UZHAVAN APP – A BOON TO TAMIL NADU FARMERS

Abstract

    In agriculture, farmers make decisions in their day to day life in risky situations. Through ICT, farmers have been empowered to exchange their opinions, experiences and ideas. It has given farmers more exposure and allowed them to use science that looks at agriculture from an integrated perspective. In order to help farmers, the various ICT mobile applications has been developed to transform agriculture related information to farmers in timely and cost effective manner. This study was undertaken to analyze the usage level of farmers with the Uzhavan app which is developed by Tamil Nadu government especially for the benefit of farmers. The Uzhavan app provides information about subsidy scheme available for various inputs like seed, farm machinery, solar pump set, plastic mulching, shade net, beehives, poly house, micro irrigation, cold storage unit, custom hiring centre, water harvesting system, crop insurance, mushroom shed, hi-tech nursery along with the subsidy amount and percentage of subsidy for small, marginal, and large farmers. The Uzhavan app is used by many farmers and it is farmers friendly. The usage level of various services in Uzhavan app among farmers and benefits received by them after using this app were analyzed. The constraints faced, expectation and suggestions to improve the usage of Uzhavan app were also studied. Farmers benefitted from various services of this app and expected additional information on allied sectors also.