The Hindu Business Line : `Growing' the farmer

AT the recently held India International Commodity Fair, a four-day event, two gentlemen were busy distributing a sheet of paper to visitors to their small, corner stall. Many of those who dropped in filled up the form and signed it, perhaps not knowing that they were contributing their small bit towards a project that has the potential to revamp — and revitalise — the agriculture sector in Kerala.

The e-krishi project of the Kerala State Information Technology Mission is yet another effort that seeks to link up farmers and buyers through an online platform. Sure, we have seen many such attempts in the past too. So what is the big deal here?

A.V. Narayanaswami, Consultant-ICT for Agriculture Project of NISG/UNDP, claims that no such broad-based project that incorporates all the facets of agriculture has ever been tried in the country. The definition given to e-krishi is "market-driven agricultural initiative through IT-enabled agri-business centres in Kerala State."

Narayanaswami says that all stakeholders in agriculture - he would rather call it agribusiness as the `culture is fast fading out' - are included in the e-krishi project. They include agro machinery and farm equipment makers, cold chain technologies, commodity brokers, cooperatives, food processors, pre and post harvest management experts, packaging technology providers, insurance companies, warehousing agents, surveyors and certification agencies, so on and so forth.

"We were surprised by the response we have had. One person wants a regular supply of a large quantity of tamarind. Now those farmers who can guarantee the supply can contact this person through our platform," he says. And to get the produce, get necessary approvals, they can approach the certifying agencies listed on e-krishi.

To begin with, the project will be rolled out through Akshaya centres in Malappuram district in Northern Kerala. (Akshaya is another path-breaking project by the Kerala Government towards bridging the digital divide in the State. Some 450 Akshaya centres are now functioning in Malappuram, providing a range of services such as computer training, Internet browsing and e-payment facilities (for utility bills). The Kerala Government is planning to replicate the project in other districts as well). Farmers and traders who have enrolled themselves with e-krishi can log on to the site from the Akshaya centres and make/receive payments through Akshaya's e-payment facility.

Narayanaswami says that farmers can derive benefits such as accessing warehouses and markets with prevailing price quotes, information on schemes, subsidies, modern agricultural methods, best practices, soil testing, seeds, plantlets, fertilisers, pest control, logistics support, and access to micro credits through e-krishi. On the other hand, buyers can post their requirements, plan logistics routes, and more efficiently manage their businesses. Various agriculture inputs providers also stand to benefit from the platform.

The first phase of e-krishi in Malappuram is likely to go online next month itself. About 20,000 farmers and 500 purchase intents are expected to be ready on the e-krishi platform by then. A survey of farmers in Malappuram has already been carried out in the district. The Akshaya entrepreneurs also gain from the project by charging a transaction fee as well as by being sales representatives in their respective areas. In addition to this, various other potential revenue streams are now being planned.

So if you are looking for some of Kerala's very own agriculture produce such as tapioca, soon you may be able to log onto www.e-krishi.org and place an order. If the farmers on the other side can meet your demand well, they would have logged on to a boundary-less marketplace.

Picture by K.K. Mustafah

vipin@thehindu.co.in

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