Question 1 (opens 12 Nov.)

Dear All, 

Greetings, 

A healthy discussion is happening across the society about ICT and its benefit to the Farmer Producer companies. 

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has used the opportunity extended by Govt. of India; an amendment in Companies Act to promote the farmer producer companies. 

Pl. click the following video link for better understanding. 

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/govt_schemes_services/mmedia/videos.html#

Benefits in Nutshell

01. Uniform standard of practice with consumer preference and needs

02. Linking with local, national and global markets

03. Empowered in terms of technologically, socially and culturally

04. Availing best practices elsewhere in the world

05. Synergy with research institutes for the member welfare

06. Extending common services and benefit to all members in the producers companies

Looking forward to seek more from your end, 

With warm regards

Anandaraja, TNAU, India

Dear Anadaraja,

Are all of the above 6 points linked to the use of ICT by producer companies? If yes, please share some more information on how ICT enables the producer organizations to achieve the goals listed in each of these points. The video clearly shows different ICT being used, but it is difficult for the casual observer to identify the actual appliations and benefits in this case.

Thank you.

Dear Michael Riggs, 

Thanks for comments and seeking additional information on application of ICT and benefits

We have done (video module) with 10 successful producer companies functioning in Tamil Nadu, India to motivate the rest of crop / animal enterprising farmers to venture on the same. 

Example,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfKjY_waMs8&feature=plcp

Theni Banana Producer Company. Till 2004, they have been in conventional way of farming and cultivating the crop (local variety called 'Naadu') and selling the produce in local markets. TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) introduced the precision farming system (suites for tropical condition) in 2006-07 and provided the market exposure and linked the farmers through mobile platform for calling and sharing improved technologies.

More details: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/pres_farm_agri.html

As you aware, ICT alone will not supplement the total livelihood system of farming. It has provided the farmers on Market Prices through mobile phones (free of cost), nutrigation and now exporting banana to Philippines by using the on-line market and cash transfer system. In that way it is helping.

More details: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/pres_farm_agri.html (project is time being stopped and will resume in Jan, 2013 onwards with additional and multiple SMS/ IVRS)

In this regard, my humble suggestion is that we need to use parallel and multiple tools like demo, exposure visit, training and ICT tools like on-line video, voice SMS, IVRS, social media tools to reach the potential farmers. Still, connectivity, content and accessibility to be given with much emphasis with partnership mode of public-private and civil societies.

Thanks

Anandaraja

[email protected]

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in

Dear Anadaraja

When I open the lik I did not see any video!

Producer companies are great institutions allowing farmers to really engage in business development and compete with other private shareholding companies. Please can you share with all of us how ICT has help extending common services and benefit to all members in the producers companies (your point number 06). Thanks in advance

Dear Pierre Rondot

Thanks for clarification

Pl. visit to the below given link and double click the producer company video (2)

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/govt_schemes_services/mmedia/videos.html#

Common services includes, availability of farm input and cost through mobile phones (producers companies have input shops, diesel bunk, cold chamber facility), inviting the experts from University and Industry for learning and cross learning, planning visit to various places for visualizing best practices, market prices, training etc.

Every month all the members and directors of producer company have half day interactive session and planning the farm activities. That way, all the members in the company are benefiting out of common service rendered by the company. 

I believe, farmer-member-to-farmer-member communication about the technology, market, and process is highly trust-worthy than the outside communication sources. ICT may play a part of intervention and quick sharing of know-how’s. ICT alone will fulfill all needs and requirements of farmers. It has to go long way with suitable policy initiatives of local, regional, state and countries.  

With best regards

Anandaraja

[email protected]

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in

Thanks Anadaraja

This is a great form of organization developped by India. I hope similar legal institutions can be developped elsewhere in the world as this will be an alternative to the cooperatives that was the only business status for the farmers.

Congratulation and obvioulsy ICT is essential for the success of the entreprise. 

Glad to see you here, Anandaraja. It may be part of Benefits 3 and 6 but perhaps we should include "Capacity Development of Individual Members and the Association as a Whole" as another benefit if only to highlight its importance.

Dear Sandyflor, 

I agree with you about the capacity building and collective developments, 

In Tamil Nadu (India) farmers have been confined to the cropping system based on the availability of land resources. They are not really thing beyond that. The need is what consumer really likes and what kind of variety are preferred at the end users on different time and season. Same may be case in all over world.

Hence, we have really look up the holistic system and strengthening the capacities of farmers understanding the nexus in market and how to win the market as producer companies. 

We have to go with production led farming into market led extension and farming system. Even, it may though that all Agricultural Universities in world may be converted as Food Universities. That means, University will not limit only the production technologies. Beyond they have to go processing, marketing, studying consumer needs, logistics, food industry requirement, exporting etc,,

With kind regards

Anandaraja

[email protected]

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in

Hello everyone!

Kenya’s fast rising ICT infrastructure has made people in this agricultural country very excited these past few years. Farmers in far-flung areas are seeing possibilities on the way they could monitor market price and sell their produce.  A church-organized ICT centre in Eldoret town, for example, has enabled farmers to get up-to-date information on the prices of different products. This simple facility has helped the farmers rid of middlemen who in the past had exploited them and manipulated their business. The center has been so far very effective in boosting farmer’s economic gain which in turn has been reinvested into their farms for greater productivity.

Another example is the use of money transfer service through mobile phones. People in urban areas can now conveniently send money to their relatives working in rural farms or vice versa. The facility has resulted in the increase of economic transactions between city dwellers and rural folks who are mostly farmers. Further, the M-Pesa service of Safaricom (a mobile phone service provider in Kenya)  is not just a mobile phone-based money transfer; it also facilitates microfinancing in partnership with like-minded banks. This means that farmers without bank accounts can easily apply and receive loans through their M-Pesa account with Safaricom.

Further, dairy farmers in the country can have access to information through mobile phones by simply subscribing to an SMS application (icow 5025). Subscribers to this service will get regular tips on dairy farming and send queries.  The more tech-savvy of these farmers could go online and visit the website (http://www.icow.co.ke/).

Before my current job i used to work with a special project of the Department of Agriculture which was jointly funded by the European Union. This was in the upland of the Cordilleras, in the northern part of the Philippines. For 15 years we were organizing farmers some producing rice, corn, coffee, etc. we helped them to organize themselves into producers groups so they can have access to credit, taught them basic principles of simple accounting, giving them trainings on applicable technology to increase yield, access to market outlets, repaired. Farm to market roads, etc. These were done notwitstanding the difficulty of reaching the areas which were mostly accessible by foot or four wheel drive vehicles like land rovers. Now where does ICT figure in? We were dealing with farmers who were mostly barely literate, living in areas where there was no electricity and whose daily lives or activties are dictated by their culture. Then here comes our organization bringing in televisions taking pains to lbring along generators if only to expose farmers to the so-called more advanced farming technologies through film showing of best pratices ofnareas with similar situations. Or in toher instances the use of flip charts written in cloth to motivate farmers to look at other ways of doing things which may help increase their production. Before theuse of cellphones, the project invested on installing two-way frequency radios to assistbthe farmers in updating themselves of prices of fertilizers and other farm inputs as well as current buying price of farm produce. These worked for a time but the use of ICT albeit in its simpler forms dwindled especially after the project ended.its sustainability was designed to be the responsibility of the loacl governent units as they were heavily involved in the project but it was left wanting in term of support to farmers groups. Now its the middlemen who continues to maximize the ue of technology to improve their lot while the farmers groups remain marginalized. With this experience - i believe ICT using Any tool to deliver information and knowledge managent can only be as effective as the commitment of individulas, groups and organizations to make it work, sustain its  efficiency, and continue to evolve more proactiv ways of harnessing ICT to make a difference in peoples lives.