csa,

We have started work in Ethopia and Ghana. Agriculture extension in Africa comprises of dessimination of information through agriculture extension workers, farmer field schools and there also service providers who use internet based facilities to communicate best practices to farmers(http://www.satadsl.net/).

There is also an intiative by International Institute for Commuication and Development in West Africa similar to our's wherein they train farmers in innovative production and techniques for sustainable management of natural resources, using video, photos and digital presentations.(http://www.new-ag.info/en/focus/focusItem.php?a=2748) 

Further, the IICD's intiative is similar to our intiative. But in our we also  provide mediated dessimination of information and the videos are prepared by farmer, of farmers and for farmers. Therefore, we encourage peer to peer learning.

Thanks Ritu Raj for your detailed information on Digital Green.

Most of ICT for agricultural extension projects in India, after few years of implementation, generally face problem in sustainability and scaling-up issues. Interestingly, Digital Green scaled-up and your target for next 3.5 years sounds great. How you are addressing sustainability issues and  scaling-up (especially diverse country like India)

Hi Saravananraj,

For addressing the issues of sustainability and scale especially in India we have partnered with several non-governmental organisation and government to integrate the Digital Green model within the public extension system.

Thanks Ritu Raj for your informaion on Digital Green. Quite interesting public (public extension) and private partnership (NGos).....As i understand, In India, there are large number of NGOs and number of public departments/ organisations involved in agricultural extension..i just wonder...how Digital Green chooses suitable public/ private partners? any partnership arrangement? what challenges you face when working differnet set of partners?..

Hi Saravananraj,

Thanks for the enquiry. Digital Green partners with organisations based on the following parameters:

1) Well established extension system and community out-reach

2)Domain expertise and ability to scale operations

3) Well established community rapport

One of the main challenge we face while working with partners is to make them realise and appreciate the model and at the same time ensure that process and content quality at every level is internalised and achieved.