eChapter Name: Digital Initiatives in Communication for Agricultural Development
9789358876086
eBook Name: COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION TEACHING
by P. Jaisridhar, M. Surudhi
Information and Communication Technologies can play a major role in bridging the agricultural developmental and regional divide in Maharashtra. Computer, internet, multimedia, CDs, TV, radio, mobile phone, WLL, satellite communication (ISRO's Agriculture Satellite), etc., can help to extend and communicate the knowledge and expertise from best experts and scholars to farmers and villagers who are in need of it. Success of ICT application depends upon its use in meeting local needs and demands of village community. ICT has been used by many to communicate knowledge and provide various services useful to the farmers. We give here briefly some initiative in using ICT for various farm and farmer related activities.
ICT Application for Agriculture development – Initiatives & Programs Virtual Academy for Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT)
The VASAT is an initiative taken by International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid tropics (ICRISAT), for sharing knowledge and information in the CGIAR and NARES partners to enhance the capacity of vulnerable rural families, their MAHA-AGRINET and information intermediaries to cope with drought and desertification and practice improved agriculture and animal husbandry in the SAT of the world.
VASAT is at the initial stage of development, and has started developing content building partnership with various MAHA – AGRINET at international, national and regional / state level. It is going to use ICT in all its operations and proposes to develop hub and spokes model of Dr. Swami nation for Tamil Nadu rural areas. Its website contains an e-library, working documents, a research project database, an image library, meteorological data, IARC training material and other resources. VASAT has identified its partners at the national and international levels; and include Indian research institutions and councils, higher education institutions – both formal and open, corporate bodies, state government bodies and project groups, the Commonwealth of Learning, the International Water Management Institute, South Asia regional office and the International Livestock Research Institute in South Asia. This coalition shares information, knowledge and experiences related to climate literacy, drought preparedness, best practice in dry land agriculture and other issues through the network of the institutions. VASAT offers a compilation of training materials and is currently planning to design, develop and test ICT-based information exchange models, a learning objects repository and proposes to link rural communities and their Organizations with international and national centers of excellence and expertise to support local efforts in drought and desertification management.