IMPARTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO FARMERS THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Why in news?

Dept. of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare is educating farmers through following use of electronic media as follows :-

1. Kisan Suvidha mobile app facilitates dissemination of information to farmers on the critical parameters viz., Weather; Market Prices; Plant Protection; Input Dealers (Seed, Pesticide, Fertilizer) Farm Machinery; Soil Health Card; Cold Storages &Godowns, Veterinary Centres and Diagnostic Labs.

1. Crop related advisories are regularly sent to the registered farmers through SMSs on mKisan Portal

1. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has compiled more than 100 mobile apps developed by ICAR, State Agricultural Universities and KrishiVigyanKendras (KVKs) in the areas of crops, horticulture, veterinary, dairy, poultry, fisheries, natural resources management and integrated subjects.

1. Awareness/ education is being created among farmers through various electronic mass media mediums like DD Kisan Channel, Doordarshan, All India Radio etc.

1. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube are being used to educate farmers, across the country.

The Government is implementing the following schemes aimed at imparting training to farmers in the agriculture and allied sectors:-

1. ATMA: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme on ‘Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms’ popularly known as Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Scheme. The extension activities under ATMA, inter-alia, include Farmers’ Training

1. KVKs: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with its network of 717 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) has mandate of technology assessment, demonstration and capacity development of farmers. KVKs are imparting training to farmers for getting higher agricultural production and income.

1. Four Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes (FMTTIs) located in MP, Haryana, AP and Assam are engaged in imparting training to various categories of trainees including farmers, in the field of Farm Mechanization.

1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM): is being implemented in identified districts of 28 States and 2 UTs viz. Ladakh and J&K of the country to increase the production and productivity of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and nutri- cereals (millets) through area expansion and productivity enhancement.

1. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. All States and UTs are covered under MIDH.

1. In addition to the above, training of farmers is an inbuilt component under Sub-Mission on Plan Protection & Plant Quarantine. Farmer Field Schools are conducted for promoting Integrated Pest Management among farmers.