Tamil Nadu has procured 22 lakh tonnes of paddy this season according to state Food Minister Kamaraj. In spite of Covid 19 lock down,  the state is expected to procure 6 lakh tonnes of paddy before the next season. No words of praise would suffice as  our farmers continue to toil hard to  ensure food for all with bumper crop. But  Covid 19 pandemic induced lockdown  has challenged   farmers the most as they are unable to transport their farm products and  face the shortage of farm labourers . India is combating the pandemic and the ill effects of the lockdown  with health sector, agriculture sector and many ministries led by Home Ministry initiating coordinated efforts to mitigate the sufferings of people across sectors with the cooperation of state governments. The State governments digital initiative Uzhavan app has proved to be very beneficial in reaching the farmers with much needed intervention in this crisis hour.

 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had launched the Uzhavan app in 2018 for providing various agricultural based information and allied services to farmers.

Agriculture official from Trichy says Uzhavan app has interface of various subsidy schemes  where one can select PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Micro Irrigation, seeds, machinery, solar pumpset, shade net., poly house pack house, antibird net, plastic mulching, bee hive, hitech and small nursery. Then there is  a section for benefit registration where the farmer can register with details. In crop insurance section we get details about insurance premium amount and notified crops in the village.

 

Insurance services are offered  by  district central cooperative banks, primary agriculture cooperative banks, nationalised and commercial service banks or common service centres. Information about fertilizer stock in each district, seed stock position, custom hiring centres, weather forecast farm guide are also available in the app  for the benefit of farmers. In the market price section,  farmer can easily know the rate of paddy, ragi, cholam, maize, cumbu, redgram, blakgram and greengram, cotton, ginger, cabbage cauliflower in major districts of Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur, Pudukottai Karur Salem and Erode. Through organic product section farmers can directly contact others who engage in organic farming in paddy ragi cholam maize and other food grains. Cauvery Water is lifeline for farmers in many districts including delta districts of Tamil Nadu. In the reservoir levels section water levels of 19 dams including Mettur, Vaigai, Periyar, Bhavani sagar in Tamil Nadu  and KRS ,Kabini,  hemavathy dams in Karnataka are given.

 

 Latest agriculture related news is given in Agriculture news section .

The Uzhavan emarket section has interfaces to facilitate  selling and buying  farm products. District level Uzhavar market prices of tomato, potato, small onion, big onion, chillies, brinjal, drumstick, coconut, beans, carrot, mango and banana are given. In Tamil Nadu 6,91,922 people have registered in Uzhavan app according to state Agriculture department. In Tiruchirapalli 19,499 persons and in Thanjavur,  38,468 persons have registered in Uzhavan app. Natarajan farmer from Thappai village Trichy says that Uzhavan app is very useful as they get information about fertilizers and prices of food crops in the app. Aravindan farmer from Trichy Kumulur village says that Uzhavan app is very useful. He says that farmers are getting useful information about fertilizers, crops water level subsidies prices of vegetables.  Ramachandran farmer from Trichy Lalgudi Ootahthur village says that Uzhavan app is very useful for farmers in getting prices, weather, government schemes.Farmers steeped in tradition are also impressed as they can interact with organic farmers. Ramesh farmer from Punchai Sangenthi village says that farmers get information about PM Kisan Samman and other central government schemes which is very useful.

 

It is everyone's duty to create awareness about modern techniques and agro based information immediately through  digital dissemination efforts like Uzhavan app  to farmers . This will supplement  the tillers'   selfless   hardwork for reaping good yield and feeding the biggest democracy in the world.

 

(Release ID: 1622680) Visitor Counter : 1065