Utilization of ICT for Empowerment by Farming Community in India

With the changing environment of food and agriculture sector including livestock based high value agriculture segment, information and knowledge has increasingly become an important factor of production for effective decision-making. It is increasingly recognised that ICT is necessary for accessing required information and knowledge. Hence the extensive use of modern information technology needs to be promoted for communication between researchers, extension professionals and farmers to transfer technologies and information in a cost effective manner. ICT has many potential applications in agricultural extension. Quick dissemination of technological information from the research system to farmers in the field and reporting of farmers feed back to the research system is one of the critical inputs in transfer of technology for improving the production, productivity of crops & animals and empowerment of farmers. ICT is one of the means whose potential can be exploited to strengthen the bridge between research system and extension system. With the revolution in the IT sector, ICT is being integrated with agriculture and rural development for the empowerment of farming community.