Title:

Promoting Use of Informatics in Agriculture

Type:

Central Sector Scheme

Objectives:

The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has been taking various measures in order to promote the use and application of Information Technology (IT) tools with the objective of making agriculture “on line”. It is expected that all information relating to agriculture would be available on the website in due course of time for the use of farmers, exporters, traders, Research Institutions, State Agriculture Departments and the Central Government in order to achieve higher levels of productivity and income for the farmers.  It is envisaged that extension and advisory services would be available to the farmers on a real time basis as a result of the scheme, which would enable them to plan their production, post-harvest management and marketing in a more efficient manner. The tools of IT would enable networking of the agriculture sector in the country, which will create a large reservoir of database for the  use of Policy makers, farmers and their organizations.         

Salient features:

The components of the Scheme are :

(a) Strengthening of Information Technology apparatus in the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation   (Headquarters);

(b) National Agriculture Informatics Centre; and

(c) Early Warning Information System

Pattern of assistance:

100% financing by Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India

Eligibility:

Not applicable

Procedure to apply:

Not applicable

Person to be contacted:

 The Joint Secretary,
Information Technology Division,
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation,
Krishi Bhavan,
New Delhi.

Date of Start/Duration:

Scheme started in the year 1998-1999 for implementation during the Ninth Plan Period.

Implementation Status:

The website of this Department was launched on 13th April, 1999 and can be visited on the following address:   http://www.agricoop.nic.in

As a part of the scheme for promoting IT tools in the

Department, Local Area Network (LAN) has been established in Krishi Bhavan and Shastri Bhavan with the assistance of the National Informatics Centre (NIC).  Personal Computers have been provided to all the officers from the level of  Section Officer and above.  Besides, video conferencing Services have been established in the Department.  Officers  are now using e-mail in their day to day working for  improving efficiency.  This Department has the following centralized e-mail address:

agrindia@krishi.nic.in

Additional Information:

This Ministry intends to put more emphasis on Information Technology as per Government of India’s policy decision in  this regard.