KISSAN Kerala Operations Centre, IIITM-K, NILA, Techno park Campus, Thiruvananthapuram.

KISSAN
Karshaka Information Systems Services And Networking (KISSAN) is an integrated, multi-modal delivery of agricultural information system, which provides several dynamic and useful information and advisory services for the farming community across Kerala.

It is one of the leading citizen centric e-governance projects of the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Kerala.
The project was conceived, developed and managed by the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala for the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Kerala.

Objectives
The basic objective of this project is to provide "Right Information to the Right Person(s) at the Right Time in the Right Place(s) and in the Right Context" dynamically using a combination of advanced technology like Web Technology, Television based mass media programs, Telephone based advisory, Mobile SMS based advisory and broadcast service, dedicated online Agri video channel provides video on demand service etc, which, involves effective collaboration of experts from key organizations for effective information delivery and knowledge empowerment on demand seamlessly to all farmers across Kerala.

Origin of the project

The Government of Kerala had appointed a "High Level Committe on IT and BT in Agriculture" under the chairmanship of Prof. V.L Chopra (President National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Former Director General, ICAR) to explore the possibilities of Information Technology and Biotechnology for the enhancement of Agriculture in Kerala. Based on the detailed study and importance the committee recommended two major projects each in IT and BT. The project was conceived by Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala for the Department of Agriculture. The Project was officially launched on 1st November 2003 (Kerala day).

Uniqueness of the Project

The project is unique in many ways.
This is the only project has integrated and multi-modal delivery of information services

for the farming community and an effective citizen centric e-governance project in the state.
The entire KISSAN Kerala project is managed by the team of professionals from

Agriculture, IT and Agri Journalism.

Krishideepam is the first television program directly produced and telecast by a State

Agricultural Department as part of its strengthening received by the farming community across the state.

agricultural extension, and well

The integrated model of the project ensures the speedy aggregation of relevant

information from various sources, and disseminate through cross media platforms.
The project is supported with an agri-data center with fully professional management to

cater various information requirements of the farming community in Kerala.

Major Services and Deliverables of the project

The core deliverables and achievements of the project is an integrated multi-component, multi-modal delivery of Agriculture Information Services system that is accessible anywhere anytime by all concerned.

Online dynamic agri advisory service:

The dynamic portal based online Advisory services (www.kissankerala.net) is a major hit of the project. The portal provides an online platform for the farmers to interact with the experts scientists and agricultural extension officers in an interactive way. The portal also provides several dynamic advisory services like market information, weather and crop advisory, expert system on fertilizer recommendation and so on. Through the online query management system, the experts in the project have answered more than 15 000 queries of the farmers. Through the online fertilizer recommendation system, the farmers have generated more than 12000 fertilizer recommendations (in local language) for their preferred crops.

Online Fertiliser Recommendation System (FRS)

FRS would provide recommendation on fertilizers, based on the soil test reports provided to the farmers by various soil testing laboratories across the state. By using the farmer/user has to provide the basic details, details of the soil analysis report and also the preference of crop. Using these data the system will automatically generate a detailed recommendation for the integrated management of farms by providing most accurate information on how to provide balanced nutrition. The report will contain such details as the soil amendments to be made, organic manures top be used and also the quantity as well as the frequency of use of chemical fertilizers.

The system will also automatically create an archive of the recommendations, which has been provided to the farmers. This enables scientists and research personnel to conduct various analysis based on the soil history for better farm management and to provide better advisory services.

Kissan Krishideepam:
A weekly Agriculture Television program - in Malayalam,that provides selective information dissemination of best practices, success stories, departmental news, news on various schemes, market analysis, cultivation methods, analysis of current issues, etc. Care has been taken to ensure that KISSAN Krishideepam is authentic and totally produced in-house by agricultural and media experts. The project produce and telecast a weekly television program (30 minutes duration) and telecast three times over the leading satellite channel (Asianet) in Kerala. The program now reaches to more than 25 lakhs regular viewers across the state and beyond. The project has completed the production and telecast of 294 unbroken weekly episodes during the last 5.5 years.

Online Agri video Channel:

The project has launched the countrys first online video channel in Agriculture. More than 100 selected videos were made available through the channel. This becomes a single window access to all the agriculture and allied topics for continuous learning for the farmers at free of cost. (www.youtube.com/kissankerala).

Tele-Advisory Services:
The project also provides telephone based Agri advisory services through a dedicated telephone number (0471-2700965) for the farmers. The farmers can ask any questions to the agricultural scientists and seek expert advice for their crops. As part of this service, the project has developed an extensive crop database across the state to provide location specific advisory services.

Available at Monday to Friday at 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

The SMS based agri advisory service

The SMS based agri advisory services,enable the farmers to get the information on very fast and it helps to provide location specific information and alert services.
Information on the availability of planting materials. SMS based Weather information. SMS based information on the availability of Livestock Farms. SOIL Information on mobile. SMS based two-way query answering system(Ask our Experts

through mobile). SMS based scheme alert service. SMS based intra Departmental information management system. SMS based information on Krishideepam Television Program. Access Agri Videos through your mobile. Mobile voice based monthly crop management advise. Kissan voice based information service.

Publications

Project partners
Various Organisations collaboring the projects are

and

Department

Department of Agriculture Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management - Kerala(IIITM-K) Kerala Agriculture University Department of Animal Husbandry Department of Fisheries Other Research Institutions

The Team
KISSAN is developed and maintained by a team of experts from Information Technology, Agriculture, Research Scientists, and Visual Media etc. The technology support is provided by the Indian Institute of Information Technology and ManagementKerala (IIITM-K). The Committee for Coordination and Monitoring the activities of KISSAN, constituted by Govt. of Kerala Government of Kerala (as per wide GO. (MS) No.117/2003/ AD Dated 10-06-2003) Director - Agriculture - Chairman Director - IIITM-K - Member Agri - Chief - Kerala State Planning Board - Member Director of Extension - Kerala Agricultural University - Member Principal Information Officer - FIB - Member Deputy Director (IT) - Department Of Agriculture - Convener.

Project Execution Team at IIITM-K

(A) Core Technology & Project Management Mr. R. Ajith Kumar , Chief Project Co-ordinator Mr. T. Radhakrishnan , Chief Technical Officer (B) Agricultural/Technical Officers (from Dept. of Agriculture) Dr. S. Rajan Mr. C S Ajithlal Mrs. Rejatha (C) Project Engineers and Associates Ms. Gayathri V Mrs. Reena R R Mr. Arun G (D) Media Support Team Mr. Ajith Monippally - Videographer. Mr. Joy Vazhayila - Camera Asst. Mr. Savanth MP - Video Editor.

Major Awards and Recognitions

Manthan Award South Asia 2008 by World Summit Award and Digital Empowerment Foundation.
PC QUEST BEST IT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YEAR 2007 for KISSAN Kerala under "Mighty Challengers" Award category in Govt Sector. Krishideepam highlighted under the major program category of Asianet.

Reference
http://kissankerala.net/ www.youtube.com/kissankerala
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfUjX161qTs&noredirect=1

http://0km.jp/?tag=krishideepam