Icrisat ties up with TeNet

For new system on weather data

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) has tied up with the Telecommunications and Computer Networking (TeNet) Group of the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, to establish a new system for gathering weather data from rural India and provide agricultural advisories to the dryland farmers.

Icrisat director-general William D Dar stated in a press release that the collaboration would help extend Icrisat's technical expertise to the network of rural information kiosks and personnel of TeNet in rural areas, he said.

The project is expected to harness the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) for rural development, open and distance learning and agricultural research, he said.

The TeNet group, headed by Ashok Jhunjuhnwala, had facilitated so far the setting up of more than 1,000 rural information kiosks which are linked to the information hubs through the wireless in local loop technology (WiLL). To start with, Icrisat will work with the group's well-established network in Tamil Nadu.

Icrisat will help TeNet identify and source cost-effective weather probes that can continuously feed data on temperature, humidity and rainfall to a computer at the rural information kiosk.

The data can also be accessed and compiled at the information hubs. Scientists, administrators and rural development managers can use the data for micro-level drought assessment and management.

A recent workshop held at Icrisat observed that the next strategic steps would be to design special programmes on weather, water, crop and livestock management for the para-professionals managing the rural information kiosks.

This could be achieved through the use of open and distance learning techniques, the workshop felt.