The e-krishi project of the Kerala State Information Technology Mission is an effort that seeks to link up farmers and buyers through an online platform.
The definition given to e-krishi is "market-driven agricultural initiative through IT-enabled agri-business centres in Kerala State."
e-krishi includes agro machinery and farm equipment makers, cold chain technologies, commodity brokers, cooperatives, food processors, pre and post harvest management experts, packaging technology providers, insurance companies, warehousing agents, surveyors and certification agencies, so on and so forth.
Farmers will derive benefits such as accessing warehouses and markets with prevailing price quotes, information on schemes, subsidies, modern agricultural methods, best practices, soil testing, seeds, plantlets, fertilizers, pest control, logistics support, and access to micro credits through e-krishi.
The project will be rolled out through Akshaya centres in Malappuram district in Northern Kerala. Farmers and traders who have enrolled themselves with e-krishi can log on to the site from the Akshaya centres and make/receive payments through Akshaya's e-payment facility.
The first phase of e-krishi in Malappuram is likely to go online next month itself. About 20,000 farmers and 500 purchase intents are expected to be ready on the e-krishi platform by then.
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