Create Jira Ticket
This idea cannot be sent to Jira.
Empowering Women Through Information and Communication Technology Especially in Irrigated Agricultural Location
The agricultural sector is one of Indonesia's potential fields. It is a fertile land with two seasons and it’s on the equator, making it a strategic area providing a variety of plants for human needs.
Indonesia currently has more than 33 million farmers. Because of this amount, the agricultural sector must be considered and facilitated. Especially with technological advancements, to increase productivity and work efficiency. From the above number, there are as many as 1.3 million female farmers spread across various regions in Indonesia. Women farmers have a large influence on the agricultural sector. Women farmers not only undergo their profession but also as one of the spirits of farming and play an active role in improving the economy. More than 60% of farmers In Indonesia have mobile phones, male farmers have fewer mobile phones than women farmers, but male farmers say that their wives work more in the field, male and female activities overlap mostly, but women do most of the processing food and family finances. Therefore, the education of women farmers in the future should pay more attention to this matter, so that our project seems to have significant benefits for women farmers. Female farmers can become other farmers' influencers in terms of educating access to information about agriculture such as information on crop calendars, market prices, fertilizer information and others in one application on their mobile phones, they can also provide more accurate data to stakeholders through surveyors ) which shows what types of plants are cultivated by farmers, planting methods, agricultural sizes, until the level of productivity prediction. In this way, farmers can show stakeholders to estimate how much money they need for initial capital, what type of fertilizer they need to be cultivated, what type of pesticides, to how much yield can farmers produce to be marketed in certain markets.
These benefits indicate that the project is sustainable because we provide a sustainable community chain, especially women and other farmers and stakeholders. Not only that, we also expand the knowledge of farmers to be able to interact with each other and act as a digital community on our platform.
The digital ecosystem continues to be formed which then we can begin to monetize by providing access to digital agriculture, through integrated farming. Collaborating with intermediaries, such as seed companies, fertilizers, providers of financial access to run a sustainable business model.
All of the Intermediaries can use the new ICT App to gain a competitive advantage by making their product information available online. Using the new ICT App, the companies can easily give current information on the amount of fertilizer, seed etc to use per production stage and per location, thus customizing their product information. They can instruct kiosk owners to do timely commercial and marketing actions. The existing channels used, the kiosks and face to face client education, can be integrated with the ICT App, thus potentially creating daily product exposure to the smallholders and to large scale farmers.
In addition, on the downstream side we created a platform that can help farmers gain access to markets. B2B and B2C are our business models for the long term. which hopefully can help farmers to get easy access to markets
State your goals
- Improved rural incomes, enhanced food security and improved livelihoods of irrigated smallholder.
- Agricultural extension information and financial services for 10,000 smallholders (40% women).
- Financially sustainable model for ICT for Agricultural & financial information
- low-cost, timely, and actionable agricultural information and financial services
What problems (particularly in value chain competitiveness and global disruption) are your community’s stakeholders facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic?
In promoting our project, field activities such as the introduction of data collection platforms and education and information platforms have been carried out through face-to-face education in the form of workshops, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have changed our platform promotion model through webinars, so that the use of digital technology has been able to reduce activities face to face on the land of irrigation farmers in Garut (West Java) and Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara). Conventional activities between farmers and extension workers are usually carried out by face-to-face to exchange information and extract solutions from extension workers. But since the Covid-19 Pandemic, people will reduce the conventional way of exchanging information as much as possible. As a result, farmers must find alternatives to communicate better to get the information needed about agriculture. Through our platform, it will be possible for farmers to get information not only from designated extension agents, but also to spread from many extension agents and farmers with similar problems as those from across the country.
It is even possible for extension agents to act as surveyors and extract plant data from farmers without endangering the health of both parties; farmers or extension workers.
It has also been proven that exchanging information on platforms is more effective and more efficient than conventional methods because we also provide information in the form of articles, videos, crop calendars, price information and so on. "
What minimum viable solution(s) are you proposing to address the challenge(s) in your community?
A variety of potential development activities undertaken by women's farmer groups in TA Location, are not accompanied by access to technology and information. While this is very much needed, so that the potential possessed can produce results and improve the family's economy
In our finding is that there is fertile soil for the introduction of the ICT App as all parameters for success are present.
In addition to exchange access to information through an application that we provide called the PETANI application, we involve sensor and automation technology in the field of irrigation in every irrigation channel (primary, secondary, tertiary) directly through collaboration between parties, both government, private sector, and farmers. The government gets real-time irrigation data about the condition of irrigation canals to land information in the farmers' area. This is done as an effort to develop modern agricultural technology 4.0, which needs to be immediately introduced to seek the sustainability of Indonesia as an agrarian country to meet the food needs of its population and achieve the ideals of becoming a world food barn. The irrigation solution is connected to the information and education platform used by farmers directly, so farmers can report irrigation conditions on their land and even farmers can see the irrigation conditions reported by sensors in the platform. We as a technology company, certainly have a value proposition in terms of helping farmers from upstream to downstream. Farmers affected in this project get added value to gain access to the market directly through our e-commerce platform. Women's farmer groups as a local ecosystem to support these activities, they are the main key to educate farmer members and become a center for gathering farm produce before it is marketed
Share your story (your narrative)
The agricultural sector is one of Indonesia's potential fields. It is fertile land with two seasons and it’s on the equator, making it a strategic area providing a variety of plants for human needs.
Indonesia currently has more than 33 million farmers. Because of this amount, the agricultural sector must be considered and facilitated. Especially with technological advancements, to increase productivity and work efficiency.
From the above number, there are as many as 1.3 million female farmers spread across various regions in Indonesia. Women farmers have a large influence on the agricultural sector. Women farmers not only undergo their profession, but also as one of the spirits of farming and play an active role in improving the economy.
One group of women farmers who are very active in their communities is the Women's Farmers Group from East Lombok. This farmer group actively participates in developing the potential of the region.
However, a variety of potential development activities undertaken by women's farmer groups there, are not accompanied by access to technology and information. While this is very much needed, so that the potential possessed can produce results and improve the family's economy.
The presence of the PETANI application is an answer to the limited information that is faced by farmers in East Lombok, especially female farmers. This application will provide reliable information, directly from agricultural experts to assist farmers in the cultivation process.
With the right information, farmers can solve problems in the field, such as pests, plant diseases and others, quickly and will reduce losses.
This mobile based application is easy to access and understand. Various features are built to make it easier for farmers to find answers to difficulties encountered in the field. The PETANI application also brings farmers directly together with agricultural experts in the direct question and answer room, through the Forum feature.
Not only overcoming plant problems, PETANI application also facilitates farmers in East Lombok to connect directly with their regional Research and Development Irrigation Institute. This direct connection aims to make it easier for farmers to make complaints when experiencing problems with irrigation. So that it can be handled quickly.
The women farmers group was chosen as one of the agents for expanding access to information. It’s because of the activeness and contribution they have made to the community. With more and more access to information and facilities, various problems can be quickly overcome, so that productivity increases.
Please provide any additional relevant information that you would like to share.
Our project has achieved significant achievement of the target. Already 80% of farmers have had access to information in two project locations within 4 months. Our project can be replicated in other locations by involving local and national governments. By 2020, the government is targeting expansion to 35 regions by 2022. Problems related to access to information and technology, access to agricultural inputs, and market access can be resolved. If access to information among farmers is open freely, then they will be freer to get other secondary accesses.
Your Final Proposal for challenge
yes
Hello Rani, this is certainly a welcome idea and well done on it. How do you monetise or is it purely a social enterprise?
Hi Rani, I like your idea and project. So many women farmers in Indonesia have not been reached by education in the agricultural sector even though they are very competent. hope your idea reaches the final stage. Good luck team !!
Hi Rani, agriculture and technology always looks good combination and when you add women over there that will be more interesting. How the fermar access to you for your support. What is your marketing policy for them.
You have taken very remarkable initiatives to solve the irrigation problem. you have mentioned that because of COVID-19 pandemic, you have changed you platform promotion model through webinars. What kind of challenges do you face for this?
Status label added: Community feedback received
The idea has been progressed to the next milestone.
Hi Rani,
Out of the 60% of farmers, what % are male, are female? and is this percentage based on a location or world wide? More description please about the digital component of your solution?
Hi Rani, this is a great idea but one question, considering most women in rural areas doesn't have access to digital tools, even more access to the internet, how do you intend to sort this challenge before introducing these digital platforms to them?
Hello Rani?i like your idea its good.My question is Do you charge a fee for your services?how are you going to earn?
Hi Rani,
Good initiative.Are there any cultural barriers that are likely to influence women's participation in your ICT educational platform?
Hello Rani,
Definitely, it is an interesting idea in a sector that is in need of incorporating technology and innovation in its processes, congratulations! I know of other solutions doing something similar in terms of providing information about the fields and crops to help the farmer in different dimensions. In that sense, how are you different from available solutions in the region?
In terms of the solution, are you doing some validation of your solution with female farmers? Also related to that, what is the solution development status?
Who are your clients? You mentioned the government might have a special interest in this, is the government a client or would it be more like a strategic partner?
What is your business model? I read in another response to a comment that you get a margin from the banks and from some other activities and that is super important information to include in your pitch!
Hello Rani, brilliant idea you are doing amazing works thumbs up. ICTs improve the lives of small farmers in a myriad of ways, from monitoring crops to tracking market prices and from spreading good practices to facilitating access to banking services. What other ways are women today solving this issue and what do you think is your value proposition? All the best
Status labels added: Expert feedback received, Mentor feedback received
Status label added: Submission completed
Status label added: Idea under jury review
The idea has been progressed to the next milestone.