IDEA, RML jointly launch ‘Krishi Voucher’ for farmers

IDEA Cellular, one of the leading telecom operators in India, has joined hands with Reuters Market Light (RML), a part of the global information company Thomson Reuters, to launch the ‘Krishi Voucher’ scheme  aimed at subscribers in villages. According to Amit Mehra, managing director of Reuters Market Light, Krishi Voucher – the “innovative agricultural information service” developed by RML – is at present available to farmers on the IDEA network in the Maharashtra and Goa circle.

Krishi Voucher, Mehra said at the launch of the service, has been designed to equip farmers with “decision-critical information that is “easy to access and actionable.” This will help farmers improve their production as well as market their produce.

Krishi Voucher offers the farmers agriculture-related information on various crops, climate/weather conditions and forecast, market geographies and pricing.

The facility will be available for over 8 million IDEA subscribers in Maharashtra.

Amit Mehra said that Reuters Market Light was launched in 2007 in India as a business “dedicated to addressing the problems faced by farmers.” However, distribution and marketing remained a challenge, and the IDEA-RML Krishi Voucher helps the farmers solve these problems.

Since India in general, and Maharashtra in particular, heavily depends on agriculture, there is a need to address the challenges that the farmers face because of lack of timely, reliable, localized and relevant information on market prices, weather conditions, as well as best practices.

Rajat Mukarji, chief corporate affairs officer of IDEA Cellular, said that at present 2 out of every 3 new subscribers come from rural India and that the telecom company’s “deep-rooted network and strong customer connect in rural India” makes IDEA the preferred network to offer value-added services to rural consumers.

Maharashtra, he added, is IDEA’s oldest and the biggest circle, with the deepest penetration in rural areas.

According to IDEA Cellular, the subscribers of IDEA availing the Krishi Voucher service will get the following information updates:

* Market prices and arrivals in 3 markets for each of the 2 crops that the farmers choose.
* 24-hour local weather forecast that is relevant to a farmer’s taluk.
* Information on best practices of production for 2 crops.
* News that impact agricultural marketing and production.

The Krishi Voucher service has a subscription fee of Rs 75. The voucher is available at IDEA’s retail outlets in Maharashtra and Goa.

Farmers can subscribe to the service by calling a toll-free number – 58090 – where Marathi-speaking customer-care representatives will register the farmers’ preferences like crops, markets, and location.

Daily updates will be given on SMS in Marathi and English.