By M. Moni, Deputy Director General, National Informatics Centre, India

1. ICT Observatory on e-Agriculture in ACP Countries
24-26 April 2013 at CTA, The Netherlands
Strategic Integration of ICT in Agriculture : Experiences of National
Informatics Centre (NIC) India
M.Moni
Deputy Director General (Agricultural Informatics)
National Informatics Centre
&
Visiting Professor (Government Nominated)
SHOBHIT University, Meerut
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2. Strategic Integration of ICT in Agriculture
Experiences of NIC - India
1. DISNIC Programme launched during 1987 in all Districts of India – District
Information System Programme in 27 Sectors – Founder Project Director
• DISNIC – AGRIS Project : A Database Development Project in the Area of
Agriculture Sector
• DISNIC - Fisheries Project : A Database Development Project in the Area of
Fisheries Sector
• DISNIC – Animal Husbandry Project : A Database Development Project in the
Area of Livestock Sector
2. Informatics for Sustainable Agricultural Development (ISDA) 1995 – gave the
Informatics Blueprint for ICT in Agricultural sector In India
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3. ISDA – 95 :
Informatics Blueprint for Sustainable Agricultural Development
3
Digital Networks for Farmers (DNF) – 3 to 6 Per cent of the Agricultural Budget to be allocated for ICT in Agricultural sector
AGRISNET - an Infrastructure network up to block level agricultural offices facilitating agricultural extension services and agribusiness activities to usher
in rural prosperity
AGMARKNET with a road map to network Agricultural produce wholesale markets and rural markets;
ARISNET - Agricultural Research Information System Network;
SeedNet - Seed Informatics Network;
CoopNet - to network Agricultural Primary Credit Societies (PACS) and Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Societies to usher in ICT enabled services and
rural transformation;
HORTNET - Horticultural Informatics Network;
FERTNET - Fertilisers (Chemical, Bio and Organic Manure) Informatics Network facilitating "Integrating Nutrient Management" at farm level;
VISTARNET - Agricultural Extension Information System Network;
PPIN - Plant Protection informatics Network
APHNET - Animal production and Health Informatics Network networking about 42000 Animal Primary Health Centres;
FISHNET - Fisheries Informatics Network;
LISNET - Land Information System network linking all institutions involved in land and water management for agricultural productivity and production
systems, which has now evolved as "Agricultural Resources Information system" project during the Tenth Plan being implemented through NIC.
AFPINET - Agricultural & Food Processing Industries Informatics Network
ARINET - Agricultural and Rural Industries Information System Network to strengthen Small , Micro & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
NDMNET- Natural Drought Management Knowledge Network in India
WeatherNET- Weather Resource System Information Network of India - for Agromet Advisories

4. Reformed Rural India 2020
• GRID Programme for bridging
disparities and divides at
grassroots level;
• SMART VILLAGE – digitally
connected and digitally enabled
for long term, sustainable
development;
• SMART ISLAND – A Knowledge
Society
Plan Scheme 2007-2012 of NIC
4

5. Rural India Vision 2020
5
To leverage on a mix of emerging
and existing technologies for
effective and inexpensive ICT
penetration in agricultural
development To be the global lead enabler in innovating
solutions through Informatics for agricultural
development and prosperity.

6. Deliverable 2020 – A CSR
To prepare about 100,000
Agricultural Students
ready, through agricultural
informatics, for undertaking
S&T based agricultural
development and to
rejuvenate and usher in
agricultural dynamism in the
country, by 2020.
6

7. DNF
NeGP
Open Gov
Open Tech
Nat.GIS
NKN
PII
Rural Area where more than 80 per cent of the activities are related to agricultural sector.
7
Rural
India
Agriculture Livestock Fisheries
Healthcare
……
A Conceptual Diagram – Digital Inclusion
Education Commerce
DISNIC Programme
(1987) targeted for
27 sectors at sub-
district level
Smart VILLAGE –
Digital Inclusion
SMEs
Urban
India

8. Rural India
1. Indian village is a cognizable unit located in a specific agro-ecological and
sociological environment - 6.25 Lakhs villages in 2.3 Lakh Panchayats (i.e.
grassroots level governance institutions) :
Distribution of Villages according to the Population 2001 Census
Population No. of Villages
< 1000 4,06,722
1000-1999 94,486
2000-4999 46,892
5000-9999 7,202
> 10000 1834
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9. Rural India 2012
1. “The shell must break before the bird can fly” - Alfred Tennyson
2. India is connected and Indians (> 850 Millions handset) are also connected to
Internet;
3. Socio-Economic Sectors
i. Healthcare (Human, Animal and Aquatic Animal)
ii. Education
iii. Agriculture (On-Farm & Off-Farm)
iv. Rural Development (Non-Farm)
v. Commerce
vi. Governance
4. India is an Agrarian Economy – But there are no Agricultural Schools, No
Agricultural Polytechnics and No Agricultural ITIs in Rural India ; However, there
are about300 Agricultural Colleges, 52 Agricultural Universities, 95 Agricultural
Research (ICAR) Institutions and 625 Farm Science Centres (FSCs) in India.
9

10. Agricultural Portal
Central Agricultural Portal (CAP)– State Agricultural Portal (SAP)
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Agriculture Mission Mode Project under
National e-Governance programme (NeGP)
• Central Agricultural portal (CAP)
• State Agricultural Portal (SAP)
• 12 Cluster of Services
• Database Systems
• Textual Base Systems
• Workflows
• Advisory system
• GIS based DSS
• Public Grievance and
Redressal management
• Information Dissemination
through SMS, IVRS, Call
centre, Web
Portal, Radio, TV, etc

11. Cluster of Services under Agriculture Mission Mode Project
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1. Service-1 : Providing information on Quality Pesticides
2. Service-2 : Providing information on Quality Fertilizers
3. Service-3 : Providing information on Quality Seeds
4. Service-4 : Providing information on Soil Health
5. Service-5 : Providing information on Crop diseases
6. Service-6 : NeGP-A: Service 6: Providing information
on forecasted weather
7. Service-7 : Providing market information on prices
and arrivals of agricultural commodities
8. Service-8 : Providing related market information to
facilitate farmers get better prices
9. Service-9 : Providing interaction platform and
interaction on transport services for farmers and
buyers of agricultural produce
10. Service-10 : Providing Information on Minimum
Support Price (MSP) and Government Procurement
Points (GPPs)
11. Service-11 : Providing electronic certification of
imports and exports
12. Providing information on marketing infrastructure
and Post Harvest facilities
13. Service-13 : Providing information on storage
infrastructure
14. Service-14:Monitor the implementation of schemes /
programs
15. Service-15 : Providing training support to farm schools
for adoption of good agricultural practices
16. Service-16 : Sharing Good Agriculture Practices with
farmers & trainers, and providing extension support
through online video;
17. Service-17: Providing Information on Fishery Inputs
18. Service-18: Providing Information on Irrigation
infrastructure

12. Cluster of Services under Agriculture Mission Mode Project
(New Services)
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19. Service-19: Providing Information on Financial Services
available from PACS, RRBs and Public Sector Banks
20. Service-20: To provide information on financial security
to persons engaged in Agriculture and Allied Activities
through Insurance Products and other Support Services
(Agricultural Insurance Services).
21. Service-21: To provide Information on Use of Plastics in
Agriculture, Horticulture and Floriculture
22. Service -22: To provide information on Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants.
23. Service-23: To provide information on Patent on
traditional practices
24. Service 24: To provide information on Allied sectors like
Sericulture, Floriculture, Horticulture, Bee-keeping etc
25. Service 25: To provide information to Farmers on Food
Processing Technologies;
26. Service 26: Providing information on agricultural wages
to farmers;
27. Service 27: Providing Information on Crops Development
Programme and Production Technologies to increase
Production and Productivity.
(list to grow further)

13. Outcomes of AGMARKNET from Andhra Pradesh
http://www.agmarknet.nic.in
1. To protect the farmers interest, the
minimum bidding price is being fixed
in some AMCs, taking into
consideration the Mode Price average
for previous month or so;
2. State Department of Food and Civil
supplies and Consumer affairs uses to
control retail prices;
3. State Agriculture Department officials
use to plan and fix targets for NFSM;
4. MBA (Agribusiness Mgt) Students at
MANAGE, use for commodities
trading;
5. Directorate of Oilseeds Development,
Hyderabad use for preparing
advisories to the Government for
intervention;
6. National Seeds Corporation (NSC)
uses to promote better HYV seeds;
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14. RealCraft – A Project to strengthen Coastal Security in India
National Database on Fishing Vessels (about 2 Lakhs)
(Safety of about 1 Million Fishermen going to Sea for fishing)
14
• Initiated in the State of Kerala - Operational
• Rolled out in all Coastal States (9) and UTs(4) by 31st Jan
2011 after 26/11 Mumbai Attack
• Stakeholders - Navy, Coast Guards, Marine
Police, Fisheries Authorities, Ministry of Home
Affairs, etc.
• Legal issues - Marine Shipping Act 1988 modified
• Venturing Fishermen to get Boarding Pass (April 2011)
through Bharat Nirman Common Services Centres;
• Coast Guards uses Registration No. (Unique) in their
National Automatic Identification System (NAIS) for
Fishing Vessels.
• Directorate of Lighthouses and Lightships uses
Registration No. (Unique) in their National Automatic
Identification System (NAIS) for Fishing Vessels.
• To be linked with INCOIS Of MoES for oceanic
Information Services.
http://fishcraft.nic.in
• Operational from 166 locations along
the coastal line.
• Coastal States :
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamilnadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Odisha & West Bengal.
• Coastal UTs : Daman &
Diu, Lakshadweep, A&N Islands &
Puducherry.

15. National Animal Disease Reporting System
(NADRS)
AIMs at
facilitating
ICT enabled Animal
Disease
Reporting, Control
& Surveillance
on
143 OIE listed [and
other non-OIE
listed] diseases,
from 7032 locations in
the Country.
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Stakeholders
1. DADF & Its 38 Attached/ Sub-Ordinate
Organizations (CPDOs (5), CCBFs (7), CSBF
(1), FP&D Stations (7), CFSPTI (1), AQCS (6),
CHRS (4), CICEF, CIFNET, CSBF, DMS, FSI,
NFDB, NIAH, NIFPHATT & RSFPD (7))
2. 35 State /UT AH Departments and their Sub-
ordinate Organizations
3. 626 District VOs
4. 6336 Block VOs
5. 25 ICAR Animal & Fisheries Sciences
Institutes
6. ~ 100 Veterinary & Fisheries Universities &
Colleges
7. 625 KVKs
8. ~ 980 Animal Disease Diagnostic laboratories
9. ~52757 Veterinary Health Institutions
(Hospitals/Polyclinics-8732, Dispensaries-
18830, Aid Centre/Stockmen Centre/Mobile
Dispensaries-25195)
10. ~145000 Dairy Cooperative Societies
11. ~12000 Fisheries Cooperative Societies

16. 16
National Agricultural Prices and Marketing Information System
(NAPMIS) - Farmers Need it
There is a need to develop a
platform for farmers to
interact with:
• Input Suppliers (Seeds,
fertilizers, pesticides,
Machinery and credit)
• Marketing Channels
(Wholesale Markets, Rural
Markets, Commission
agents/traders, processing
industries etc),
• Agricultural laborers
• Agricultural extension
workers

17. 17
Digital Inclusion for fostering Rural prosperity and
Grassroots Development
A much needed Domestic Strategy for sustainable livelihoods
in Rural India
(i.e. Agricultural Informatics Policy)
Agents that funneled the growth of Services Sector
• Technology
• Information
• (Efficient)Processes
Agricultural Informatics Policy to be based on TIP

18. ICT Policy 2012 - Strategies
Department of Electronics and Information Technology
1. Security of Cyber Space
2. Development of Language Technologies
3. Enabling Service Delivery through e-Governance
4. GIS based IT Services
5. Human Resources Development
6. Enhancing productivity and competitiveness in key sectors through ICT
7. Creating an ecosystem for Internet and mobile driven Service Industry
8. Promotion of Innovation and R&D in IT Sector
9. Creating ecosystem for a globally competitive IT/ITES Industry
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19. 19
Publications
1. M.Moni (2005): Rural India : Different Meaning to Different People, Discussion Paper presented at 3rd
International Conference on “Rural India: Achieving Millennium Development Goals and Grassroots
Development”, 10-12 November 2005, Hyderabad (India), organised by Bhoovigyan Vikas Foundation (New
Delhi) and SAHANAV, Hyderabad.
2. Madaswamy MONI (2006) : “ICT for Sustainable Rural Livelihood : Rural India to Shine, Smile and Roar”,
published in i4d Journal, February 2006
3. Madaswamy MONI (2006): “Web Services & Localisation : A Way to realise Digital Inclusion and
development in Rural India”, CSI Communications, March 2006
4. Madaswamy MONI (2005): “Mainstreaming ICT for Grassroots Level Planning: Implementation, Delivery
Mechanism and Institutional Development” , Invited Lecture at the 25th International Cartographic Congress
organised by Indian national cartographic Association at Dr. Hari Singh Gaur Viswavidyalaya, Sagar (India), 28
November – 1 December 2005.

20. 20
5. Madaswamy MONI (2006): Digital Inclusion for fostering Rural Prosperity and Grassroots Development: A Much Needed
Domestic Strategy for Sustainable Livelihoods in Rural India, Presented as a Lead Paper in the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON “Social Science Perspectives in Agricultural Research and Development”, organized by Voluntary Action for Research
Development and Networking (VARDAN) New Delhi, in collaboration with International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Washington, DC (USA) and Indian Society of Extension Education (ISEE) New Delhi, India, during February 15–18, 2006..
6. Madaswamy MONI (2005): ICT Diffusion for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development of SMEs: A Powerful Tool for
reducing Spatial Disparities and enhancing Opportunities for development in India, presented at the Workshop on
Distributed and Mobile Computing organized by Department of Information Technology, Madras Institute of
Technology, Anna University Campus, Chromepet, Chennai.

21. Thank You All
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