The Hindu : IT-based farm info system by July

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

IT-based farm info system by July

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM May 20. The Agriculture Department is launching an IT-based information system for the benefit of farmers.

Christened `Kissan' (Karshaka Information System And Service Networking), the system would become operational by July end. The project would be implemented jointly by the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kerala, and the Farm Information Bureau.

The project would link the farmers with research institutions, Krishi Bhavans and distribution and marketing centres though cable TV, satellite transmission and Internet portal, the Agriculture Minister, K. R. Gouri, told a `Meet the Minister' programme organised by the Press Club here today.

The Agriculture Minister said the Government had also begun steps to set up a Virtual University and a Herbal Valley as suggested by the M. S. Swaminathan Commission on WTO concerns in agriculture in Kerala.

The virtual university has been mooted to provide timely information to farmers on marketing of agricultural produces and the Herbal Valley to take up cultivation and preservation of medicinal herbs. An Empowered Committee with the Chief Secretary as its chairman had been constituted to look after implications of the commission's recommendations, she said.

The Minister said steps were also on to operationalise the agri-export zones covering nine districts at an estimated outlay of Rs. 27.44 crores. The zones have been mooted to promote export of vegetables and fruits.

An MoU had been signed between the State Government and APEDA regarding implementation of the project. Separate export zones would be set up to promote export of flowers, spices and medicinal herbs, she added.

Ms. Gouri said her department was also drawing up a scheme to provide employment to one lakh women in the coming three years.

The vocations sought to be encouraged include cultivation of ornamental flowers, poultry and cattle rearing, bee keeping and installation of copra driers. The Central Government had already accepted a project relating to the Coconut Technology Mission and asked the State Government to submit a revised project report.

The department has prepared soil maps of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Palakkad districts.

The maps of the other districts would be ready in the coming one year.

An Agriculture Technology Information Centre (ATIC) would be set up under the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), she added.

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