Initial Launch at Sivagangai
ITC today announced the expansion of the e-Choupal network to Tamil Nadu with the initial launch at Sivagangai on the 2nd of August 2008 in the presence of the Hon’ble Finance Minister, Shri P Chidambaram and Chairman, ITC Limited, Shri Y C Deveshwar.
Commenting on the launch, ITC Chairman. Mr Deveshwar said : “I am delighted that the e-Choupal network will now have the opportunity to contribute to transforming the lives of the farmers in Tamil Nadu. ITC’s proven expertise in the agri sector will now be available to the poorest of farmers in the State and give them an opportunity to leverage the power of information technology and also benefit from high quality extension services.”
Based on ITC’s extensive knowledge and research base, as also its rich experience in integrated agricultural development, the e-Choupal network being launched in Tamil Nadu will provide quality agri extension services to empower farmers through increased productivity of crops like paddy. The digital infrastructure, including a dedicated website in Tamil, will provide farmers with a host of information related to know how, best practices, timely and relevant weather information. The e-Choupal will enhance the bargaining power of farmers through the establishment of a virtual cooperative and thereby provide access to quality and cost competitive agricultural inputs. The extension services will also specifically address the challenges faced by farmers in these predominantly dryland areas to improve yields and quality of crops.
ITC’s ‘Choupal Pradarshan Khet’ launched recently in several parts of the country is a high quality agri extension service that brings the benefits of best practices to farmers, with pro-active handholding to ensure productivity gains. These services will be customised to meet local conditions, ensure timely availability of farm inputs including insurance and credit, and also progressively provide a cluster of farmer schools for capturing indigenous knowledge.
ITC’s e-Choupal network today covers 40,000 villages in India and has benefited over 4 million farmers. The Choupal Pradarshan Khet initiative, which currently covers 43,500 hectares, has a multiplier impact and reaches out to over 1 million farmers.