Agribusiness Knowledge Center Project
Project Partners
Agribusiness Knowledge Center Project is conceptualized by SRISTI GYAN KENDRA a Rohtak based NGO (Registered in 2007), with an idea to develop backend & forward linkages to support farming community, in the era of rapidly changing Agri Food System. Project was started to inform Daily Prices of Basmati Paddy to the farmers registered under a Contract Farming Project in the year 2008. After getting good response from the field Sristi Gyan Kendra invested capital to experiment various ideas in developing an Agri Business Knowledge Center.
At present under this Project there is provision of Disseminating Authentic Actionable Knowledge related to Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Market Prices at Right Time. This service is being provided to 34483 farmers in 7 states of India. This service is being Provided free of cost to farmers in a project sponsored by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) through a portal www.kisansanchar.com.
Knowledge center is providing Career Counseling to the heirs of small & marginal farmers through a Call Center.
Project has experimented a new concept of Area & Community focused announcements by the farmers for the farmers like selling of Agricultural Implements, Animals & Social (Non Political) Announcements like Blood Donation Camps, Pond Digging Cams.
Project is providing ample opportunities to the farmers to register themselves in Contract & Organic Farming Projects linked with bulk buyers.
Working of the project
Agribusiness Knowledge Center Project has three levels of services.Farmers are promoted on to the second and third level the basis of their participation and performance. Farmers are benefited by strengthening Back End Linkages such as Mobile based Field Advisory Services and also by developing forward linkages for selling their quality produce at remunerative prices.
Level First
Registration of the farmers.
Farmers register themselves voluntarily to Kisan Sanchar by contacting our volunteers and by making a missed call on the following mobile number 9812430006. The call is automatically disconnected after one ring and number is registered on our database. His membership is confirmed by delivering a Text Message on his mobile phone.
Basic Service
Farmers got themselves registered, voluntarily and subscribe the basic service of Kisan Sanchar, which is free to all the subscribers. Each member farmer receive free message related to their crop and allied professions. At the end of crop season the information related to market prices is provided. This service is sponsored by Indian Council of Agriculture Research. Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s provide the content using an online software. The content is broadcasted on the mobile phones of the farmers in the form of Text & Voice message. Farmers have the facility to speak in the call center by pressing the green button on their mobile phone.
Level Two (Premium Service)
Small Production Cluster Formation
The farmers who active and more responsive and are interested in selling their produce directly to the consumers they got registered in the form of a cluster. A nominal fee is charged as annual registration charge of Rs.500/- to facilitate the process. These clusters are linked with a online marketing system www.mandifresh.co.in managed by Mandi Fresh Private Limited-Gurgaon. Presently we have formed one Vegetable Production Cluster which is based near Sonepat in Haryana. There are 20 farmers in one cluster. Farmers are provided Field Advisory Services to increase the quality and per acre productivity. Focused text & voice messages are sent on their mobile phones. Messages are related with the crop production and Post Harvest Operations.
Formation of Large Production Clusters/Communities
The areas which are geographically important for the production of specific crops like Trawadi near Karnal is famous for production of good quality Basmati Paddy, Yamunanagar for Production of Turmeric, Jhajjhar & Mewat for the production of Desi Wheat. Sirsa Hisar Bhiwani for the production of Barley, Karnal Kaithal Kurukshetra for the production of Durum Wheat. The farmers of such areas are organized in the form of Large Production Clusters/ Communities. Presently we have developed following production communities in Haryana.
| Sr.No. | Crop Community | Districts | Members |
| 1 | Basmati | Kaithal, Karnal & Kurukshetra | 1500 |
| 2 | Barley | Sirsa, Hisar, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Rewari, Guragon, Jhajjhar |
1692 |
| 3 |
Turmeric |
Yamunanagar |
656 |
| 4 | Desi Wheat | Rohtak, Jhajjhar, Mewat, Rewari | 250 |
Such communities are organized in the shape of a Contract Farming Project and linked to the corporate buyers for the Buyback of the quality produce. Presently this service is offered free of cost to the farmers. Nominal charges are being charged from the buyer of the contracted produce. Rs.100 may be charged as membership fee from the member farmer.
Level Three (Special Services)
Since we have the classified database of the farmers. There are many occasions when farmers want to send some important announcements to the other farmers of area. These announcements are related to sale purchase of the land, animals and agricultural implements such as tractor trolley etc. Kisan Sanchar also offer our channel to the Government & Non Government Organization/Banks to send the announcements related to farmers in the interest of farming community.
