The Hindu Business Line : Move to computerise all mandal agri offices in AP

WITH a view to giving farmers access to latest information in agriculture-related issues, the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to computerise and network all mandal agricultural offices within two years.

Addressing a national workshop on `Web services on oilseeds development: DACNET (Department of Agriculture and Cooperation Network) Phase II initiative', Ms Poonam Malakondaiah, Commissioner for Agriculture, said that half of the 213 offices had been computerised so far. "We will complete the remaining by 2006-07."

The day-long workshop was conducted by the Directorate of Oilseeds Development and the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

She said that the Government was looking at ICT (information technology, communication technologies) as a tool to reduce cost of cultivation and increase economic returns to farmers. "We need to cut unnecessary expenditure on inputs."

Stating that ICT could provide information to farmers in vast stretches. "It is humanly impossible to reach out to so many people and areas."

Providing information online on important factors like soil health and seeds would be of great help to farmers.

She called for linkage between organisations like meteorology and remote sensing to provide reliable forecasts and early warning mechanisms.

In a bid to providing fruits of ICT to farmers, the Government was imparting computer training to progressive farmers in villages.

"At least two rythu mithra groups in each panchayat are being trained in computer basics," she said.

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Move to computerise all mandal agri offices in AP