Technology and Innovation

[sunil.muricken@gmail.com]

Indian farmers have been slow to adopt technology for several reasons.
Lack of capital being the primary one. In places like Kerala, the labour militancy has also been a factor in preventing farm mechanization but fortunately this is slowly disappearing due to labour shortage. Besides this, one of the biggest hurdle for adoption of technology by Indian farmers has been the lack of locally developed technology which is suited for the particular crop or region. The entire agricultural extension system in India is predominately focussed on developing higher yielding varieties, pest and disease management and nutrient management. There is no attempt to conduct R&D to develop farm implements which will help the farming community to work efficiently. With an ageing farming population where youngsters are voting with their feet by going to urban areas shunning agriculture we will have to divert more resources to develop technologies which will aid in making the agriculture operations easier. It might be a good idea to start an Indian Institute of Agriculture Technology to make this happen.

[teju7676@gmail.com]

Flow of new and advanced technologies to farmers is very important aspect when we talk about increasing thier engagement, understanding which can lead to effectiveness and increase in produtivity.

Many Private Telecom companies have taken an iniative in coordination with NGOs or state government to enable farmers by providing customised application. But when we see a overall view as a nation per se.. its very diffcult to find even a sngle application which has been implkemented nationally.

Here would like to suggest a model of M-Governance, which can enable farmers to understand and demand what they want in vernacular language. This can be done either by following ways:
1. SMS
2. Mobile Application
3. WAP Browser Capability for low end mobile phones
4. Toll free line to receive information and submit thier feedback
5. Automated IVR in vernacular language (canbe fetched from locatl STD Code) for better inderstanding to farmers.

For better and effective iomplementatation it can be available to all farmers irrespective to the state or telecom operator (National Platform). By this mode we can ensure reach to each and every farmer possessing Mobile phone or even has an access to telephone connection.

[ntirks@yahoo.com]

I think there is no doubt that inclusive growth can only be achieved by renovating our present agriculture system and improved flow of technology to farmers.
Flow of technology to farmers can be achieved by following:
1) Churning out Affordable technologies from Agricultural research centres.
2) Involving educated farmers with Govt. assistance to role out those technologies.
3) The technology should address the basic requirements like cold storage, productivity enhancement, replacing human workforce etc.

[mlnegi_28@rediffmail.com]

GOI have planned good agriculture extension systems- through KVKs/ ATMA/ SAUs etc, The oprationalization of schemes like Agriclinics/ ATMA/ PPP etc. are yet to be improved through effective convergence of various stake holders- like govt deptt. banks/ Ngos and Farmers etc. The Farmers Friends now available at village, KVK scientists, officials of various stakeholder deptt. are to be connected through mobiles at State level by developing suitable CUGc for effective information tranmission. Agriculture education system is to be improved so that the nation can produce agri enterprenuers, not the the unemployed youths wandering for easy govt. jobs.