ifpri - agricultural extension reforms in south asia workshop - surabhi mittal - icts for...
TRANSCRIPT
ICT’s For Strengthening Extension and Climate Smart Agro-Advisories to Reach the
Last Mile in India
Surabhi Mittal
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), New Delhi, India
at Agricultural Extension Reforms in South Asia – Status, Challenges, and Policy Options , organized by IFPRI
February 17-18, 2015
Background C
on
stra
int
Poor access to information about modern technologies and best practices is often cited important constraint
Pote
nti
al
Several studies in South Asia and Africa have shown the potential that mobile-enabled information has in reducing this information gap
Op
po
rtu
nit
y
The increasing penetration of mobile networks and handsets and the recent introduction of a number of mobile-enabled information services in rural India presents an opportunity to make useful information more widely available
Instrumental to enable inclusive growth by
reducing the knowledge gap irrespective of land size, gender and caste
Create a channel of two way communication.
Mobile phone based
Information delivery system
Pattern of information access through different sources in IGP
Note: Farmers are reporting use of multiple sources of information. Farmer is asked to report the one most important source.
Source: CIMMYT Survey 2011
Sources of Information Source used Most important source*
Number
of farmers
Percent of
farmers
Number of
farmers
Percent of
farmers
Face to Face
KVK/ research Stations 109 9.08 24 2.00
Other farmers 1097 91.42 497 41.42
Input Dealers/ shops/ Private
Companies 812 67.67 250 20.83
State dept. of agriculture 297 24.75 100 8.33
Traditional mode
Television 657 54.75 53 4.42
Radio 244 20.33 28 2.33
News paper 397 33.08 7 0.58
Modern mode
Mobile Phone 429 35.75 123 10.25
• present an opportunity to deliver useful information widely, on time and to targeted groups
Increasing penetration of mobile networks and subscribers
01020304050607080
pe
r 1
00
inh
abit
ants
Modern ICT indicators in India
Rural Total Teledensity Mobile Tele-density Fixed-Line Tele-density Internet teledensity
Source: International Telecommunication (ITU) and Telecom Regulatory authority of India (TRAI)
Op
po
rtu
nit
ies
that
ICT
op
en
s
Extension services incorporating modern ICT tools is crucial to meet the challenges
Initial evidences of mobile impacts
easy access to customized content
• 5-25% increase in earnings, mainly attributable to the adoption of better planting techniques
• Weather forecast prevent losses
Mobility- when and where to access
information
• describe plant diseases from the field to experts
• Better coordination with their hired laborers
• traders and commission agents- ability to shift supply to markets in response to changing market conditions
time savings or convenience
• avoiding local travel saves Rs. 100-200 per trip
• better decisions in choosing market to sell output
Source: Mittal S, Gandhi S, Tripathi G (2010)
What Information farmer gets?
• Temperature
• Market Prices
• How to grow?
Information Farmer Receives
• Plant protection
• Seed information
• Weather- probability of rainfall
• cultivation best practices and crop choice
Information Farmer wants
Framework of Climate Services +
Important to convert the climate
information into actionable
information for farmers
Linking the climatic information with the
available technologies and best farming
practices
Customized, location and crop specific
actionable inf. infrastructure,
investment, policy
How are we doing this?
Why should we do this?
7
Weather information •Better decision making in use of inputs and storage of output- reduces cost and prevents loss in crop
Agronomic information •Better farm practices- better yields
•Reduces cost of production, efficient resource management
Input price information •Better quality of input- better yields
•Time saving, cost saving- reduces cost of Prod.
Output market information •Better price realization- better income
•Reduces search cost – reduces transaction cost
Conceptual Framework
Technologies
Innovative pathways to reach farmers
Behavior Change
Adoption
Impact
Relevant Information for knowledge and action
Are women receptive to the information that they receive through mobile phones?
• If they do then, how the access to information through the ICT mode has helped them to feel empowered by information?
It is too early to state that this empowerment has been converted into actions whose impact can be quantified, but surely there is evidence
where women farmers feel empowered through information and they like to receive
the information.
•But, it may increase active participation of women in the decision making processes at the household level.
The intervention (M)obile Solution- is an ICT-based climate and agro services
project, as part of the Climate Smart Village model
Provide improved access to timely and useful and customised weather based agro advisories along with information about climate smart technologies
Incorporate farmers perceptions, feedbacks and experience as part of the model
Create behavioural change among farmers for adoption of climate smart technologies and use information for their benefit.
Expect to create a long term impact on productivity and food security in the “climate smart villages” and reduce climate induced risk.
Click to edit Master title style
• Click to edit Master text styles• Second level
• Third level
• Fourth level
• Fifth level
8/21/2014 ‹#›
• 8 villages in Bihar and Haryana.
• 900 farmers (20 percent women)
• 2 voice messages
August 2013
• 50 villages in Karnal and Bihar and 10 Villages in Punjab
• 1400 farmers
July 2014
Progress and Scalability Focused Content
CLIMATE SMART VILLAGE- CCAFS
Partners
Content Partner
Approval
I, KAMAL JEET, Director Kisan Sanchar hereby approve the request of Sh._______________ S/o____________ Mobile Number________________ for including his mobile number in the list of beneficiary farmers under the CLIMATE SMART VILLAGE PROJECT 2013-14. I have verified the consent of farmer personally.
MEMBERSHIP NUMBER________.
Farmers Partnership
Mode of operation
Electronic
Voice Message SMS to support
Voice message
Helpline
Electronic message listening report
Farmers On Field
Field scouts
FGD’s
Socio economic
data
Feed back data
Helpline database
Helpline + field scouts
General Statistics
Indicators Aug-13 Apr-14
Farmers 1062 1516
Villages 8 46
Male 898 1329
Female 164 187
Feeback from 493
SE data 852
No. of messages 2 per day 1 per day
Number of calls on helpline 4 per day 12-15 per day
messages delivered 389
Have you heard about climate change
heard from where?
State Farmers
% Farmers responded
YES CCAFS other imp
source
haryana male 51.3 44.5 mobile phone
female 49.2 43.1 mobile phone
bihar male 60.6 40.6 newspaper
female 41.4 20.7 mobile phone
Message Categorization and messages delivered
Message Category for Crop Cultivation Message Code
Category Number of messages
% of messages
C1 Weather 165 22.2
C2 Land Preparation 7 .9
C3 Seed and Seeding 61 8.2
C4 Nutrient Management 134 18.1
C5 Water Management 48 6.5
C6 Interculture and Weed Management 32 4.3
C7 Insect Pest Management 62 8.4
C8 Disease Management 50 6.7
C9 Harvest and Post Harvest Management 19 2.6
C10 Project Information 60 8.1
C11 Insurance 16 2.2
C12 Gender 4 .5
C13 CA Technologies (Crop Rotation, Crop diversification, Afforestation, Residue
Management, DSR, ZT,LCC) 72 9.7
C14 Live Stock 8 1.1
Message Category for Climate Smart Information
Message Code Category
Number of
messages
% of message
s
G1 General awareness 153 20.6
G2 Water Management 52 7.0
G3 Nitrogen Management 51 6.9
G4 Carbon Management 28 3.8
G5 Seed 68 9.2
G6 Cattle Feed and Fodder 1 .1
G7 Insurance 16 2.2
G8 Knowledge Management 371 50.0
Strong Gender focus….What was done differently?
• Met the old and young. In chaupals - through public meeting and also those who could not come in public, visited their house.
• Met the village heads and health workers to create awareness
• Did FGD’s, one to one interactions, feedback surveys and awareness campaign
Data
• Electronic listening reports of individual farmers (N=1100) on each of the messages (N= 345) that were transmitted differentiated by type of message (1st September 2013 to 31st May 2014 )
• Paper feedback survey (N= 510) to quantify the action taken by the farmers on the information received and to assess the potential perceived benefits (November 2013 and January 2014)
Listening rate - The average listening
rate is used as an indicator in this analysis because it measures the time duration for which the farmers are listening to the message, although they have an option of disconnecting the phone. Thus it is taken as an indicator of their interest in the information they are receiving.
• Gender wise mean duration of message listened by farmers in both districts
Generally it is believed that since women are not actively participating in agriculture, information about agriculture technology and practices will not be of interest to them.
Thus while tracking the message listening rate it is interesting to note that the female farmers, who were listening to the messages, on average listened to the messages as long as the male farmers were doing on average.
46.8 45.3
43.7 44.9
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Karnal VaishaliIn
se
con
ds
Districts
Male
Female
In this study women are either the head of the household or they are female member in male headed households. They are receiving information on their mobile phone independently.
Insights on Information-specific data The information that the farmers valued the most (in percent)----feedback survey
Information that farmers listened to- Electronic messages
Type of information Karnal Male Vaishali Male Karnal Female
Vaishali Female
Weather 64.3 50.0 95.8 38.5 Seeds 10.7 9.3 Nutrient management 14.3 0.5 Pest management 3.6 20.2 30.8 PH management 15.5 CA technologies 3.6 4.2 Livestock 3.6
Note: Blanks indicate these information didn’t fall in their priority list.
Example of Feedback from Farmer
Perceived benefits and action taken Perceived benefits by farmers with increased access to reliable and timely information (in %)
Male Female
Know more about farming practices
79.7 70.4
Experienced better yields 63.6 70.4
Reduced cost on inputs 64.1 48.1
More aware about the right input use
49.4 29.6
More aware about technologies 50.6 51.9
Has helped to reduce loss 72.7 55.6
Better weather information for action
76.2 77.8
Most prominent actions taken as reported by farmers after receiving messages
Male Female remarks
Weather information utilized to plan irrigation and input use
yes No
Land preparation with new technologies like zero tillage
yes no Only in Vaishali
Using recommended varieties of seed (varietal diversification)
yes no
Nutrient management yes yes Only in Karnal
Weed management yes yes Only in Vaishali
Pest management yes yes Most important inf. taken
Conservation agriculture yes no Only in Karnal
“I have the right to know.” 23-year-old female farmer from Anjanthali In the past I did not think there was so much thought and understanding in agriculture. When I listen to the messages now I realize how every small detail can help a farmer. I often discuss this with my husband. Even though I don’t do any agriculture work myself on the fields- apart
from sometimes tending to the livestock, I believe I have the right to know as we manage the family farm and I can see my husband use new techniques and
climate-smart practices.
• With the dissemination of information, it is observed that farmer groups have become more are about these technologies and also value the information on weather delivered to them.
• Farmers have been able to quantify how precise and timely weather based agro-advisories have helped them to take informed decisions about the use of inputs during the sowing season based on which they have saved on irrigation and also on the costs of pesticides and herbicides based on the information received.
• Women farmers have become more aware about climate smart technologies and they feel empowered with access to information.
• It’s still a long way to convert this information into action in parts of the country where direct involvement of women in agriculture is limited.
Conclusion
List of Publications • Surabhi Mittal & Mamta Mehar (2015): Socio-economic Factors Affecting Adoption of Modern Information and Communication
Technology by Farmers in India: Analysis Using Multivariate Probit Model, The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, DOI: 10.1080/1389224X.2014.997255. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/PVvBq7ti3Nj3ZtsA8mUh/full
• ICT for gender empowerment, Surabhi Mittal. 12th Asian Maize conference and Expert Consultation on Maize for food, feed, nutrition and environmental security. November 2014. Bangkok. Edited by Prasanna et.al.
• Mittal,S. and Mehar, M. (2014). Socio-Economic Impact of the Mobile Phone based Agricultural Extension, In: Saravanan, R (Ed.). Mobile Phone for Agricultural Extension: Worldwide mAgri Innovations and Promise for Future, New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi . Pp:195-224.
• M(obile) Solutions: ICT messaging to women and men farmers in Haryana. Article in the Hindu, 7th September 2014
• http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/everyone-has-weather-updates-on-their-fingertips-in-this-village/article6386674.ece
• DELIVERING AGRO‐ADVISORIES THROUGH MOBILE PHONES‐REALITY CHECK? Surabhi Mittal and Mamta Mehar, Agricultural Extension in South Asia (AESA) September 2013. http://www.aesa-gfras.net/images/Surabhi.pdf
• Advice by mobile - a viable model? Surabhi Mittal- My perspective, New Agriculturalist. Nov 2013 http://www.new-ag.info/en/view/point.php?a=3123
• Project tests new ways to deliver climate messages to farmers' cell phones- Surabhi Mittal and Dharini Parthasarthy, CCAFS- News Blog, Nov 21, 2013. http://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/project-tests-new-ways-deliver-climate-related-messages-farmers-cell-phones?utm_source=CCAFS+Donors+and+Partners+-+Quarterly+bulletin&utm_campaign=b94fd51809-Updates_from_CCAFS_December_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_31d02b497e-b94fd51809-295603057#.UtOquvQW22o
• Mittal, S and Mehar. M (2013): Agricultural Information Networks and Farmers Risk Management measures/ Strategies - A Survey of Indo Gangetic Plains in India. CIMMYT Working paper No. 10
• Mittal, S and Mehar. M (2012): How Mobile Phones Contribute to Growth of Small Farmers? Evidence from India. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture 51 (2012), No. 3: 227-244
• Mittal, S. (2012): Modern ICT for Agricultural Development and Risk Management in Smallholder Agriculture in India. Working Paper No. 3. socioeconomics, CIMMYT
• Mittal, S., S. GANDHI and G. TRIPATHI (2010): Socio-economic Impact of Mobile Phone on Indian Agriculture. ICRIER Working Paper no. 246. International Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi.
• Mittal, S. and G. TRIPATHI (2009): Role of Mobile Phone Technology in Improving Small Farm Productivity. In: Agricultural Economics Research Review 22: 451-59.
