Telenor joins hand with an Agriculture Department of the Government of Punjab and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for star project “Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab”. PITB takes advantage of Digital Mobile technology, smartphones, and mobile banking to improve Agriculture Economy of the Punjab with the aim to make a Digital Punjab. Telenor has positioned itself for this farsighted project being the services provided in the rural areas of the Punjab.
Telenor will help millions of farmers in Punjab by providing them help millions of farmers in Punjab through EasyPaisa Mobile Wallets and multiple mobile and web apps. These accessible advisory services will practice modern agriculture by seeking access to agri experts.
According to a report, the 2 million farmers are using smartphones out of 10 million and this number is still growing.
The Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab (CAPP) has a target to update conventional agriculture practices to all shareholders in Agriculture Value Chain that includes not only agriculture input providers, research institutions, commodity buyers, supply chain services providers but the agriculture extension workers.
Farmers will get free SIM cards and data bundles along with 3G/4G-enabled smartphones under the CAPP Program. At each village level facilitation centers and booths will be established. Farmers will be trained and create Digital App Gurus at each and every village level.
“Telenor Pakistan is leveraging the technology with a Punjab Government and provides a platform for farmers to improve agriculture and also their living. Telenor will provide fast internet connectivity, easy access to financial aid, and experts advice to bridge the gap between farmers and technology”, said CEO, Telenor Pakistan, Irfan Wahab Khan.
PTIB has played an important role in convincing Agriculture Dept. Punjab for this initiative that will hopefully make it happen the dream of a Digital Punjab.