Vuyyuru, June 18: Bharti Airtel Ltd, the country’s leading mobile operator, has entered into a strategic tie-up with Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO) and formed a new joint venture company–IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL)–to reach the farmers directly.
Explaining details about the new initiative to newspersons here last evening, Andhra Pradesh Bharti Airtel Ltd Chief Executive Officer (Mobile Services) Sharlin Thayil said the initiative marks Airtel’s strategic intent of making mobile telephony more accessible and affordable among rural consumers.
Mr Thayil said the joint venture will harness the power of telecom to add value to the farm sector and empower the rural farmer of Andhra Pradesh, by giving access to vital information, which will enhance the livelihood and quality of life of farmers.
He said more than 10 lakh IFFCO society members of rural Andhra Pradesh will be benefited with the new venture.
The CEO said IKSL will offer products and services, especially designed for farmers, through IFFCO societies in villages across the state. The farmer will also get access to a unique VAS platform that will broadcast five free voice messages on mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts, dairy farming, animal husbandry, rural health initiatives and fertiliser availability on a daily basis, he said.
In addition, farmers will be able to call a dedicated helpline manned by experts from various fields, to get answers to their specific queries and also can clear doubts by calling scientists over phone, he said.
Mr Thayil said the joint venture is a very important step in the state and would impact the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Andhra Pradesh.
Bharti Airtel Ltd Chief Operating Officer (COO) Rajnish Kaul said IKSL is a unique venture towards strengthening the hands of the Andhra Farmers.
This will empower farmers through information and further boost the rural economy, he opined and said Airtel offers competitive calling rates at 50 paise a minute for calls between IFFCO members.
This is expected to promote community building within the society and the rural community at large, he added.
He said the Bharti Airtel will also set up towers at sites provided by IFFCO societies to provide quality services to the farmers.
IKSL Andhra Pradesh head Narayan Rao, present at the press briefing said ”IFFCO is an organisation of the farmers and works on the model of cooperatives.
He said there was a great opportunity in telecom sector by going to rural India to create new business opportunities for the cooperatives where farmers are the key stakeholders.
—–Agencies