e-Chautari Meet Up
माघ ६, २०७८  |  Prakash Sejwal
More than 60 percent of
the country's population is still relied on the agriculture sector (Krishi
Diary, 2078). Despite the involvement of a huge population in the agriculture
of the country, only 18% of the farmers are able to get agriculture extension
services in Nepal (Krishi Diary, 2078). The remaining no of the population was
not able to get the agriculture advisory services which result in lower
production and less awareness among the farmers.
In the new federal structure, the role of providing extension service falls under 753 local bodies. However, the government extension system is estimated to reach only 18 percent of farm households. The extension worker to farmer ratio in Nepal is far too stretched than the average rate of 1:1500 in South Asia compared to 1:200 recommended for optimum results (FAO,2010). So, the current human resource will not be able to provide the extension services to all the farmers. Instead, if we enable the digital agriculture advisory services, we can reach out to more farmers and can achieve effective results. e-Chautari: Digital platform for farmers learning
In general, Chautari is a
rest stop usually found along the foot trails of rural Nepal. However, in a village,
they also provide a place for social gatherings. We all know, most Nepalese
farmers are from rural areas of the country where internet access is
insubstantial and digital literacy is limited to a certain age group. e-Chautari
brought such farmers together with the digital agriculture advisory
services. A minimum criterion for the e-Chautari
establishment is internet access. So,
from the above we can conclude that e-Chautari is a place connected with the
internet access and allocated space for the farmers gathering with enabling
digital agriculture advisory services.
Pathway technology and services Pvt. Ltd initiated the GeoKrishi e-Chautari platform from where those farmers who are not the access to the internet and smartphone can take benefits. The e-Chautari is being established in a nearby place of the farmers' community i.e., Cooperative, Ward and Palika Office, etc. where there is access to the internet. We are trying to reach out to more and more farmers through e-Chautari establishment so that no farmers are left behind getting the digital agriculture advisory service.
Activities
Training and Orientation: Each e-Chautari has one facilitator in which s/he will conduct training or provide orientation to the gathered farmers on the GeoKrishi farm app. From the GeoKrishi app farmers can get the advisory service related to the crop and livestock. Also, market price information, weather alert, fertilizer calculators, farmers diary, smart geo notification, crop and livestock health with expert consultation (even farmers can send their problem by clicking a photo with the problems details and respective expert evaluate the problems and send back the possible management techniques to the farmers) from the e-Chautari.