After Amazon, ICAR plans to rope in Flipkart, Jio for extension programme
A month after signing an MOU with Amazon, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) plans to bring other players like Flipkart and Jio into extension activities with the main objective of leveraging technology to increase farmers’ income. ICAR also asked Amazon to prepare a roadmap for their next plan as soon as possible so that it can be rolled out in Haryana and Maharashtra in the first phase.
“Once the multi-tiered extension system starts in farmers’ fields, they will be more empowered with technology and knowledge that will help in agricultural production,” said US Gautam, Deputy Director General (Attachment) of ICAR. Business line. He said ICAR is in discussion with Flipkart and Jio to find out how they can help farmers with extension activities.
He also said that not only Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), but also the private sector can come and join various extension programs of ICAR.
Asked how the private sector being constrained by ICAR differs from what many agrotechnology companies are doing in the new era, Gautam said the initiative is to complement what KVKs are already doing.
During last week’s Foundation Day event, ICAR Director General Himanshu Pathak said that for the first time it was decided to work jointly with the private sector in research, education and extension, as detailed guidelines would be ready in the next two months.
Gautam said ICAR has a program called Kisan Sarathi, which reaches out to 3 farmers while the country has more than 11 crore small and marginal farmers. “The KVKs and Sarathi program cannot reach all farmers on its own,” he said. In a demonstration of free technology by KVK, he said the private sector should realize that the first goal is to increase income so that farmers are in a position to pay any fees.
Officials said ICAR is considering various options to bridge the knowledge gap so that what is accomplished in the labs reaches farmers in a form they can easily adopt. For example, if Jio can provide data services to farmers, they can access the demonstration of new technologies and their applications in the field, the officials said.
Last month, ICAR and Amazon Kisan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combine strengths and create synergies between the two organizations to guide farmers on the scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income, according to an official statement.
pilot project
After two years of pilot project in Pune, and with major support from two local KVKs, ICAR decided to launch it nationally. Sources said that during the first phase of its roll-out in Haryana and Maharashtra, nine crops will be taken as Amazon will get all the products tested for the presence of any chemical residue before selling them on its platform.
While mostly vegetable crops will be eaten, some field crops can also be selected among the nine, but all those products that will be purchased from farmers will be free of chemical residues. Second, farmers will be free to sell elsewhere if they get a higher price than the contracted price offered by Amazon, the sources said.