High yield is not just about timely sowing. Much also depends on receiving appropriate plant protection measures to limit crop loss, say farmers.

And these farmers had enrolled as members in the “e-Velanmai” (e-Agriculture) scheme offered by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. They were offered advisory services by agricultural scientists. According

Narrating his experience, V. Dhanasekaran of Thuravi Village in Villupuram district said: “I spotted the leaf spot disease in the groundnut crop I had cultivated on about 2 acres in my farm one morning. I immediately called the field coordinator who visited the farm, captured the image of the affected plants, and sent it to the scientist concerned for advice. Within two hours, the field coordinator returned with the prescription. I was able to save the crop and limit the yield loss.”

Another woman farmer, Sivakami, of Senjerimalai village, said she noticed aphids and pod borer pests in her avarai crop, which she had cultivated on about one acre. “I was advised to spray 250 gm of Acephate an acre. I later realised that I achieved 450 kg additional yield. But for the timely intervention, I would have lost completely.”

Many farmers said that they were pleased to receive the recommendation at their doorstep.

Farmers concede that prior to the introduction of eVelanmai project they depended on input dealers for crop protection guidance. “Now, there is social recognition and we are able to share the information with confidence,” said Latha of Valem village.

There were some who felt that they were unable to reap the benefit of the recommendation, possibly due to the unexpected rainfall after the spray, while a few others said that they were not sure if the pesticide prescribed by the expert was the same as the one issued by the input dealer.

More enrolments

But the number of farmers enrolling themselves in this scheme is on the rise. From 1,181 in the pilot phase in 2007 -11, it has risen to over 12,000 now, says C. Karthikeyan, Project Coordinator of the eVelanmai scheme.

“It is an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) based, demand-driven participatory extension approach, seeking to provide timely advisory services (by scientists) to farmers using ICT tools,” said Karthikeyan, explaining the concept.

This World Bank-aided TN-IAMWARM project of the Government of Tamil Nadu has since been extended to 26 sub-basins (irrigation project command areas) in the State.

World Bank team is slated to review the project on May 20.

Karthikeyan meanwhile said that it has been proposed to recommend the project for adoption to the State Department of Agriculture.

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