Until recently the only sources of agricultural and veterinary information for farmers in rural India were community meetings and agriculture extension workers. OneWorld South Asia, a charitable organization working in the areas of human rights and sustainable development, has joined with British Telecom (BT), and Cisco to create LifeLines India, a program that helps small-scale Indian farmers better support their families by giving them useful farming advice.
Farmers dial the LifeLines India number from a community telephone that gives them access to a Cisco Unified Messaging platform. The farmers record their questions and receive recorded answers when they call back. Each call costs only five rupees (about $0.12), keeping the program affordable and sustainable.
By June 2007, LifeLines India coverage was accessible to about 40,000 farmers living in 700 villages. Plans are in place to extend coverage to 3000 villages by 2010. Nearly 70 percent of the users report they have improved their crop quality and farming efficiency, and profits have increased as a result.
“My cow was ill and giving very watery milk. I called the helpline number and got advice on nutrition and care. I followed the advice and my cow is fine now. This service is very good, as the answers are given in a simple and easy-to-follow manner.”
Sushil Gupta, Sakrar Village, Jhansi
