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| IFFCO, Airtel join hands to provide boost rural economy | | | New Delhi | May 2
Bharti Airtel Limited, India’s leading integrated telecommunications services provider, and Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative limited (IFFCO) today announced the launch of a joint venture company IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL), that is set to provide a major boost to Indian agriculture and the rural economy at large. The joint venture company will harness the power of telecom to add value to the farm sector and empower the rural farmer by giving him access to vital information, which will enhance his livelihood and quality of life.
Announcing this initiative, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited said, “The telecom revolution has truly transformed India and we believe that the benefits must reach the rural population. As a company we are committed to taking our services to every corner of the country and the launch of IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd. is a major landmark in this direction. We are delighted to partner IFFCO and are confident that our innovative telecom products and services, especially created for the farming community, will enhance their productivity and play a bigger role in India’s growth story. The Indian farmer can now look forward to the benefits of mobile telephony and mobile internet through this initiative.”
Dr. U.S.Awasthi, Managing Director, IFFCO, said, “IFFCO’s heart and soul lives in rural India. It is an organization of the farmers, for the farmers and by the farmers and works on the model of cooperatives. We have been constantly endeavoring to enrich the lives of the farmers through creating and strengthening cooperative institutions, and providing them the best quality inputs in the form of fertilizers and knowledge. IFFCO has created, nurtured and promoted institutions such as Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative, IFFCO Foundation, Cooperative Rural development Trust (CORDET), and Kisan Sewa Trust to impart training, knowledge and education to the farmer at his doorstep. Any amount of effort is inadequate to reach the nook and corner of this country. The mobile technology, however, seems to us a God-Sent opportunity for carrying out this mission. We feel that there is a great opportunity in telecom sector going to rural India to create new business opportunities for the cooperatives where farmers are the key stakeholders. Synergizing on IFFCO’s presense in about 98 percent of villages throughout the country, Airtel would use IKSL as a vehicle to make its mobile telecom services reach the rural masses.”
IKSL will offer products and services, specifically designed for farmers, through IFFCO societies in villages across the country. On offer will be affordable mobile handsets bundled with Airtel mobile connection. The farmer will also get access to a unique VAS platform that will broadcast 5 free voice messages on mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts, diary farming, animal husbandry, rural health initiatives and fertiliser availability etc. on a daily basis. In addition, the farmer will be able to call a dedicated helpline, manned by experts from various fields, to get answers to their specific queries.”
Bharti Airtel will offer competitive calling rates @ 50 paise/minute for calls between IFFCO members. This is expected to promote community building within the society and rural community at large. Bharti Airtel will also set up towers at sites provided by IFFCO societies to provide quality services to farmers. |
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