Increasing rate of literacy in the country offers new promises and prospects for utilizing print medium as a means of mass communication. The print media widened the scope of communication. It is cheap and people can afford to buy and read them at their convenience. It is a permanent medium in that the message are imprinted permanently with high storage value which makes them suitable for reference and research. In the view of increase in literacy level to 52.11 percent during 1991, print media has acquired a greater role in dissemination of information on improved agricultural practices to the farming community and also to inform the public in general.
Print media consists of newspapers, magazines, journals, books and pamphlets.Among all the print media the commonly used print media in agriculture or by farmers are newspapers and magazines related to their work.
The newspapers and magazines are cheap and can be afforded farmers. These things can be read by the farmers who can read English or their local languages as newspapers and magazines are printed in the local languages of farmers as well.
It plays an important role in the communication of agricultural information among the farmers. It has created more awareness among the farmers and they also know their rights now.
Our country has farm magazines in every state and is published in local languages. Agricultural department and agricultural universities also encourage the publishing of such farm magazines.
Newspapers can support extension by publishing news of various extension activities, guidance and recommendations, achievements, market news , research findings, successful achievements and problems faced by the farming community and so on.
The Green Revolution and White Revolution couldnot been come about so quickly without the use of print media.
Some of the popular magazines which our published in India are as follows:-
Indian Horticulture (semi-technical, bi-monthly magazine in English)
Indian Farming(monthly magazine in English)
Kheti(monthly magazine in Hindi)
Phal Phool(bi-monthly magazine in Hindi)
Krishika(a half-yearly peer reviewed research journal in Hindi)
Agriculture Today
Agro India
Modern Kheti
Liesa India
Farm Food
Magazines published in local languages:-
--Tamil -- Malayalam
Pasumai Vikatan Bhoomi
Naveena Velaanmai
--Telugu
Annadata
--Kannada
Krishik Bandhu
Adike Patrike
Sahaja Samrudha
Siri Samruddhi
Impact of internet of things on agriculture
Internet has brought about a significant amount of change in the agricultural sector and the activities related to agriculture. It has opened a new gate of knowledge for the farmers and the people of the rural areas. Many farmers and people of the rural areas feel that internet has provided them with self education and less dependency on the others.
There is also a growing opportunity in the agriculture sector that helps to improve lives, make India a true agricultural leader and change the way farmers plant, fertilize and harvest in the next decade. The agricultural sector that employs 50 percent of the country’s population agrees that there has been a huge impact on the overall growth of the country. This sector can get the benefits of the huge potential of IoT driven solutions to improve supply chains and farming practices, which together can have the impact of improved yield and higher monetization for the sector. Large farmers are now using ”Precision Farming” techniques that use field sensors to monitor farming operations.
According to industry body NASSCOM, there are about 280 IoT start-ups in India, out of which about 40 focus on smart agriculture. With technology giants focusing more on developing better agricultural techniques, indigenous players are ramping up their capabilities in the agricultural area. Innovations such as smart irrigation, agri-drones, robotic harvesting, produce monitoring and agri-sensors are coming up.
Smart irrigation systems are being worked upon which are specifically suited for arid and semi-arid regions. Smart irrigation technology can ensure efficient use of water resources based on the humidity of the soil, the needs of the crop and weather patterns, which when integrated with the right type of sensors and connectivity will result in optimal usage of a scare resource. Perhaps one of the most common areas is the usage of a smart sensor technology to look upon produce quality, wind and light conditions soil temperature, acidity and mineral content. Startups in this space are using a combination of such sensors to provide real time feedback to farmers such that appropriate action may be taken.
The Indian government has not been very supportive with this and hasnot in streamlined the scope of internet in the agriculture sector in its draft policy. It is also not doing much to attract the interest of the investors. The need of the hour, is to focus on offering these solutions at a wider scale.
A study was conducted by Consumer VOICE, an NGO working in the field of consumer awareness. The study was based on a sample of 52,000 internet users spread across 18 states of India. It shows that around 90 per cent of the people in those areas are connected to the internet and believe that it has an impact on the development of the rural areas. If there are positive aspects of internet then there are negative aspects as well. There are many aspects of rural areas which are highly affected by quality of internet service. Consumer VOICE, in its study, has listed eight factors which are affected by quality of internet service. These are bridging gap with urban areas, bridging gap with other rural areas, better access to higher education, access to public services (transport, health etc) and latest information, enhancing employability of rural people in urban areas, growth in scope of earning, improving farming processes and rural farmers access to new markets.
The information available is very non specific in nature may not be suitable for specific areas and even specific farms. What is required is day-to-day interaction with other organic farmers when a problem arises. This is only possible way to improve this is with a good quality of internet service, having reliable and good speed. Farmers have learnt to communicate using internet tools.