Impact of Internet on agriculture

Sukhwinder Singh is a re-born farmer from district Sangrur in Punjab – from traditional to natural farming. Born in a post inexperienced revolution era, which specialized in the utilization of fertilizers and pesticides, he had by no means the notion of farming without urea, the popular chemical fertilizer in the rural hinterland of Punjab and Haryana. Urea is popularly known as ray-spray in Punjab. His father and three uncles had almost 100 acres of farm and loved the excess from inexperienced revolution and have been able to ship Sukhwinder and his cousins to observe in good colleges and universities. Sukhwinder became the primary technology college pupil to graduate in his circle of relatives.

But by the 1990s, whilst he came lower back to help is an antique father in his 25 acres farm, which remained after sub-department amongst brothers after inheritance, the downfall inside the agriculture economic system become clearly visible. Land productivity was gradually declining over the years because of the repeated use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The surplus from the sale of grains became insufficient after meeting the costs of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. He was taken into consideration the farming to be not a remunerative proposition for his circle of relatives. It was better for him to offer the land for contract farming or percentage cropping as is the custom in this part of India. He commenced a trading enterprise and has become a grain intermediary, also referred to as Aditya. Along with his not-so antique parents, he shifted to the metropolis vicinity, got married, and had two kids. Twenty-5 years have long passed, and in phrases of the budget, they are considered a nice to do own family who took the proper selection at the proper time. However, in the past, due to the seventies, his father changed into not so glad about the treatment being meted out to his land – ‘Ma-Bharti or ‘ land is a mother.’ With the increased use of insecticides, insecticides, and other boom-enhancing chemicals, land productivity decreases, and profits decrease. Farmers experience that such practices are economically killing the farmers. Farmers are going underneath debt due to such farm practices. Even Sukhwinder and his grown-up and educated children used to experience the equal ache.

A few seasons in the past, Sukhwinder’s lifestyle took a U-turn. He recognized approximately inexperienced farming practices, which no longer use any chemical fertilizers and chemicals. Thanks to the internet, which has opened a brand new gate of know-how in the environment, eco device, and social focus, Sukhwinder learned about organic farming and determined to devote his land to Organic farming. He gives credit score to the role of a net, which supplied the self-schooling, and now both father and son are glad organic farmers.

The views expressed by way of Sukhvinder are corroborated through a have a look carried out through Consumer VOICE, an NGO running within the area of purchaser consciousness and protection. The take a look at, which changed into primarily based on sample fifty-two,000 internet users spread in 18 states of India, shows that around ninety percent showed that internet affects the improvement of the agricultural region. In truth, the perspectives had been strongly supported by using human beings in the age organization of above 35 years having graduate or postgraduate diploma.

The evidence on the role of the internet in improving the attention of human beings is undeniable. However, the use of the net as an engine of exchange and growth in the agricultural zone and rural India continues to be far away. There are many elements of rural areas which are tremendously impacted using first-rate net carriers. Consumer VOICE, in its examination, has listed eight elements that are significantly impacted using the best of the network provider. These are bridging the gap with urban regions, bridging the gap with different rural areas, higher access to higher training, get right of entry to public services (transport, fitness, and so on), and today’s information, improving the employability of rural humans in city areas, growth in scope of incomes, enhancing farming approaches and rural farmers get entry to new markets.

According to Sukhwinder, it isn’t the handiest organic farming record, enabling him to learn and study the techniques and procedures concerned in natural farming. The statistics to be had may be very accepted in nature might not be appropriate for precise areas or even specific farms. What is required is day-to-day interaction with different organic farmers whilst a problem arises. This is only viable with a terrific best of internet service, having dependable and exact pace. Farmers have learned to speak the usage of internet gear.

The position of the satisfactory net turned into additionally supported by using other natural farmers and establishments operating in the region of natural farming. For example, Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM), concerned with spreading focus about natural farming, which is termed as Natural farming or ‘Kudrati kheti,’ uploads many videos on its web page and social networking websites on new thoughts for the farmers who generally require day by day updates on various sorts of pest attack on organic farm vegetation and how to protect plants without using chemical pesticides.

Without the dependable community and right net speed within the rural areas, farmers cannot use the interactive mode of verbal exchange with the KVM or other farmers who may want to propose a viable solution for their day after day requirements. Organic or natural farming considers the significance of certain pests as the protector in their vegetation, which calls for non-stop cognizance and schooling. KVM in Punjab is pleasing this position through updates on their Facebook web page and coffee YouTube movies containing lectures and discussions. Many farmers can best apprehend this procedure, although live interactive motion pictures. Good best of carrier additionally guarantees that farmers get an immediate answer instead of journeying KVM workplace or other farmers who can be placed a long way away. It isn’t feasible for the farmers to leave the crop unattended in time distress. (Dish Negi is research fellow customer VOICE; Parminder Singh is director of research, patron VOICE, and Sri Ram Khanna is a fundamental researcher and dealing with the editor, Consumer Voice, and former dean and head of commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi)