Green SIM card can be used on any GSM mobile and it has information on animal husbandry, horticulture, crop insurance, government policies and schemes and sericulture.
50,000 farmers in Karnataka are now making use of their green SIM cards to get weather forecasts on their mobile phones.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has entered into a MoU with mobile service providers to make green SIMs available for farmers at their shops.
At present several farmers around Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysore are using the green sim cards, through which the weather forecast five days in advance can be obtained.
The green SIM card for farmers is an initiative of the IFFCO (Indian Farmers’ Fertilizers Cooperative) and a private mobile phone service provider, to whom the IMD pays the money so that farmers can receive weather-related services. A common five digit help-line number is given to the farmers who purchase these green sim cards.
The farmers can type in the key words and obtain the information.
Besides providing weather forecasts for almost all the climate zones, the green SIM card which can be used on any GSM mobile, has information on animal husbandry, horticulture, crop insurance, government policies and schemes and sericulture. IMD Bengaluru Director B. Puttanna stresses that the farmers in the state are not able to use the service in large numbers.
“When you compare neighbouring states such as Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, you will find over two lakh farmers taking advantage of weather forecasts. When the farming community is using internet in many villages, why not mobile phone-driven weather forecasts?”
“The objective is to strengthen the farming community with the latest developments in weather and possible heavy rainfall warnings. There are seasons when the farmers are highly dependent on rains or a drier season. If the advance forecast is messaged to the farmers, they can plan their agricultural activities accordingly. We are trying to popularize the services in the state and IMD is dedicated to provide round-the- clock weather forecasts to farmers,” Mr Puttanna said.
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Green sim cards, green prepaid sim cards, green sim cards for farmers, green sim cards on gsm mobile phones.
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