60 INR for Change — ‘Sponsor A Farmer’
Living in a very fast paced world, we often look for solutions for every problem in our life. We end up grabbing information from everywhere and solve our problems without any second thought. Unfortunately, information in every sector of the nation is not symmetric. Most importantly, the information in agriculture is vast and highly asymmetric.
We felt there is a need to address this information asymmetry in agriculture in order to improve the economy the nation. This will not only enlighten the economy of the nation but also will contribute to the wellness and betterment of the farmers. If specific effective measures are executed under a proper medium and structure, we can be successful in creating symmetry in agriculture information.
So we wanted to create a medium where every single bit of information reaches the farmer directly without any middle bodies in the process. This will reduce the chance of information getting evaporated in the process. So when we think about how to create this medium, a most simple solution which strikes the mind is a mobile phone.
Digitization started with the modern mobile phones taking on the world with utmost smartness level. India is fortunate enough for having reached a stage where mobile phones have paved their way to every single corner of the nation. Every farmer is India is aware of how to attend a call on a mobile phone or read an SMS. If not the farmers, the children of farmers can surely be able to read and convey an SMS message to everyone. So we decided to use these mobile phones to stop information asymmetry to some extent. We want to provide information solutions to farmers directly through call and SMS through regional and farmer-preferred languages.
What will happen with 60 INR?
A lot, and we mean it.
Information services come with some cost attached and farmers usually fail to afford these services. Technology is heavily involved in a process to provide advisories to farmers regarding different farm techniques and practices. Information services to farmers are not new to the world. There are companies which provide information services to farmers but at a very high price. This price is usually high as there is a lot of technology and research that take role in order to build reliable and perfect information services.
The price to access information services for agriculture usually stands in thousands. But, for the very first time in the nation, these services are being extended at a low price of 60 INR for 6 months.
How will information services be provided?
For every 60 INR, the farmer would receive agriculture solutions through pre-scheduled and pre-recorded voice call (IVRS). The calls extended support two way communication that ensure effective communication at all times. Data Analytics is used to extract prior information that would benefit the farmer. These calls would be covering different ranges of information like Market calls, Weather calls, Advisory calls, Government scheme calls, Contingency calls and Marketing calls.
Why should we pay 60 INR for a farmer?
Farming in India is the toughest and most challenging profession due to its high vulnerability. Living in a modern world, we cannot estimate the level of depression that small and marginal farmers face in India. Being a country famous for agriculture, it is still an upset to state that many farmers commit suicides due to lack of money and inability to clear debts.
Ending life is the last option when an individual gives up everything and is left with nothing to fight with in the war of life. How does a farmer face such distress and depression? The answer is information asymmetry in agriculture.
Modern world would be shocked to know that there are farmers who have committed suicides for even some thousands of rupees.
There is a need for help.
A need for support.
A need for money.
And at the end, a need for information.
With 60 INR, if a farmer can get proper tech based information services for a complete season, the situations can surely be improved.
We often spend a lot of money creating a lifestyle for ourselves, but we forget the people who live their lives to keep us alive by providing enough food everyday.
Money wasted in a single party overnight can literally stop farmers from passing sleepless nights worrying about their loans.
With the money we spend on Diwali, we could illuminate farmers’ lives instead of dark skies.
‘Sponsor A Farmer’ has an initiative to trigger the thought in the minds of people in India. We need to extend our helping hand to our fellow workers.
Be the change you wish to see in the nation.
Start helping. #Sponsor_A_Farmer
