Use of ICT in decision support for enhancing Kharif production

1. Use of ICT in decision support for enhancing Kharif production Basanta Kumar Dey Agronomist, RKVY Cell Agriculture Department Govt. of Odisha

2. ICT in Agriculture plays a key role in agricultural growth and development in the country by providing timely and useful information in a demand driven mode.

3. ICT in Agriculture-Why • To provide healthy decision support to planners, policy makers for improving planning and monitoring. • To provide decision support to farmers for right action. • To improve services to farmers • To empower farmers through access to information and knowledge • To enables better linkage with farmers for improvement of knowledge with ultimate result of increased production/profit/income

4. State’s Initiative on ICT in Agriculture • Research Activities • Decision making and programme planning • Technological Awareness • Input Management • Monitoring • Marketing Support • Other services

5. Research Activities • Research Activities • Direct Linkage of SAU with all research stations and KVKs through e- connectivity. • E-library facility at SAU level that provide information on research

6. Decision making and programme planning • Department Portal • Important decision/approval/circular and planning reflected in Departmental portal. • Office Automation • Inter and intra departmental file movement for quick decision through OSWASS • E-dispatch • Facilitates prompt and quick delivery of letters • Video Conferencing at regular interval • E-tendering • Brings transparency in selection of bidders for supply of different inputs and civil construction works etc.

7. Technological Awareness • Various agricultural programmes like KrishiSansar, KrishiDarshan & Live Phone in of Radio and Television. • Publicity Campaign through KrishiRath moving across the State. • Farmer’s Portal • Kissan Call Centre • Different IEC materials being printed at Agriculture Information wing. • Organization of Agricultural Exhibition at Regional and State Level

8. Input Management • Agrisnet • Purchase of Farm machineries and pumpsets etc. • Borewell, shallow tube wells and riverlift under Jalnidhi • Fertilizer and seed dealer licence etc. • Odisha Soil health card Generation portal • Generation of Soil Health cards • Advisory to be issued through Mobile phone SMS

9. Monitoring • Crop weather watch report through Agrisnet • Video conferencing at Higher level • Online fund management in NFSM,RKVY for quick easy and transparency • E-pest surveillance to combat pest situation. • Effective monitoring of demonstration patches and other activities by capturing GPS Coordinates.

10. Marketing Support • Agro Telemarketing Centre • Facilitate farmer buyer linkage • e-procurement • This is being followed for paddy procurement • Digital Mandi with free mobile phone to farmers • The farmer can access to MSP and other market information.

11. Other services • Health Insurance services through BKKY • As a matter of success, the State has facilitated Health Insurance coverage upto Rs. 1 lakh provided to 55 lakh farmers families providing smart card in order get free treatment unlike RSBY.

12. Roadmap for use of ICT to improve Kharif production • Agro meteorological information like Seasonal weather forecast by IMD to be well ventilated among all stake holders through print and electronic media. • The State Govt. to take prompt action on timely preparation of Kharif cropping programme including contingent plan for transmission to all concerned through publicity campaign and uploaded in the Departmental website. • Finalizing decision for procurement of different inputs like seeds, fertilizer, farm machineries, P.P.Chemicals etc. and sale rate through e tendering

13. Roadmap for use of ICT to improve Kharif production • Ensure availability and make wide publicity and also up date in the website. • Timely processing of dealer licence for seed, fertilizer, pesticide etc. operating the Agrisnet portal • Schematic information and assistance to farmers to be up loaded in the Website. • Timely operating the Agrisnet portal for farm mechanization, Bore well,shallow tube well etc.underjalanidhiproramme.

14. Roadmap for use of ICT to improve Kharif production • Timely providing funds to the implementing agencies through online fund management system operated by the dapartment. • Crop weather data to be updated through Agrisnet portal for better monitoring. • Regarding pest situation, e pest surveillance should be meticulously operationalized with issue of appropriate advisory. • Periodical review to be made by video conferencing. • After harvest, operationalization of Mandi for e procurement of paddy.

15. ISSUES & SUGGESTION • Promotion of Agro meteorological information services. • Seasonal forecast • Daily forecast • Alerts to farmers • Climatic information through mobile phone SMS • Promotion of Mobile banking/e-banking • To Facilitate agricultural credit to the farmers • This is being taken up under RKVY and is in pipeline.

16. ISSUES & SUGGESTIONS • Establishment of Automated Weather Station in each district. • GIS monitoring in coordination with ORSAC • Both the proposals have been initiated to be taken up under RKVY and are in pipeline. • Promotion of Direct Benefit Transfer • Software has been developed to facilitate the farmers for direct benefit transfer

17. Promotion of e- marketing • e-Marketing platforms need to be provided, particularly for Maize, Cotton & Turmeric. • e-Auction to be promoted to bring transparency in marketing

18. Thank you