Enabling inclusiveness and integration of knowledge systems through ICT among small and marginal farmers

Abstract

Coconut and coconut based farming system is the major livelihood option of lakhs of small and marginal farm families. The major coconut growing states had a higher tele density of more than 100 percent with an added advantage of high literacy rate. Several studies reported very low level of ICT use among the coconut farming communities. A participatory study was conducted during 2016 -17 in Alappuzha district to evolve an ICT strategy for coconut communities and to develop an interactive mobile application customized to farmers of different state in their mother tongue. Cloud based interactive multilingual Android application for stakeholderts in coconut sector "e- kalpa" was developed, pilot tested and refined with additional components and uploaded in Google Play store. ICT using Social Science research with particular emphasis to Agricultural Extension requires accurate and reliable data collection in faster and cheaper mode. "e plantation survey App" designed and evaluated successfully for real time geo referenced data documentation, archiving and analyzes.