The Hindu : Karnataka News : Kisan call centres becoming popular

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 14, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Kisan call centres becoming popular

By Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE, JULY 13. Kisan call centres are becoming popular among farmers in the State. The facility, which was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, on January 21, might replace agricultural extension workers as also rural non-governmental organisations. In addition to a Kisan call centre set up by the Union Agriculture Ministry, there are seven Kisan call centres operating in the State at present, and all are providing expert advice to farmers on a number of subjects, including crops, seeds, seasonal conditions, fertilizers, soil moisture, and pests.

A Kisan call centre located at Morzaria Industrial Estate (near the Oracle firm's office) on Bannerghatta Road here provides expert advice through of a toll-free telephone. The Union Ministry of Agriculture has permitted a private software firm, DSS InfoTech, to set up the call centre. By dialling the toll free number 1551, a farmer will reach an agriculture graduate who will respond to his queries.

The centre is manned by three agriculture graduates. In case they do not have the required information, the query will be forwarded to an expert on the subject in the State Agriculture Department, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), and boards and corporations dealing with agricultural matters. If the farmer's problem is complicated and he is not fully satisfied, his problems will be recorded and he will get further advice through post or by a visit from an extension worker within 72 hours.

The call centre provides service round the clock. While during the office hours there will be an immediate response, beyond office hours the call will be recorded and the question answered by post. "The response from the farmers is good and the centre is receiving at least 30 calls daily from distant places," an official of DSS InfoTech told The Hindu.

The trend of questions and the quality of answers will be continuously monitored to upgrade the facilities and it is expected that the entire system will evolve into a unique way of communication with the farmers, says an official of the Coconut Development Board, a nodal agency for implementing and monitoring the system of Kisan call centre.

Such centres have also been set up at the Directorate of Agriculture, the UAS, Agricultural Marketing Board, Horticulture Department, Central Silk Board, all in Bangalore, and the UAS in Dharwad and the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Hessarghatta, near here.

The call centre at the Directorate of Agriculture receives about 20 calls daily. A majority of the calls are related to pests and use of fertilizers, says R.G. Gollar, Joint Director (Extension and Training). Two other officers of the directorate, C.S. Somanath Iyer and K. Somashekar, respond to the farmers' calls. However, those contacts are not toll free.

The Union Agriculture Ministry has set up call centres in 12 States. A large number of farmers in Tamil Nadu are utilising this facility compared to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, say official sources.

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