Transcript Krishi - E- AG Conference

Krishi Call Centre 16123
in Agricultural Information Service
Faruk-Ul-Islam,
Ph.D. (UK)
Head of Policy, Practice and Program Development
Practical Action, Bangladesh
Why Call Centre?
• Subscribers : 110 million in the country
•
More cheaper mobile phone will be available soon
• Direct staff led extension service is costly, farmers need
alternative cheaper means to access information and
guidance
•
Farmers need guidance from reliable sources and real time
solutions to their huge queries
•
Farmers need faster communication, direct discussion with
experts, need external knowledge to face the challenges of
Climate Change, Disaster and global trade
A snapshot of mobile phone users of
some countries:
Country
# of mobile phone Phones per
100 citizen
Data evaluation
date:
Bangladesh
114,808,000
69.5
January 2014
India
904,480,000
74.96
31 October 2013
Nepal
18,240,670
68.5
March 2013
Pakistan
130,583,076
69.18
December 2013
Sri Lanka
17,359,312
80.95
December 2013
Kenya
28,080,000
71.3
2013
Egypt
92,640,000
112.81
August 2013
Kisan Call Centre (KCC) India:
• One of the oldest agricultural call centers.
• Started in 2004, under the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
(DAAC), by the government of India.
• Across India, there is 25 KCCs; operates daily from 6am to 10pm.
• Farmers nationwide can call a toll-free, and receive answers in their local
language
• Farmers can ask questions on:
1. Disease and pest control
2. Crop and livestock information
3. Market information
4. Government programs, and
5. Organic farming.
What we did so far??
• Established the infrastructure : Server, Content and Call
Management Software, content database,
• Partnership between Practical Action and Agriculture
Information Service, Ministry of Agriculture
• At the beginning operated 20000 enquires from 18000
clients, (period 01 June 2012 to 30 May 2013) followed up 4000
clients with satisfaction,
• responded 50% call immediately , 50% later
•
What we did so far??
2011
Start up
2012 Test
Transmission
2013
2014 Tollfree
Completed its test transmission phase with 20000 call from 18000 clients in 2012.
Understanding the importance the centre was made toll-free in 2014 by the Government.
Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture Information Service Department approached BTRC for
this good initiative.
• As of , the center (June 2012 to Nov 2014) received 44000 calls from farmers.
• Started to mobiles customers
• Revenue Generation Model
We are receiving around 3000 calls per month and around 300 calls per day in crop, fisheries
and livestock sector
Service Mix
Subjects: Crop, Fisheries, Livestock, Flood,
Nutrition, Input sources
Local level support from Knowledge Centers and
Extension Agents
Reactive + Proactive
Paid + toll-free
Problem , demand monitoring
Why it is different ?
Call Operators, Experts, Grass Root Knowledge Agents
are the key drivers , it is tool-free
Call Centre support
is integrated with
such Local
Knowledge Centers
for further close
assistance to solve
local problems
How it works?
The Krishi Call Centre is linked with Practical Action’s Technical Enquiry System
Content development partnership with other projects
Support from Local Knowledge Centers
Local level Knowledge Actors and Extension Agents
The process steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Receive Incoming Call
Answer immediately from the CMS or from own expertise
Search the answer from other sources
Call back to answer,
Consult with expert pool and to find validated answers
Follow up some calls
Follow up problems
We need location specific content,
Specific content of 8 Agro -economic
zones
Krishi Call Centre
Content Management System (CMS)
Challenges & opportunities
 With its huge population Bangladesh is a unique country for
mobile phone based services
 Revenue generation model to make it self-sustainable
 Service Mix diversification (paid + toll free)
 Poor farmers will get cheaper multimedia phone soon
 Content quality ( demand led)
 Strong professional capacity
 IVR
 Queue management ,
 Timing
 Advertisement
 Operation cost, trouble shooting