Mobile based advisory services “Krishikatha” is being pilot tested under the WBADMI Project to serve the 1,00,000 small & marginal farmers including tribal & women of the underdeveloped areas in West Bengal. It is an IVR based audio message service provided on agriculture, horticulture and fishery etc. by empowering the farming communities in & around the project area to improve their agricultural income.
Krishikatha provides agro-climatic zone specific weekly customized voice messages to the registered farmers in Bengali/Hindi/Nepali languages. It includes IVR option (1) advisory messages for their individual questions within 48 hours (2) regular time based advisory on preferred crops, (3) listening frequently asked questions by other fellow farmers (4) listening his own all question & answer. Need based weather alert advisory, market related information are also shared with the relevant farmers. All the registered farmers can avail this free service by giving a missed call to the Krishikatha number 033-6811 6666. He/she will receive a call immediately and he/she can be benefited by using the preferred IVR option as mentioned above using any phone (android phones not necessary).
A robust system is created to serve the farming community which also includes whatsApp groups (for approval, discussion, information sharing etc), google meet, necessary trainings, field demonstrations, video messages, direct calling and hand holding support etc. Farmers are encouraged to share the information with their fellow farmers & in the WUA meetings. Krishikatha is currently serving farmers of about 4000 villages. Highlights of the project include: >91 lakh advisory messages sent having 52% call pickup rate; >25000 questions asked by the farmer’s inuding >12000 unique questions. Mostly the farmers are satisfied with the Krishikatha services. Webinars of WUAs were conducted by the Project using Google meet.

https://www.wbadmip.org/krishikatha

• West Bengal, India

• Youth
• Women
• The poor
• Remote and rural communities
• Farmers of remote area

The project is simple and easily replicable. The project was initially started in 10 District and quickly replicated in all the districts of west Bengal. West Bengal has six agro climatic zones. The issues and challenges are different in all the zones. Since the project is tested in all type of agro zones, it can be easily replicated in other parts of the world. The project doesn’t require high grade mobile phone. Even when the literacy level is low project can be replicated. The hardware and software platform has been used are provided by the BCAS. Which has now become established. Ones the demand for such services will go up. Similar services may also become available and accordingly necessary eco system can be generated.
Krishikatha project was conceived to leveraging the power of IT to reach out to more farmers of the wider geographical area. It is to advance in adapting good agricultural support services for their sustainable development. Krishikatha service proved as a free audio advisory service to the farmers in bridging the knowledge gap. It is by providing alerts, timely support/guidance, promoting low/no cost simple practices, reducing risk, reducing cost of cultivation and helping in maximizing the production & income. The project is being able to help in maintaining regular communication with the willing farmers, addressing their concerns and these satisfied farmers are sharing these information with their fallow WUA farmers, their friend/relatives etc. to join this campaign for much better results. Average 16,000 demonstrations are carried out every year by the project covering 23,000 direct farmers only. Project reach increased from 2,362 direct project villages to the total of about 4,000 villages of 22 Districts of West Bengal covering almost 1,00,000 farmers. Considering the current scenario this project may easily reach at least up to 5, 00,000 farmers in next five years’ time.

The Krishikatha Project is implemented by WBADMIP, a State Government initiative with the support of the World Bank. It is a well performing project recognized by Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India and the World Bank. Four Water Users Association (WUAs) promoted by WBADMIP received National Water Award in last two years. The project is the only example in the country which is continued with state funds after the withdrawal of the externally aided project due to its quality delivery acknowledged by the state. Quite a few project interventions are already adopted in the state system in the recent past. Considering the success and response by the farmers in Krishikatha, it is sure that this project will be converted in the Krishikatha program within 4-5 years of the project period. With the evolving & simple technological interface using android mobiles, the project has planned lot of new innovations e.g. satellite/remote sensing based advisory with specialized Institutions like ICARDA and facilitating its adaption through quality grass root NGOs to develop simple farmer’s friendly tools, their pilot testing and then replicating them with this forum. The above initiatives has motivated the project team to hold webinars of the farmers in different agro climatic zones to have a detailed understanding about the challenges faced in agriculture support services activities in these area.
Under the Krishikatha initiative hardware & software platform has been created to involve farmers and to bridge their knowledge gap. System of experts works at the back end to prepare the advisories. All this has been done in project mode under the umbrella of WBADMIP.
Now that the system has matured, the same may be handed over and institutionalized in the department of agriculture. This will formally became the part of the government structure which will ensure its future sustainability.

The project makes use of the state-of the art, hardware & software platform to bridge the last mile connectivity. The objective is to resolve the knowledge gap amongst the farmers to help them make judicious investment and incorporate best practices. This is going to ensure sustainable agriculture horticulture and pisciculture practices. This matches with the values WSIS promotes. Krishikatha project of WBADMIP is supported by the World Bank with the objective for sustainable enhancement of the agricultural income of 2, 50,000 small & marginal farmers including women (18%) & tribal (13%) by providing them assured irrigation facilities and agriculture support services by empowering Water Users Association (WUAs) and Farmers Producer Organization (FPOs). As a strategy the Identified proven good practices after pilot testing in the project area are facilitated for wider adoption through training, exposure visits, farmers filed day on demonstration sites etc. it has its own limitation as the farmers adapting these good practices may require some guidance & handholding support while executing to address the teething problems. Initially the service was open only for the WUA members of the project area but recently it is opened to all the famers of the West Bengal state. Project also can reach to limited number of famers at a particular time period and its replication may be limited to its surrounding farmers/areas. Krishikatha project was conceived to leveraging the power of IT to reach out to more farmers of the wider geographical area to advance in adapting good agricultural support services for their sustainable development. Krishikatha service proved as a free audio advisory service to the farmers in bridging the knowledge gap by providing alerts, timely support/guidance, promoting low/no cost simple practices, reducing risk, reducing cost of cultivation and helping in maximizing the production & income.