Amit Dasgupta

September 2007 1 Amit Dasgupta

Amit Dasgupta

Leveraging Web 2.0 to

Develop Better Applications for Rural Communities


A Perspective on Knowledge Sharing Applications

Challenges in Knowledge Sharing

Leveraging Web 2.0 for Better Applications

Crop Cultivation Planning

Irrigation Scheduling

Agro Input & Prophylactic Control

Web 2.0 for Stakeholders

Conclusions

Contents


A Perspective on Knowledge Apps. India has made remarkable progress in technology,

industrial development and economic growth But the benefits of such development have not reached

the agricultural community - 60% of India’s population. Lack of easy access to knowledge and information – a

key inhibitor for robust agricultural development Availability of information is not a constraint, several

institutions contribute to the knowledge pool - Ineffective dissemination of information is the main impediment.

Applications available currently are limited in content and functionality and can only serve a localised community.


Challenges in Knowledge Sharing

What are the challenges in developing knowledge sharing

applications for a larger community?

Without a large user base, difficult to justify the high cost

A large user base can be expected only if regional variations and

localization needs are addressed, thereby increasing complexity

To provide rich information and content, data has to be extracted

from multiple sources, which demands close collaboration

Due to limited access to computers, applications can be widely

used only if they can support multiple devices - cell phones, TV etc


How Can Web 2.0 be Useful? To improve the quality of information by linking

information from multiple data sources

To reduce cost of content creation and deployment

For providing better access through multiple devices

Collaborative content authoring using WIKI and feeds for publishing data

Content aggregation & syndication (RSS/ATOM feeds) with mashups allows better information and knowledge management

Information access through multiple devices using feeds and mashups


How Can Web 2.0 be Useful? To provide richer content using collective intelligence of

user communities and experts

For effective information exchange and knowledge management between geographically dispersed stakeholders through a collaborative web platform.

Tag

• WIKI for collaborative authoring • Through tagging more meaning to data can be

attached collaboratively

• WIKI & tagging for collaborative authoring & information exchange.

• Feeds & mashups for knowledge management.

Tag


Crop Cultivation Planning

Cultivation Data from Village/Block

• Crop Cultivation Data• Demand Supply Gap

• Demand Supply Gap • Suggested Crop Cultivation Plan

Farmers

Insurance, Financial Agri Input & Food Processing Cos.

To analyse demand & supply position

Web Application

Market Demand Data

Application Server

Village/Block - Mallur

Week 36 - 2006

Crop Acreage

Tomatoes 60

Onions 112

Potatoes 96

Demand vs Supply - Week 36

Crop Rank Gap (Mt)

Onions 1 450

Tomatoes 2 300

Potatoes 3 -200

Trading firms/ Auction Centres


Irrigation Scheduling

Irrigation Schedules

Meteorological Data

Soil Maps

For Irrigation Scheduling

Irrigation Department

Farmers

Web Application

Application Server

Meteorological Department

National Bureauof Soil Survey


Agro Input & Prophylactic Control

• Soil Test Data• Pest Description

Advice on: • Fertiliser & pesticide use• Prophylactic control

Experience Sharing & Feedback

Computerised models for fertiliser and pesticide use

Farmers

Guidance on Crop, Agro Inputs& Pesticide use

Experts

Web Application

Application Server

FarmingCommunity


Web 2.0 for Stakeholders

Maintain the WIKI, and its integration with other Web 2.0 technologies

Author view and regulate content

Author and view contentW

iki

Provide support for mashing-up of content; using mashup-builders to generate richer information and knowledge

Use mash up-builder tools to create mashups for data mining and other research and business needs

Have access to value added information and content published as feeds M

ash

up

s

Provide a mechanism to data-mine tag content and provide visualization in the form of tag-clouds

Monitor tags to publish more relevant feeds

Tag content for receiving and searching informationT

agg

ing

Manage feeds and provide easier mechanisms to publish and consume feed content

Publish feeds on crop demand, prices, agro inputs and meteorology

Subscribe to content feedsF

eed

s

Systems DevelopersResearch Institutions,

Govt. Agencies & Business Users

User Community

Tag


Conclusion Integration of data from multiple sources will be

required to provide meaningful information and content.

Involvement of stake holders is crucial for sharing and

dissemination of information for knowledge sharing

applications for the agricultural community.

Using the Web2.0 framework would offer significant

advantages: Richer information and content

Geographically dispersed organisations can jointly work together

Collaborative framework for community participation


Conclusion…

The message is clear. Academic and research

institutions, government agencies, NGOs, commercial

organisations and users must collaborate.

The time is opportune for key stakeholders to convene

a Forum to work together, to make knowledge more

accessible to rural communities.

The impact of such initiatives on the rural economy and

benefits to the farming community worldwide - would be

truly astounding!


Questions?

[email protected]


Thank You!

[email protected]

Amit Dasgupta

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