ATMs are becoming more accessible to rural India

In India there are about 30,000 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) as of late 2007. Most of these are located in urban areas. However, now Banks are extending this service to rural areas through the following steps:

• Banks are beginning to introduce ATMs in rural areas.
• Some banks have started providing ATM cards to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders. As a result of this, these farmers need to go to the bank only to get their KCC loans sanctioned. After that, they can do most of their transactions using an ATM machine.

Also, ATMs are being introduced with features that makes it easier for rural people to use:

• Lower cost ATMs designed by IIT, Madras and IIT, Bombay.
• Voice navigation in local Indian languages.
• Fingerprint verification.
• Back-up power to ensure smooth operation during power failures.
• Can work in dusty environment.

Better rural credit through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and the Swarojgar Credit Card (SCC)

The Government of India introduced the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme in 1999.

According to a recent survey report, over 65 million KCCs had been issued by early 2007.

This credit, typically, covers the working capital needs of the farmers for a crop cycle. You borrow the money when you need to buy inputs such as seeds, tools, fertilizer, pesticides and labour. Once the crop is harvested and sold, the amount has to be repaid. The credit becomes available again for the next season. This helps the farmers to avoid traditional money lenders and the exorbitant interest rates charged by them.

In 2004 this scheme was expanded to cover more types of loans:

• Term loans for agriculture and allied activities.
• A reasonable component to meet consumption needs.
• Many banks also offer Personal Accident Insurance Scheme at a very nominal premium.
• Some of the banks have launched KCCs that can be used in an ATM machine.

The Swarojgar Credit Card Scheme (SCC) was introduced in 2003. The SCC aims at providing working capital and term loans to small artisans, handloom weavers, fishermen, self employed persons, rickshaw owners, other micro-entrepreneurs, self help groups (SHG), etc. Farm sector activities like fisheries, dairy, etc., can also be covered under the scheme. About half a million SCCs had been issued by Sept 2006.

You can get a Kisan Credit Card or a Swarojgar Credit Card from any of the following:

• Commercial banks
• Co-operative banks
• Regional Rural Banks (RRB)

Tissue culture plants help increase yield and profits

Theni District of Tamil Nadu is the emerging hub for tissue culture banana variety called Grande Naine.

Plant tissue culture, also known as micro propagation, is gaining popularity due to the following advantages:

• Higher yield
• Resistant to disease
• Saplings available throughout the year
• Mass propagation of selected elite varieties
  

The following are examples of plants that are being successfully propagated in large scale through tissue culture in India:

• Fruits: Banana, Pineapple
• Sugar cane: Sugar factories are increasingly using tissue culture plants.
• Spices: The Spices Board, Cochin, has brought large area under tissue culture cardamom and vanilla cultivation through involvement of progressive farmers.
• Medicinal plants: Aloe, Safed Musali
• Flowers: Carnation, Gerbera
• Trees: Sandal wood, Eucalyptus, Teak
  

The Department of Biotechnology has set up two micropropagation technology parks:

• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi
• National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune

Central and Sate Government subsidy is available for planting tissue culture plants as well as for exporting plant products. Please check with your local Agriculture Office.

Some banks like Canara Bank have also been financing tissue culture projects as a priority.

The Sixth National Competition for Rural Innovations

Raisin grading machine invented by Ramdas Madhavrao Jagtap of Nashik, Maharashtra that won a National Award in the Third Competition.

The best three inventions and traditional knowledge practices will be awarded Rs 1,00,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 each in different categories. There will be several consolation prizes of Rs 10,000 each in different categories.

• Type of inventions: Can be in machines, gadgets, implements, or processes for farm operations, household utility, transportation for improved efficiency, energy conservation or generation, and reduction in drudgery, creative use of biodiversity, plant varieties, generation of herbal remedies for human or animal health or developing new or any other low cost sustainable green technology.
• Who can apply: Individuals or groups who have achieved distinction in improving quality and productivity.

Your invention may also qualify for additional funding by Micro Venture Innovation Fund for the following:

• Incubation and business plan.
• Testing and prototype development.
• Pilot scale production.
• Commercial production.

For example, Hyderabad-based Matrix BioSciences, signed a deal with NIF to license some of these inventions. Matrix plans to put the name of each inventor on the label. It will share profits with the inventors.
Products launched by Matrix include:

• A natural pesticide that fights mites and prevents leaf-curl disease, developed by Popatbhai Rupabhai Jambucha, an illiterate farmer from Gujarat.
• A herbal pesticide that keeps aphids, white flies and mealy bugs away, made by Arkhiben Mithabhai Vankar, a village healer and midwife.

How to participate:

• Individuals or groups may send as many entries as they wish on plain paper providing a) genesis of innovation and traditional knowledge b) background of innovation and c) background with complete educational qualification of the innovators/ traditional knowledge holders, accompanied by photographs and/or videos if possible and any other information that may help in replicating the innovations/traditional knowledge. Herbal entries may be accompanied by dried plant samples to enable proper identification procedure.
• Last date: December 31, 2008
• Where to send entries: National Coordinator (scouting and documentation), National Innovation Foundation (NIF), Satellite Complex, Bungalow No 1, Premchandnagar Road , Jodhpur Tekra, Ahmedabad 380015 Gujarat or by email to: campaign@nifindia.org

Low cost method for disinfecting water in the village

How does it work?

1. Get clear bottles made of plastic or glass with lid. Wash the bottles well the first time you use it.
2. Now fill up the bottles with water fully and close the lid.
3. Place the bottles on a corrugated iron sheet exposed to sunlight.
4. Or put them on the roof, as shown in the picture.
5. Leave it in the sun for at least 6 hours.
6. The water is now ready for use.

• Uses solar UV-A radiation and higher water temperature due to sunlight to inactivate pathogens causing diarrhoea.
  
• Reduces risk of water-borne diseases, especially diarrhoea.
• Process developed by the Swiss Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries.
• You can read about the results of trials conducted near Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

Other tips:

• Use clear bottles, not colored bottles such as brown or green.
• Do not use very large bottles, not more than 1 to 2 litres.
  

Low cost, smokeless stove for rural households

Smokeless biomass 'Oorja' stove that runs on burning pellets made up of agricultural waste being used in a house at Aviyur in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu.

Over 5,000 rural households in Madurai and Virudhunagar districts now have smokeless kitchens. No longer do housewives have to put up with irritation in their eyes by blowing into the traditional ovens. Nor do they have to bear huge LPG cylinder bills.

• Developed in conjunction with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
• A mini-fan, powered by rechargeable batteries, blows air to fan the flames.
• Costs Rs. 675.
• A family of six consumes about six bags of pellets (a 5-kg bag costs Rs. 20) and three litres of kerosene. This combination of fuel costs about Rs. 147 a month, whereas the family was spending Rs. 390 a month earlier.
• Pellets are made from agricultural waste such as sugarcane bagasse, groundnut husk and maize cobs.
  
• Available in parts of Tamil Nadu, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

Limitations of the biomass stove:

• Making `dosas' and `chappatis' is a problem, as the stove generates excessive heat.
• Once it is lit, it cannot be stopped unlike LPG or kerosene stoves.
• Refuelling cannot be done midway. The entire ash has to be replaced, and the stove has to be lit afresh. However, this can be done in a few minutes.

Business school for rural women who have no formal education

A woman who has successfully completed the training program at Mann Deshi Udyogini — Micro Business School for Rural Women — in Satara district of Maharashtra.

Training program provided by Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank and its sister NGO, the Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha, in association with HSBC.

• To help the women become entrepreneurs and access the benefits of micro finance.
• A free counseling session helps tap the interest and possible skill sets of the women. They are then encouraged to take the requisite course.
• The courses will range from just a day to 10 days.
  

Topics covered:

• Vocational training in technical skills such as computer training and bag making.
• Financial literacy.
• Marketing techniques and communication skills.
• Confidence building.

Contract farming is good for farmers

Prakash Kulkarni of Vilaspur in Bidar taluk, Karnataka, who has been growing Coleus forskohlii (makandi beru in Kannada) on a contract basis for four seasons.

According to a recent study, profits earned by contract farmers are more than that of non-contract farmers.

• The advantage that accrued to contract farmers was mainly due to savings in production and marketing costs.
• The contractor often provides seeds and other inputs as well as technical know-how.
• The farmers are often trained in improving quality through better post harvesting techniques.
• Contract farmers are being offered relatively higher prices than the prevailing market prices mainly for better quality and as an incentive for ensuring a regular supply.

Other examples of contract farming:

• Marigold is being grown in Vallam and Sengipatti in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.
• Coleus forskohlii and turmeric are being grown in Salem district of Tamil Nadu.
• The National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (Nafed) has begun a pilot project to grow potato through the contract farming route in Indore.
• Agro Tech Foods Ltd is planning to go for contract farming to produce sweet corn most likely in Warangal district.
• Godrej Agrovet Ltd intends to take up cultivation of oil palm under contract farming in Joida, Karwar and Yellapur taluks of Uttara Kannada district.
• Hatsun Agro Product Ltd has signed up with SBI to provide loans to dairy farmers for a contract farming programme.

First online trading of horticulture crops to start in 2007 December

Pilot electronic trading in mangoes conducted in June 2007 at the Regulated Marketing Committee delivery center at Pochampalli, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

Safal National Exchange (SNX), promoted by Mother Dairy (National Dairy Development Board) jointly with private companies, is planning to launch nationwide online trading in fruits and vegetables in December 2007.

• Initial launch planned to cover apple, mango, banana, potato, onion and tomato.
• Actual traded prices will be displayed on the trading screen in markets across the country.
• Farmers on bringing their produce will grade and sort them at the delivery center as per the quality standards specified by SNX.
• SNX will undertake an inspection and issue a quality certificate to the farmers. SNX will also facilitate warehousing and logistics facility. Products that meet the required norms including size, quality, colour and shape alone will be allowed for trading.
• The delivery needs to be completed before the next day of trading. A penalty of 10 per cent would be imposed on farmers if they failed to deliver the produce after trading.
• Delivery of products to the buyer would take place once the payment is received. A penalty of 10 per cent would also be imposed on buyers if they failed to pay and lift the commodity after trading.
• SNX will pay the farmers after they receive the payment from the buyer and process it.

Benefits to farmers:

• Farmers can know the prices being realized across the country. They will have the option to conclude price for their produce for sale prior to harvest.
• Fewer middle men and lower transaction cost.
• Payments are guaranteed by SNX.
• Quality certification protocol administered by SNX.
• Improvement in post harvest practices for better shelf life and quality of grading, packing and overall delivery, match with rapidly rising expectations of quality by consumers.

Technology helps marginal farmers to grow jasmine in off season

About 60-70 marginal farmers of Kariapatti in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu during the past two seasons have successfully raised commercial jasmines.

• There is demand for jasmine round the year. However, farmers find it difficult to grow them during the lean months of December and January.
• The local agri clinic (under the Ministry of Agriculture scheme to facilitate technology transfer for farmers) has helped them.
• A carefully evolved plant-tending practice is set in motion well ahead of winter. This includes application of the right volume of soluble fertilisers combined with flowering stimulation (required dosage of phosphorous) that convert every bud formed into a flower.
• 5-6 kg of flowers were harvested daily on average from a 20-cent area.
• The agri clinic also guides farmers raising brinjal, lady's finger and onion as well as paddy growers.
• For example, the clinic focuses on technology intervention to enhance brinjal productivity by preventing potential fruit-bearing flowers from withering.

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).

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.
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• Click 'Publish your comments' link.

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.

Less water - more harvest!

The drip irrigation system introduced in the sugarcane crop in Periyapuliyur village in Bhavani taluk, Tamil Nadu.

• Using drip irrigation, farmers in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts grow coconut, banana, tomatoes and chillies even during drought period.
• Professor turns barren land green!
• Government subsidy is available. For example, in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu 50 per cent subsidy is available for drip and sprinkler irrigation to farmers for cultivation of horticulture crops such as mango, guava, neem, banana and cashew nut. Under this scheme, a farmer can get a subsidy of Rs. 10,000 an acre subject to a maximum of 10 acres. Please check with your local Agriculture Department.

Vendors of drip irrigation systems:

• Jain Irrigation
• Netafim Irrigation India

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

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

In Tamil Nadu, farms can get organic certification locally

Organic farm in Kumizhi, Tamil Nadu.

• In Tamil Nadu, farmers can get organic certification for their farms now at Coimbatore itself. Get in touch with: Directorate of Organic Certification and Directorate of Seed Certification, 1424 A, Thadagam Road, GCT Post, Coimbatore 641013, Tamil Nadu. For details call 0422-22432984.
• Organic farming has huge export potential. Tea, rice, cashew and honey are the major organic products that are exported from India now.
• Farmers to train other farmers in organic farming.

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.

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.

• Read more details provided by Deepa Thomas, Manager (Corporate Communications) of eBay India. Read about how a retired government employee and his wife built a successful business selling stamps on eBay.
• What is eBay?
• How do sellers get paid?
• 5-steps to selling on eBay.
• In its short history, eBay has established itself as a legitimate marketplace for all kinds of goods. Buying and selling via Internet auctions have become a way of life for many individuals and businesses.
• Some eBay sellers, however, do not get the best results from their auctions because many continually make costly errors in their listings. Here are 10 of the most common errors and tips for avoiding them.

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