Aiming to provide content that is of practical use to farmers across the country on its soon-to- be-launched 'DD Kisan' channel, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is working out strategic partnerships with elite scientific and other institutions.
Preparations for the launch of this "niche edu-tainment" channel, which could go on air in April, are on full-swing and tie-ups with several experts' bodies are being explored and finalised, officials said.
Interactions are on with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) and other such bodies to ensure that the channel can provide accurate information and expert advice on everything from district-specific weather updates and commodity prices to the latest technologies.
The upcoming channel could have a ticker with up-to-date information from various 'mandis' across the country. The information in this respect will be obtained from NCDEX, sources said.
"It will help farmers compare the prices of their products in different markets," an official said.
Prasar Bharati chairperson Dr A Surya Prakash and other senior functionaries are learnt to be in touch with officials in the Ministry of Earth Sciences and IMD for weather-related inputs.
"IMD has a very accurate district-wise system through which it can make crop-specific weather forecasts and they also have a mobile-app through which they are in touch with lakhs of farmers. But through the Kisan channel, this essential information would reach farmers in the remotest parts of the country," a source said, adding that a studio of the channel will come up in the Agricultural Meteorology Division of IMD at Pune.
With district-based weather forecasts aired for specific crops twice a week, the channel will bring an essential scientific input to farmers, officials said. They added that they expect equally vital information to flow from the scientists of IARI in New Delhi, where another of its studios for the Kisan channel is proposed to come up.
"There are situations which require urgency, like recently when there was damage to crops due to unseasonal rain. The channel will quickly bring expert advice to farmers, spread awareness about measures taken by the government and also about crop varieties which are best suited for different conditions," a source said.
Officials said that Prasar Bharati plans to enter into arrangements with several reputed institutes like the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute in Rajasthan, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Indian Council for Agricultural Research and top agricultural universities and government departments and ministries for developing high-quality specialised content for the channel.
"We are really enthused because of the strong support we are receiving from IMD, agricultural universities, NCDEX, ICAR and other prestigious institutions for the channel," Prasar Bharati chairperson A Surya Prakash told PTI.
Officials said that they hope that the launch of the channel will help the farming community get crucial information about scientific techniques, food processing, soil testing, etc. They also expect it to address issues faced by the rural population.
"There are issues like malnutrition, cleanliness, child sex ratio, which require awareness among people and such a channel is in an ideal position to bring change," a source said.
The farmers' channel, which was announced in the first budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in 2014, after NDA came to power at the Centre, could also help spread word about the government's flagship programmes among the masses.
"Doordarshan has been showing the long-running Krishi- Darshan programme, which began in 1967. But the Kisan channel, which will be a 24x7 one, can bring a range of new features and programmes which can holistically serve farmers and the rural communities at large," an official said.
The channel, for which a parallel is hard to find among public broadcasters across the world, will be a niche one which will also have segments of entertainment with the focus being on rural India, the official added.