Monday, October 29, 2007

Microfinance boosts agriculture, water resources and other rural income


Bhagyamma Vadla in Chityala, Andhra Pradesh was able to get a small loan for buying water buffaloes. She is now able to get a steady income by selling milk.

Small loans for farmers in Theni, Ramanathapuram, Kancheepuram and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu helped to build land and water assets.
  • Rejuvenation of tanks and ponds in Theni district.
  • Focus on fertiliser in Sirumaniyendal in Ramanathapuram district.
  • Combined with life insurance for reducing risk and vulnerability of families.
  • Microfinance groups used the common funds to immediately close tank breaches during flash floods in Madurai district.
  • Savings have also improved. Six microfinance groups in Ponpadhirkoodam in Kancheepuram district have a total saving of Rs. 1.97 lakh.

Some of the microfinance lenders:

  • SKS Microfinance: Has 507 microfinance branches in 14 states mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh. Loans for a range of income-generating activities, including livestock, agriculture, trade (such as vegetable vending), production (from basket weaving to pottery) and new age businesses (beauty parlor to photography).
  • SHARE Microfin Limited: Has 312 microfinance branches mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
  • Gramin Koota: Has 44 microfinance branches mostly in Karnataka.
  • SEWA Bank: Mainly in Gujarat.
  • Spandana Charity Trust: Mainly in Andhra Pradesh.
  • ICICI Bank, Canara Bank and other banks.
  • In Tamil Nadu, you can contact Dhan Foundation for more details on microfinance options for water and agriculture. Dhan can be reached at 26280236 (Chennai) or 04522601673 (Madurai).

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Avoid waste, improve quality and get better price by solar crop drying



Portable farm solar dryer designed by the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Centre

  • Get 70% higher price than open sun dried product. You can recover the cost of the machine in about 60 days.
  • Up to 100% more efficiency than cabinet type dryer.
  • Around 20-30 kg of red chillies can be dried in 3 to 4 sunny days.
  • This design is commercially available at a cost of around Rs. 5500/- from M/s Vishwa Karma Solar Energy Corporation (Regd.), Phillaur - 144 410, Punjab.

Other manufacturers of solar driers:

  • ATR SOLAR (INDIA), 380, Kamarajar I street Bibikulam MADURAI - 625 002, TAMIL NADU Tel: 0452 - 4353673, 3256595 Email: atrsolar@gmail.com, theri@atrsolar.com (chilies, vegetables, fish and herb driers)
  • PRINCE India, Jankibai Trust, Shamgiri, Agra Road, Deopur, DHULE - 424 005, Maharashtra. Tel: 02562 - 271795 Email: contact@princeindia.org (vegetable/fruit drying, making powders of moringa leaves, tomato and potato powders, green chilly powders ...etc)

Note: Please note that we don't endorse any vendor.

Block level weather forecast for farmers


The Agro Climate Research Centre of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University provides block level weather forecast for farmers

  • Block level forecast within each district.
  • Weather forecast for the next four days - maximum and minimum temperature in degrees celsius, relative humidity in %, wind speed in km/hr and rainfal in mm for 24 hrs.
  • You can also see a forecast map of the above at 8:30 AM and 2:30 PM for the next four days.

Note: To post questions and comments:

  • Click on the header.
  • Click on the 'Post a comment' link.
  • Type your questions and comments in the 'Leave your comment' text box.
  • Click 'Publish your comments' link.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Ministry of Agriculture provides toll free help line for farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture provides help line for farmers:

  • Service available from June 2004.
  • Farmers can call from 6 AM to 10 PM except Sundays and holidays.
  • Toll Free Number.
  • Common number 1551 from anywhere in India.
  • Responses in the farmer's local language.
  • First level response by Agricultural Graduates.
  • Second level response by experts selected from State Agriculture Universities, ICAR institutes, State Department of Agriculture, Horticulture and other departments.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Farmers should explore other avenues to supplement income

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar says that sole dependence on agriculture to earn a living was increasingly becoming difficult for farmers in the country.

  • Find part time work or start a side-business: Due to an increasingly mechanised farming, farmers today are left with more spare time.
  • Dairy farming: Sell milk to supplement farm income.
  • Fisheries
  • Bee-keeping
  • If the farm is growing mainly wheat or rice, think of shifting partly to other crops like vegetables, fruits or flowers.
  • Intercropping

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

In Tamil Nadu, farms can get organic certification locally



Organic farm in Kumizhi, Tamil Nadu.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Farmers can get commodity pricing, news and weather conditions via SMS messages on cell phones in Hindi, English and local languages!

Reuters has launched a live service to provide farmers in the country with customised updates via SMS messages on cell phones.
  • Commodity pricing, news and weather conditions.
  • In Hindi, English and local languages.
  • Three times a day.
  • This service is available only to users on GSM networks.
  • Will be available in Maharashtra initially. To be extended to Punjab, Gujarat and Karnataka by next year.
  • Onion and corn prices will be provided initially. Oranges, soyabean and wheat to be added.
  • Around 4,000 farmers have already subscribed to it.
  • Monthly cost of Rs 60.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Small businesses, artisans, cooperatives, self help groups and others can sell on the internet from small towns and villages

eBay India is helping sellers from non-Metro towns sell jewellery, apparel & accessories, home furnishing, metal and woodwork on the internet.

Note: To post questions and comments:

  • Click on the header.
  • Click on the 'Post a comment' link.
  • Type your questions and comments in the 'Leave your comment' text box.
  • Click 'Publish your comments' link.