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Development partnership with farmers
K. A Acharya

Tata Kisan Kendra
Each TKK is equipped with all kinds of infrastructure utilities, which enable them to act as a comprehensive resource centre to fulfil the needs of the franchisee TKK network. Typically, this includes an administrative office, a training hall, a crop clinic and a soil testing laboratory, a research and development farm, a storage godown and an exhibition hall, all under one common roof.

The kendras offer various sales and support services, including agro inputs, guidance on cultivation and crop management techniques and other post-harvest management services. They also offer need-based farm machinery, location and situation-specific farm technology solutions to farmers at their doorsteps.

Recently, TKKs have taken on the challenge of developing the concept of "precision farming", which involves the use of information technology coupled with satellite mapping techniques to maximise agricultural yields. The kendras propose to offer this unique technology-enabled service within the next two years.

The concept of precision farming involves putting to use satellite imaging technology, to help the farmers decide what kind of crops they should grow, by making the best use of available information on soil conditions and other key climatic factors.

Precision farming techniques will help in estimation of likely crop yield, extent of pest-induced damage and identify crippling crop diseases, using the geographical data gathered by geo-stationary satellites.

TKKs have, in fact, commissioned a project for digitisation of maps of nearly 12,000 villages, which could be made available to all farmers under different kendras.

To motivate and encourage farmers, TKKs also organise crop competitions, with awards being presented to farmers who are able to extract the best yields.

Farmers are often taken on tours to agricultural universities and research stations, so they become aware of scientific techniques. To encourage education, awards are presented to deserving students of class Vth and VIIIth in the TKK’s command area.

The TKKs, with their credo of Gunvatta and Suvidha – ability and ease – have been contributing their might to encouraging farmers to achieve greater prosperity and helping the social betterment of rural societies.

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