CSA Krishak Helpline finds few takers in farmers

KANPUR: Here is yet another example of the lackadaisical attitude of CSA Agricultural University authorities towards extending facilities to the farming community. In what can be seen as the result of poor publicity by Chandra Shekhar Azad (CSA) Agricultural University and unawareness about the 'Krishak Helpline' (1800-180-5122), a majority of the farmers are still ignorant about this facility.
The officials of CSA extension department claim following the unawareness about this toll-free number, a large number of farmers across 28 districts coming under the agricultural university cannot seek agricultural information from the scientists and experts of CSA.
It may be noted here that in the bid to help farmers gain agricultural know-how, information related to plants, seeds and fertilisers and thus increasing agricultural productivity, 'Krishak Helpline' was inaugurated on October 12, 2001 at the Agricultural and Technological Information Centre (ATIC) of CSA University.
At a time when the Central-run 'Kisaan Call Centre' services were sought by farmers from every corner of the country at toll-free number 1800-180-1551 (also available in the CSA university), its counterpart (Krishak Helpline) hardly found any takers.
It was only after the services of 'Kisaan Call Centre' collapsed an year and a half back following non-payment of phone bills that farmers dialling 1800-180-1551 were connected to 'Krishak Helpline' and thus this service of the CSA authorities was known to the farmers.
The popularity of the helpline service provided by the CSA among farmers can be gauged from the fact that in the year 2002, only 2,310 calls were registered at the ATIC. The number of farmers seeking information at the 'Krishak Helpline' dropped in the year 2003, as it was only 1,655 times that the farmers had called with queries on this number in the whole year. While the number further reduced in 2004 and only 900 calls were registered that year, it was the year 2007 that marked the lowest number of calls, them being only 573 in 365 days.
However, due to the collapse of Central-run 'Kisaan Call Centre', there was an increase in the queries at the 'Krishak Helpline' and it registered 1,397 calls in 2009.
The department officials preferring anonymity point out that hardly any marketing about the toll-free number has been done since its inauguration. "Unlike 'Kisaan Call Centre', there has been no advertisement about the toll-free number started by the state, so how can farmers be aware of this facility?" they said.
However, defending the department, director extension Dr Ram Charan said they had been organising symposiums and workshops for the farmers at ATIC in CSA University and thus farmers attending workshops were informed about the free-call facility. "Besides, through farmer fairs we have been advertising about this helpline number in the rural population. However, with the rural population not being that technologically advanced, one may claim that to be the reason for the poor performance of the toll-free number," said Dr Ram Charan.
Another reason cited for the less popularity of the 'Krishak Helpline' is the short duration of the services provided at this helpline number in comparison to the 'Kisaan Call Centre' where information can be sought for long period of time.
Drawing a line between the Central and state-run helpline numbers, assistant professor, directorate of extension, Dr AS Dwivedi said: "It is a pity that the 'Krishak Helpline' is merely functional for two hours of the days, ie between 1 pm to 3 pm and that too only on the working days of the university. This way toll-free Kisaan Call Centre had an upper hand as its services were available to the farmers between 8 am to 10 pm."
"However, now all calls coming to Kisaan Call Centre are diverted to 'Krishak Helpline' which is proving to be beneficial in marketing our helpline number," said Dwivedi.
The officials had a reason for the short helpline services. "Scientists and experts answering calls and queries of farmers also teach at the university. It is only during the lunch hours that they are free and come to ATIC to answer queries and thus only two hours can be spared for the helpline numbers," he said.
The CSA extension department is meant to carry out the promotion and advertisement of various verities of seeds and fertilisers among farmers along with extending other facilities and information to the farming community.