Visual aids have for long been very effective in communicating a message. They proved to be effective once again for eSagu, an initiative by Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), which aims at spreading awareness among farmers about modern crop protection measures.
When the cotton crop cultivated by B. Gopal Reddy, a farmer of Bulkapur village in Ranga Reddy district, was attacked by pests, the coordinators of the project took colour photos of the standing crop and displayed them on a notice board in the village. Along with the photographs, the fertilizer and pesticides applied to save the crop were written in Telugu and displayed. Following this, many other farmers, whose crop was also affected by same pests, followed the instructions and saved their crops.
Similar was the case with Itiakapally Buchiraju who cultivated maize, brinjal, tomato and bitter gourd. Other vegetable growers could save their crops after seeing the visuals and following the instructions displayed on the board.
IIIT Hyderabad launched the e-Sagu initiative, which is supported by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), under corporate social responsibility (CSR). The project is being carried forward in association with agriculture and horticulture universities. The year-long project covers 25 villages under which farmers will be issued scientific agro advisories for every 10 days.
Remedial steps
The coordinators appointed under the project would tour the fields, takes photos and upload them so that the scientific experts at IIITH who would go through the photos and suggest remedial measures to farmers.
“We are aiming at reducing the input costs and increasing the yields. We are ready to extend whatever scientific advises we have to give. We are here to help you. Use the opportunity,” said Prof. P. Krishna Reddy of the IITH Agriculture Research Centre, told the farmers of Bulkapur after formally inaugurating the display notice board at the Panchayat office on Thursday.
Dr. B. Bhaskar Reddy, a retired professor in agronomy, said that farmers were unnecessarily pumping money for use of fertilizer and pesticides, which could be reduced drastically. “Instead of scientists coming to the field, details are going to them and they are making the required suggestions. Add scientific knowledge to your experience,” he told villagers.
