| Jamsetji Tata National Virtual
Academy for Rural Prosperity |
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| The Jamsetji Tata National Virtual
Academy for Rural Prosperity (NVA) has become the umbrella
for MSSRF’s initiatives in ICT-led development. |
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| From small beginnings as an experimental
Information Village Project started in Pondicherry in
1998, MSSRF’s initiative in the use of ICT for information
and poverty alleviation in rural areas has evolved and
expanded over the years. By December 2004, twelve VKCs
were in operation in Pondicherry. VKC initiatives are
also being attempted at other field sites and different
models are emerging in response to local needs. (See
SPA 102 and SPA 401). As a need was felt for a network
linking experts and grassroot level communities, the
NVA was launched in August, 2003 with the generous support
of Sir Dorabji Tata Social Welfare Trust. The state
level hub, located at MSSRF is the knowledge resource
that creates and maintains web sites and databases for
the local hubs, in close collaboration with national
and international agencies. It is linked to Village
Resource Centres (VRCs) which in turn are linked to
VKCs for a cluster of villages. A diagrammatic representation
of the linkages is given in Figure 6.1. It is an information
system that establishes lab-to-lab, lab-to-land, land-to-lab
and land-to-land linkages. |
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| The NVA aims to provide information
and knowledge related to drought, climate management,
augmentation of water, maximizing crop yield (more cropper
drop) and markets, and build skills and capacities of
the rural poor, with a view to enhancing livelihood
opportunities, and empowering vulnerable people to make
better choices and have better control of their own
development. |
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| A State level hub in Chennai and
four block level hubs in TN at Thiruvaiyaru (Thanjavur
District), Sempatti (Dindigul District), Annavasal (Pudukkottai
District) and Thangatchimadam (Ramanathapuram District)
have been set up. In October 2004, ISRO provided satellite
connectivity for three block level information centres
(Thiruvaiyaru, Sempatti and Thangatchimadam) under the
Village Resource Centre (VRC) programme. The Hon’ble
Prime Minister of India inaugurated this programme through
video conferencing in October 2004. In his inaugural
speech, he said, “Community-based vulnerability and
risk-related information, provision of timely, early
warning and dissemination of weather related information
can lead to reliable disaster management support at
the village level.” |
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| This network provides the services
of teleeducation, tele-medicine, online decision support,
interactive farmers’ advisory services, tele-fishery,
weather services and water management. This programme
covers both farm and fishing families based on the motto
“food, water, health, literacy and work for all and
for ever”. |
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| Under the VRC programme, a spatial
database for Thiruvaiyaru has been prepared by ISRO.
It reveals the land use pattern of crops grown such
as paddy, sugarcane and oil seeds. It also includes
fallow lands, sandy areas, built-up land, water bodies
and a detailed soil survey. The database helps farmers
to plan their activities. TNAU has developed a software
called DSSIFER which gives a district-wise cropping
pattern. The TN Rice Research Institute has suggested
that it could include the land and water resource plan. |
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| Under the Microsoft Unlimited Potential
Programme (MUPP), 100 Community Technology Learning
Centres (CTLC) are to be set up. |
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| Training and Capacity Building
Programmes |
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| A series of need based training
programmes was facilitated through networking with various
research, NGO and Government agencies. |
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| Pre-rabi season training programmes:
The Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal
Husbandry of Dindigul district, Gandhigram Rural Institute
and NVA/VRC jointly organized a few pre-rabi season
training programmes covering the blocks of Athoor, Nilakottai
and Batlagundu. The cultivation practices of jatropha,
sweet sorghum, sugar beet and pulses were discussed,
as well as details of a regulated market, rain water
harvest and farm ponds. Booklets were also prepared
for the training programmes. |
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| Health
camps and awareness programmes: Health camps
were organized in tribal areas with the support of the
Panchayat, Christian Fellowship Hospital and Goodwill
Tribal Outreach Programme (NGO). Health awareness programmes
were conducted to help them guard against diseases like
malaria, diarrhoea and jaundice. Hepatitis-B awareness
and vaccination programmes were also conducted with
the help of SHGs. |
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| Computer
Aided Learning Programme: With the help of the
Azim Premji Foundation, the Computer Aided Learning
Programme (CALP) was initiated in all the VRCs. So far
50 CDs have been developed on various topics such as
the importance of conserving energy, learning English
and learning to invest in small business. |
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| Government schools are being involved
in the programme with the permission of the Education
Department. The process of research in children’s learning
curve has been set in motion and training is being given
to the school teachers. |
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| In Thangatchimadam and Pudukkottai,
nutrition gardening has also been initiated in the schools
with the help of the Department of Horticulture. In
Pudukkottai, the National Pulses Research Centre provided
technical guidance. In Thiruvaiyaru, the CALP was linked
with Eco- Clubs in schools. Health awareness classes
are also being conducted with the help of Primary Health
Centre doctors. |
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| Accounting Software Training Programme:
Accounting software has been developed for SHGs with
the help of the DRDA. SHGs were trained in maintaining
accounts and they submit monthly reports to banks and
the DRDA. |
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| Kitchen Garden Training Programmes:
Orientation programmes were conducted on the importance
of vegetables in the diet and raising vegetable crops
in the space around the houses. Kitchen garden programmes
were initiated with technical support from the Department
of Horticulture and National Pulses Research Centre |
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| In Thangatchimadam, 30 SHG members
and 5 people from Thaneerotru, who participated in the
kitchen garden training programme now produce a variety
of vegetables. In Thiruvaiyaru, Anbuthamil SHG is maintaining
a kitchen garden and selling vegetables in the neighbourhood. |
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| Training
programmes in Organic Farming and Herbal Healing:
Training in organic farming was arranged for women SHGs
and farmers with the help of TN Organic Farmers’ Association
(Table 6.1). The importance of preparation of panchakavya,
amirtha karaisal, herbal pesticide and insecticide and
organic methods of farming and vermicomposting was emphasized. |
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| Training Programmes on different
crops: Training was imparted on methods of cultivation,
with the help of various agencies as shown in Table
6.2 |
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| Training in GPS and other fish
finding equipment: |
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| With the help of Marine Product
Export Development Authority (MPEDA), training programmes
were organized for fishermen in Rameswaram on GPS and
other fish finding equipment as well as the processing
of fish (Table 6.3). |
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| Livestock
maintenance: In October 2004, a touch screen
multimedia module for livestock was set up in Thiruvaiyaru
and Sempatti with the support of Livestock Development
Group, University of Reading, UK. The module provides
information on the various aspects of rearing livestock
and poultry. A person who got information on Mastitis
and its cure through the touch screen module, consulted
a veterinary doctor and cured the animal herself. |
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| Users have suggested that there
should be more information on livestock varieties, marketing,
prevention and control of different diseases, details
of hospitals and so on. |
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| Animal husbandry camps and awareness
programmes were arranged at Pudukkottai, Dindigul, Thiruvaiyaru
and Pondicherry with the help of the Veterinary Department,
Rotary Club of Pudukkottai, KVK, Veterinary University
Training and Research Centre, Fruits and Vegetable Growers’
Association, Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and
Animal Sciences and panchayats. The problems addressed
included deworming, foot and mouth disease, fertilisation
tests, artificial insemination and surgery. |
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| Use of Video and Audio Media |
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| The hub at MSSRF has a good satellite
bandwidth under the ISRO VRC programme. All the Centres
regularly hold video conferences between the rural communities
and experts, between farmers, between SHGs and between
farmers and manufactures. They promote lateral learning
among rural families. Interactive programmes were held
during the year for diverse groups: |
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- Joint Director, Agriculture, Thiruvaiyaru and
farmers of Ramanathapuram
- Project associates of Thiruvaiyaru and farmers
of Sempatti
- Farmers of Thangatchimadam and HEHCO International
Trust, Thiruvaiyaru
- Coconut Farmers’ Association, Sempatti and Coconut
farmers, Thangatchimadam
- Farmers of Sempatti and Thiruvaiyaru and Mr Sharma,
Asst. General Manager, NABARD
- Fishermen and women, Thangatchimadam and villagers
from Nattam, Sempatti
- SHGs, Thangatchimadam and SHGs, Sempatti
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| Forty audio programmes on different
topics were created by knowledge workers and relayed
every Saturday through All India Radio, Pondicherry.
This programme produced under the Open Knowledge Network
(OKN) collects and disseminates information in the local
language on various matters. |
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| Multipurpose Functions & Services |
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| The VKCs perform multipurpose functions
in response to local needs and demands. For instance,
the Centres have been approached for information on
contract farming, sale of Azospirillum and dealership
for various products. |
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| Despite seawater inundation following
the tsunami, a few local rice varieties were not affected
by salinity. The characterization, cost of cultivation
and farmers’ views on these varieties were documented
and transferred to the Community Gene Bank at Chennai.
Now the Gene Bank and the NVA are in the process of
multiplying these seeds for dissemination. |
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| INCOIS conducted interaction meetings
for fishermen at Thangatchimadam Centre, explaining
the features of INCOIS Digital Electronic Board set
up by the Centre and its use. The Gulf of Mannar Trust
and NVA/VRC organized an interaction meeting at which
Mr Ramasubramaniyan, IFS, explained the activities of
the Trust and the formation of Village Marine Councils
(VMC). After the meeting two villages, Karaiyoor and
Francis Nagar approached the Gulf of Mannar Trust for
forming a VMC in their village. |
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| Several awareness programmes were
conducted at the Thangatchimadam, Thiruvaiyaru and Sempatti
centres. A Gender Awareness Programme was also conducted
at Thangatchimadam for SHG members covering issues of
rights in custody, health, the importance of education
and micro-enterprise training for self-employment. A
woman farmer from Thiruvaiyaru, nominated by MSSRF,
received the ASPEE award for the best woman rice farmer
in the International Year of Rice, 2004. |
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| National Alliance for Mission 2007:
Every Village a Knowledge Centre |
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| The small beginnings of the Information
Village Project evolved into a National
Alliance for Mission 2007: Every Village a Knowledge
Centre . MSSRF conducted a Policy Makers’ Workshop
on 8 and 9 October, 2003. The need for developing a
master plan as well as a business plan for extending
the benefits of ICT to all the 6,00,000 villages in
India by 2007, which marks the 60 anniversary of our
Independence, emerged strongly at the workshop. |
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| Following this, in July 2004, MSSRF,
OneWorld South Asia and NASSCOM Foundation initiated
a National Alliance for Mission 2007 with an initial
alliance of 80 partners. It was recommended that the
alliance spread the rural knowledge centre movement
and function like the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), without a legal structure.
The Alliance has a Chairperson, Secretary General, Secretaries,
and four task forces for connectivity, content, management
of knowledge centres and resources. It also has a steering
committee for Mission 2007. So far, six executive board
meetings have been held. There are over 150 Alliance
members now. |
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| In the budget
speech for 2005-2006, the Honourable Finance Minister
supported the goal of Mission 2007 and provided Rs
100 crore to be disbursed by NABARD for VKCs. |
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about National Alliance for Mission 2007: Every Village
a Knowledge Centre |
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| “The National Commission on Farmers
has recommended the establishment of Rural Knowledge
Centres all over the country using modern information
and communication technology (ICT). Mission 2007 is
a national initiative launched by an alliance comprising
nearly 80 organizations including civil society |
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| organizations. Their goal is to
set up a Knowledge Centre in every village by the 60th
anniversary of Independence Day. Government supports
the goal, and I am glad to announce that Government
has decided to join the alliance and route its support
through NABARD. I propose to allow NABARD to provide
Rs 100 crore out of RIDF”. |
| – Budget
speech by Shri P Chidambaram, Minister of Finance,
GoI, 28 February, 2005 |
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Following this, NABARD
organized a one-day workshop on support to VKCs under
RIDF at Mumbai on 4 April, 2005 .
Participants from MSSRF, NASSCOM Foundation, Microsoft,
NCF, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd., ITC, representatives
from TN, Pondicherry, Karnataka, AP, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Orissa, West Bengal, and Kerala
governments, and NABARD officials participated. The
existing egovernance plans, ICT grassroot initiatives,
connectivity, content, setting up and management of
VKCs, sustainability of VKCs, appropriate staffing arrangements
and formation of state chapters of Mission 2007 were
discussed. It was agreed that Connectivity, Content,
Capacity Building and Care and Management of the VKCs
are the 4 Cs crucial to the success of Mission 2007. |
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| NVA Fellows |
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| It is proposed to have a cadre of
rural knowledge workers from across the country to create
a stake in local ownership and management. Starting
with a set of Master Trainers, the network will widen
to cover a larger group in an expanding scale, in keeping
with the aim of the NVA of reaching frontier technology
to the resource poor rural women and men and enabling
them to become masters of their own destiny. It will
help to create large numbers of knowledge managers in
our villages. This cadre of grassroot workers, both
men and women, are to be elected as Fellows of the Jamsetji
Tata National Virtual Academy for Rural Prosperity and
trained to be master trainers for spearheading the knowledge
revolution in rural India. In 2004, 6 Fellows were selected
through a rigorous selection process as the first Fellows
of the NVA. 137 grassroot workers were inducted as Fellows
of the NVA at the second National Convention of Mission
2007 and the Convocation of the NVA inaugurated by the
President of India in July, 2005. |
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| The aim is to select one million
Fellows by August 2010. |
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