ICT IN AGRICULTURE

2. Presentation on
ICT Extension approaches-prerequisites,
Information and science needs of farming community
EXT-505
Submitted to:
Dr.R.Vasantha
Associate professor
Dept.of agril.extension
submitted by:
p.sadvi
RAM/13-14
M.Sc.(Ag)ext 1st yr

3.  Most of the ICT Initiatives in India are location
specific,isolated and confined to a small area,providing
services for a specific aspect of agricultural
development. However For a full fledged strategy to
use IT for overall agricultural development at national
state regional level efforts have to be made .
 The future investment on harnessing the ICT for
agricultural development should meet minimum
criteria of social benefits as promised by ICTs. Hence
the strategy should directly benefit agricultural
communities

4. • An analysis of various isolated ICT initiatives all over
the country should be done,the ICT initiatives in the
field in other developing countries need to be studied
critically.This will develop insights so as to design
overall strategy of using the ICT in agricultural
development.
• Sustainability of existing ICTs projects is to be
observed,so as to enhance the efficiency and
effectiveness of using the ICTs in agricultural
development.

5. • A sound strategy requires human resource especially about
the grass root functionaries. The functionaries of existing ICT
projects have to be analysed based on parameters like
effectiveness orientation towards ICT extension, education
level training.
• The important link in the whole chain of ICT networks and
their application are the ultimate beneficiaries of the
integrated ICT projects-are the farmers . farmers perception
and view about ICT use their information needs goal
orientation and overall need integration are important for a
sound strategy. This will enable designing the ways and
means for farmers participation in the future integrated ICT
project.

6.  professionals of development departments and policy makers
are the key persons in providing valuable inputs for designing
a sound strategy. For dissemination of ICT, one needs to look
at the grass root level realities like
e-readiness parameters (connectivity,e-leadership,human
capital). perception and projection of policy makers and
development professionals play an important role in designing a
sound strategy.

7. Information needs of farmers

8. INTRODUCTION
No one can categorically claim to know all the
information needs of farmers especially in an
information dependent sector like agriculture
where there are new and rather complex
problems facing farmers every day.

9. Information needs can be classified according to the
“agricultural cycle”or the “agricultural value chain” Both
approaches work through the different phases of decision
making that a farmer faces during a cropping season—
acquisition of inputs, production planning, cultivation,
harvesting, packing and storing, transportation, and selling.
In addition to production-oriented information, off-farm
income-generation options and the implications of changing
policies are also important information needs.
Information needs of farmers

10. Farmers require information related to:
• Most appropriate technological options
• Management of technologies, including optimal use of inputs
• Changing farm system options (mixed farming and
diversification, animal husbandry, fisheries)
• Sourcing reputable input suppliers
• Collective action with other farmers
• Consumer and market demands for products
• Quality specifications for produce
• Time to buy inputs and sell produce
• Off-farm income-generation options
•Implications of changing policies
• Access to credit and loans

11. Information and science needs of farmers
Extension education allied sector generalsectorAgriculture
agricultural input Technology agricultural credit marketing.

12.  Agricultural technology for the small scale farmer must
help minimize the drudgery of farm operations.
 It should be labor-saving.
 The farmer needs information on production technology
that involves cultivating, fertilizing, pest control,
weeding and harvesting.
 This sort of information is at the moment being diffused
by extension workers, other farmers, government
parastatals and agricultural equipment dealers.

13. • MARKETING

14. Marketing
• Information on product planning:
• This is information on what crop and variety to grow
at a given season with marketability of such a crop as
an important deciding factor.
• Information on current prices.
• Information on forecast of market trends:
• This type of information assists farmers in planning
their market products..

15. • Information on sales timing:
• This assists farmers in ensuring that they do not
cause a market glut.
• It enables them to stagger harvesting and quantity
for marketing.
• Information on group marketing:
• This enables small scale farmers to have organised
sales of marketable surplus and bulk transport of
produce

16. Agricultural Credit

17.  Agricultural credit encompasses all loans and
advances granted borrowers to finance and service
production activities relating to agriculture, fisheries
and forest.
 Because of their low level of literacy farmers are
mostly unaware of existing loan facilities.
 farmers need information relating to sources of
loan such as names of lenders, location and types
of existing credit sources.

18.  Information regarding agricultural credit gets to small scale
farmers usually through channels such as relations, friends,
neighbours, government officials, commercial and credit
banks.
 Grassroots organs such as village heads and local
government officials are used to diffuse such information
because of their personal touch with small scale farmers.
 Extension agents need to intensify their efforts in educating
farmers to increase their level of awareness.

19.  The general lack of awareness among small scale
farmers can be attributed to their high level of
illiteracy.
 This contributes to the low level of adoption of
agricultural production technology.
 It is better provided by extension workers whose
main task is to convey information in a meaningful
form to farmers.
 One of the ways they do this is by training a group of
model farmers with the hope that such farmers come
in contact with other farmers.
 farmers outnumber available extension workers with
the present ratio of 1:3000.
Extension Education

20. Inputs
• Information on seeds fertilizers,pesticides
availability & precautions to be taken
• Information on input dosage & fertilizer
• Information on input prices for different crops

21. Technical information needs
• Information on package of practices of food grains horticulture crops
• Information on crop variety that are high yielding pest & disease
resistant
• Technical details for setting of agro processing units
• List of technical persons
• Information on training programmes & skill upgradation schemes.
• Information on soil conservation measures
• Information on soil testing pesticide testing fertilizer testing
• Information on biofertilizers,organic manures preparation & availability
• Information on water resources like irrigation schedules for each crop
• Advice on crop growing period
• Information on onset of monsoon & likely rainfall probability
• Information on contingency plan
• Information on scientific method of cultivation
• Information on post harvest technology

22. Allied sectors
 Information on cross breeds in animals,their availabilty
& rearing information.
 Information on various poultry,piggery,Rabbit farmsof
govt.and private sector
 Information on annual productivityof egg, meat & milk.
 Information on various types of livestock disease
prevantion and curative measures.
 All aspects of sericulture.
 Information on horticulture crop growing availability of
seeds
 Information on processing units of horticultural products.
 Information on self employment opportunities in rural
areas.

23. General sector
 Information on health
 Information on food & nutrition
 Information on training
 Information on business and trade
 Information on govt policies & plans

24. • local information needs could be met by a well-organized
extension system that uses traditional and modern methods
of communication such as television, radio, and mobile
phones
• The need for global information has to be met through
internet connections or through contact with private firms.
• The roles of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and
farmer-based organizations (FBOs) are increasingly being
recognized as key for information sharing on specific crops
and cropping system.
• The private sector, which includes the high-value agriculture
chains developed through contract farming and input dealers
who promote their agrochemicals, also plays a critical role in
filling the information gaps that may exist in rural areas

25. References
• Quarterly Bulletin of the International Association of Agricultural
Information Specialists, IAALD/CABI (v. 40, no. 1, 1995)
• Claire J. Glendenning Suresh Babu Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere
December 2010 IFPRI Discussion Paper 01048 .Review of
Agricultural Extension in India