Fertiliser major IFFCO’s subsidiary IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL), has bagged Coffey International Award for its unique mobile service initiative empowering farmers.
UK-based Coffey International Limited, a leading global professional services consultancy, sponsored the award to encourage companies that contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
“IFFCO’s mobile phone based initiative to improve income, yield and the quality of living of poor and illiterate farmers in rural India is truly inspirational, clearly achieving
benefits for society, business and for the partners involved,” Coffey International Ltd CEO Peter Wilson said in a statement.
IKSL, a joint-venture between IFFCO and telecom companies Bharti Airtel and Star Mobitel, initiated ‘M-Powering Farmers Mobile Phone Service’ to help farmers become more productive, profitable and sustainable by providing easier access to agricultural information via mobile phones.
IKSL has a subscriber base of about 4 million farmers.
“The Coffey Award is affirmation of IKSL’s approach of using mobile phone technology for improving the quality of life of poor and marginal farmers in our country,” IFFCO
Managing Director U S Awasthi said.
While agriculture is a major occupation in India, a lack of agri-information has made it very difficult for farmers to make informed decisions regarding crop choice, sowing methods, disposal of products and more, resulting in low productivity and profitability.