Mobiles come to the aid of farmers in Maharashtra, and help give locale-specific agro-advisories

Farmers in Maharashtra now receive automatic SMSes giving them weather information and advice about irrigation, pest control, fertiliser dosage etc, thanks to some amazing software developed by WOTR (Watershed Organisation Trust). This information is not only locale-specific and useful for farmers to obtain timely weather information but also helps them plan their future agricultural activities.

How it works - The WOTR Agrimate (Image Courtesy: WOTR)

The functioning behind this practical solution is slightly more complex - the data from automated weather stations in field is transferred to the central database server. From here it moves to the IMD super computer for simulation, where it runs mathematical models and provides the prediction for 3 next days. This information is sent to the agricultural university based on which it provides advisory to the farmer, depending on the crop he is cultivating, soil type and location of his farm.

Mobiles can play a key role in improving agricultural productivity (Image courtesy:M Srinath)

And at the end of this information dissemination chain, is the farmer who benefits the most !

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