Improving agriculture: Punjab partners with Telenor, Telenor Microfinance Bank
Aim is to help farmers utilise interest-free loans and leverage technology
PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Telenor Pakistan, along with Telenor Microfinance Bank, joined hands with the agriculture department of the province and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for “Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab.”
The PITB seeks to capitalise on the potential offered by Digital Mobile technology, smartphone penetration and branchless mobile banking services to uplift the agriculture economy of the province.
As part of the programme, interest-free loans to farmers will be disbursed through EasyPaisa Mobile Wallets. Telenor will also develop a digital platform comprising multiple mobile and web apps to help millions of farmers in Punjab improve their yield through easily accessible advisory of modern agriculture practices and improved access to agri experts and agriculture input providers.
According to estimates, Punjab has over 10 million farmers out of which approximately 2 million are already using smartphones and the number is growing every day.
The Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab (CAPP) aims to revolutionise agriculture practices across the province by connecting all stakeholders in the value chain including but not limited to agriculture input providers, research institutions, commodity buyers, supply chain services provider, and agriculture extension workers.
As part of the CAPP Program, 500,000-plus eligible farmers will also get 3G/4G-enabled smartphones along with free SIM cards and data bundles. To enable farmers to utilise the full potential of this platform, hundreds of facilitation centers and booths will be established.
“The collaboration between Telenor Pakistan and the Punjab government provides the platform to uplift the livelihood of farmers by leveraging technology,” said Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2017.
Telenor Pakistan, along with Telenor Microfinance Bank, joined hands with the agriculture department of the province and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for “Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab.”
The PITB seeks to capitalise on the potential offered by Digital Mobile technology, smartphone penetration and branchless mobile banking services to uplift the agriculture economy of the province.
As part of the programme, interest-free loans to farmers will be disbursed through EasyPaisa Mobile Wallets. Telenor will also develop a digital platform comprising multiple mobile and web apps to help millions of farmers in Punjab improve their yield through easily accessible advisory of modern agriculture practices and improved access to agri experts and agriculture input providers.
According to estimates, Punjab has over 10 million farmers out of which approximately 2 million are already using smartphones and the number is growing every day.
The Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab (CAPP) aims to revolutionise agriculture practices across the province by connecting all stakeholders in the value chain including but not limited to agriculture input providers, research institutions, commodity buyers, supply chain services provider, and agriculture extension workers.
As part of the CAPP Program, 500,000-plus eligible farmers will also get 3G/4G-enabled smartphones along with free SIM cards and data bundles. To enable farmers to utilise the full potential of this platform, hundreds of facilitation centers and booths will be established.
“The collaboration between Telenor Pakistan and the Punjab government provides the platform to uplift the livelihood of farmers by leveraging technology,” said Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2017.