GUNTUR: Nearly 49,000 chilli farmers had received various benefits under E-MIRCHA project that was initiated by the AP government. Andhra Pradesh is the major chilli-producing State in India and is famous all over the world with its high demand in the international market due to its rich colour and pungency.
AP government- Horticulture department in coordination with Digital Green NGO including Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation has introduced E-MIRCHA project to increase the quality of mirchi produced in the State.The main initiative of this project is to inculcate the latest digital technology in mirchi cultivation and also to increase the production capacity of the farmers.
As part of this project, Digital Green in association with LAM and horticulture experts have prepared digital advisory channels and informational videos on the methods of cultivation through pico projectors, interactive voice records and Whatsapp chat boards in order to clarify the farmers doubts directly from the experts.
Digital Green has utilized Rythu Bharosa Kendras for telecasting these videos and at YSR Thotabadi campaigns as well. Along with this, as a pilot project, as many as 10 quality testing labs were set up in a selected few areas in the four districts.
Speaking to TNIE, Digital Green State Head K Narendra said that these tests usually cost around Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 depending on the parameters. But using Artificial Intelligence, we have prepared a comprehensive testing kit, which reduced the price to Rs 400 for each farmer, which is funded by Milinda foundation. Over 3,200 farmers got their produce tested in the last season, he added.
Narendra said that the various issues being faced by the farmers during selling their produce, Digital Green has partnered with AgNEXT, Kalgudi, GS1, Spices Board, ITC-eCHOUPAL and Krishitantra have provided a e-commerce online platform to the farmers who could sell their produce directly to traders without having to bear the hamali, transportation and commission agent charges.
Over 1,700 farmers sold their produce worth Rs 44 crore in the last season. Nagamalleshwar Rao, a farmer from Kothapalem village said that they used to sell their produce based on the prices fixed by the commission agent earlier. But after getting a quality certificate, he received an additional profit of Rs 2,000 per quintal more than the market prices and earned more prices.
“With the success of the pilot project, the Digital Green is planning to expand its services to all chilli farmers across the State. We are also planning to provide similar benefits to other commercial crops including turmeric, banana and cotton and we aim to include 1.5 lakh farmers in this beneficial project in the future,” Narendra added.