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Making inroads into Rural India through the Mobile VSAT videoconferencing van

The Mobile VSAT Video Conferencing Van at MANAGE liberates the Video Conferencing Services from the fixed conference halls in cities and towns to the rural communities- the farmers in their own environment. The mobile VSAT Van is a mobile satellite terminal which can be used for voice, fax, data, video and Internet application. Constructed on a DCM Toyota Qualis vehicle it is equipped with air-conditioning equipment, and uninterrupted power supply. The data is up-linked to satellite through a motorized antenna. The frequency band of operation is extended C-Band, witch can be upgraded to Ku band. The VSAT Van provides 384 kbps dedicated bandwidth for videoconferencing and upto 512 kbps for voice and data communication using Satellite Communication between the Mobile VSAT Van and the Fixed Video Conferencing system at MANAGE. MANAGE has been using this van for videoconferencing with stakeholders in the Watershed territories and NATP Districts. Over the last three months around 70 programmes have been organized covering around 9000 people in different districts in Andhra Pradesh. Farmers and farming communities are  having a direct two way video communication with the District Officials, technical resource persons and the agricultural experts. A team of technical persons from information and communication technology and social resource persons from extension are facilitating the communication and learning in these sessions. The interactions included the following:

Interaction with MACTCS functionaries of Ranga Reddy district

MANAGE identified the needs and problems of farmers of the concerned Mutually Aided Cooperative Thrift and Credit Societies (MACTCS) and Rythu club members of different mandals in Ranga Reddy district. Scientists from different research institutions and officials from the Agriculture and Rural Development departments were invited to the hub at MANAGE, from where they interacted with the farmers and farm women leaders, field officials viz. Mandal Agriculture Officer, Village Agriculture Officer, Gram Sevika etc. Most of their queries related to procurement of good quality seeds, fertilizers and other inputs; access to market related information and marketing of their products; value addition of their produce; frequent interactions with  the scientists through mobile van for crop cultivation practices, and problems and issues. They also brought the original samples from the field to the mobile van to solve some of their problems for eg. problem of stem borer in grapes, pest attack in tomato, paddy crop etc. Total transparency was  observed in the interactions between the farmers and the officials of the Agriculture Department through the videoconferencing.

MANAGE conducted training for functionaries of the Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Support Project (APRLP) on Watershed plus activities regarding preparation of the Action plan. The mobile videoconferencing facility was used to interact with APRLP functionaries in five districts of Andhra Pradesh on follow up action for preparation of an Action Plan. The districts covered were Nalgonda, Mahboobnagar, Kurnool, Anantapur, and Prakasam. The objectives were to develop a common understanding among different stakeholders; review the overall progress under the project as per the project cycle; share successful experiences of innovators to motivate the participants; identify location specific constraints and issues which are adversely affecting the progress and also to evolve mechanisms through which these problems could be addressed. 

The interactions over a period of three months covered participants at all levels including Project Directors, Project Implementing Agencies, Watershed Associations, Watershed Committees, and Livelihood groups. In each of the districts the programme over a five-days period reviewed the overall progress under APRLP (physical, financial and processes) as per the project cycle, along with the issues, constraints, opportunities. The follow up action was also proposed. This was followed by sharing of success stories on Community Organisations, capacity building of different stakeholders, sustainable development and management of water resources, perennial vegetation in common land, improvement of land based livelihoods and non-land based livelihoods.

Linking Institutions through  the Mobile VSAT van

Faculty at MANAGE had an interaction with faculty in 13 agricultural research, extension and training institutions in Hyderabad through the mobile VSAT van. The institutions include: Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU); Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA); Directorate of Oilseeds Research (DOR); Directorate of Rice Research (DRR); Extension Education Institute (EEI); International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT); National Academy for Agricultural Research Management (NAARM); National Bureau for Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR); National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD); National Plant Protection Training Institute (NPPTI); National Research Centre for Sorghum (NRCS); Project Directorate on Poultry (PDP) and Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI).

Orientation Programme for Agriculture Functionaries on formation of Rythu Mitra Groups (RMGs) in different districts of Andhra Pradesh

The Department of Agriculture, Govt of Andhra Pradesh has taken the lead of organizing farmers into 2 lakh Rythu  Mitra groups for the benifit of small and marginal farmers. The state’s experience with women’s self help groups has been very positive with savings/thrift and credit activities and this is being used for formulating the guidelines for RMGs. The orientation of key partners in organization of Rythu Mitra Groups is being done through mobile videoconferencing  by MANAGE for all districts of Andhra Pradesh.

 The advantages of this technology are increase in the learning opportunities through experience sharing, saving of time for overall management of the project; improved transparency in sharing of information at all levels, and possibility of utilising review sessions for capacity building of different stakeholders.