How a simple SIM card makes farmers more efficient—and possibly saves lives

[Recursion]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/03/how-a-simple-sim-card-helps-farmers-navigate-changing-climates-and-markets/

Fuck yeah technology

Researchers from ICRISAT soon visited villages in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, surveying farmers from AMS to gain insight into their methods and challenges. In each state, the institute started by establishing a “Village Knowledge Center,” a kiosk at which these farmers—most of whom had had no prior exposure to electronics due to prohibitive costs and location—could learn how to operate mobile devices and computers and extract agricultural information from static websites.

Things would not progress this easily, however. While the participants were eager to familiarize themselves with new technology, the text of the websites was entirely in English, a language foreign to them. What's more, like the majority of Indian farmers, many of these women were illiterate, leaving them unable read the text in any language.

“Literacy levels of farmers are low in India,” V. V. Sumanth Kumar, a scientist at ICRISAT, told Ars. “So we decided to target mobile devices. And instead of SMS [which would require farmers to read], we thought of going with voice messages.”

Enter the GreenSIM. Designed to optimize agricultural prosperity in developing countries, the device leverages the core functions of a SIM card (transmitting calls and texts) to deliver free voice messages to farmers, offering updates relating to growing and selling crops.

Green ag, women's empowerment, and economic development. Stuff like this reminds me that things are still worth it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. Kick