Dr. Banarsi Lal

The function of Information Technology (IT) to develop agricultural analysis, extension and training to enhance the standard of lifetime of the farmers is nicely established. This sector will help the farmers to get the related info equivalent to agro-inputs, crop manufacturing applied sciences, market help, agro-processing, agro-finance and so forth. The agricultural extension mechanism is changing into depending on IT sector to supply the suitable applied sciences to the farmers. Present period is an period of knowledge and communication know-how (ICT). It is extra interactive and might render info as per the necessity of final customers and ensures the chance for fast info gathering, processing, transmission, preservation and sharing for social, economical and cultural upliftment. The progress of applied sciences within the area of communication results in world unfold of information and software which leaves multi-dimensional impression on all spheres of human exercise by accelerating the method of knowledge trade and lowering the associated fee concerned in attaining the last word goals at farmers area. The info and communication know-how can render technical providers in agriculture and allied sectors, climate info, market info, world info relating to agriculture, state and central agricultural schemes shaped for the welfare of the farmers. In the nation like India, the usage of info and communication know-how is in an ascent stage to assist the farmers in taking proper choices at proper time to hold out their farm operations. The effectiveness of any organisation relies upon upon a number of elements, out of which efficient communication is likely one of the most vital. Presently the dissemination of the agricultural info is generally relying on info and communication applied sciences.
In India many issues like insufficient infrastructure are barrier in initiating info and communication applied sciences in agriculture and different allied sectors. Mostly the farmers in our nation are small and marginal and their financial customary is just not so sturdy to afford the price of info applied sciences. Inaccessibility of farmers to info and communication applied sciences will polarize the data of world society. The info and communication applied sciences like Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and Wireless in Local-Loop (WLL) are cheaper sources of knowledge infrastructure and this could be a milestone in bettering accessibility to new applied sciences. Now the web has began to dispatch its providers to the farmers via its community, data providers and this can assist to movement many sorts of agriculture and allied sectors produces from villages to lengthy distances. Internet is rising as potential software to entry world info and enabling two approach communication. In order to use the potentiality of Internet, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has formulated Virtual Extension and Research Communication Network (VERCON) to ascertain inside human and institutional components of agricultural and allied sectors analysis and extension. Videoconferencing may be very useful for the farmers of far-flung areas to work together with researchers, directors and coverage makers.
In order to supply info and communication applied sciences within the rural areas, a number of tasks have been applied on pilot foundation. The village data centre run by M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Pudducherry represented an experiment in offering info and data sources to whole neighborhood on numerous topics of training, agriculture, animal husbandry and banking. This challenge used wi-fi radio for knowledge and analog voice transmission between semi-urban hub centre and eight village centres. Information and communication applied sciences have a exceptional impression on agricultural and allied sectors. In order to enlarge the usage of applied sciences for the agricultural folks we have to design merchandise, providers and applied sciences that may clear up the farming associated issues and ameliorate native social-economic situations. The lack of give attention to rural areas communication, inefficient marketplace for agricultural merchandise, incapacity of presidency in coping with the pure sources, administration to combine new know-how into their operation and badly construction strategy in the direction of financial reform in info know-how sectors are among the constraints in switch of know-how to the farmers’ fields. The potentiality of knowledge know-how is intensive and must be exploited for extra personalised providers in agriculture and allied sectors. The entry of knowledge and communication applied sciences to the farming neighborhood ought to be elevated by lowering the price of cultivation. Information and communication applied sciences are useful to (i) Increase the attention and data of farmers in regards to the new applied sciences in agriculture and allied sectors.(ii) Increase consciousness in regards to the authorities programmes and insurance policies.(iii)Increase the agricultural productiveness of the farmers.(iv)Increase value realization of farm produce at village degree.(v)Improvement in agricultural extension.(vi)Enable neighborhood based mostly organisation to advertise earnings producing actions. Many farmers have developed their very own new bundle and practices and they’re proved helpful in rising the agricultural productiveness. Most of those applied sciences stay in native use and should not disseminated globally. The use of knowledge and communication applied sciences based mostly measures like video and audio CDs can facilitate the accessibility of those improvements to the farmers who cannot learn. Information and communication applied sciences have largely been understood as the brand new sort of media and communication improvement infrastructure which helps within the dissemination of knowledge throughout distance. The info and communication applied sciences infrastructure can enhance the associated fee and high quality of extension providers as the current extension system is severely affected by restricted environment friendly manpower. Competitiveness within the Indian agriculture and allied sectors can set off larger productiveness, larger earnings and threat administration by inducing efficient info know-how. In order to seek out out methods for appropriate info know-how in agriculture, our analysis organisations have to set some village data centres. Whenever a brand new sound know-how is developed, it ought to be equipped to village data centre from the place it may be utilized by the farmers. Significant outcomes of agricultural applied sciences ought to be proven to the farmers utilizing new communication applied sciences like multi-media, video-conferencing and web of their villages to create consciousness.
(The author is Sr. Scientist &
Head, KVK Reasi).