Extension and advisory services are relevant to smallholder farmers, who remain the bedrock of the agricultural and food supply chains in India. ICTs are very useful in agricultural extension and advisory services and in facilitating reaching out to small and marginal farmers. Extension and Advisory services play a crucial role in promoting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods.

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E-Agriculture is an emerging field focusing on the enhancement of agricultural and rural development through improved information and communication processes. More specifically, e-Agriculture involves the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation and application of innovative ways to use information and communication technologies (ICT) in the rural domain, with a primary focus on agriculture.

Significance of ICT / E-technology in intensifying the reach of extension services to farmers in the country:

• Improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities
• Change production systems so that they improve rural livelihoods and sustain the resource base
• Improve agriculture and the social, economic and political status of rural communities
• Improve the wellbeing of farm families
• Improve productivity and livelihoods for farmers
• Increase and improve farmers’ incomes and productivity on a sustainable basis
• Enhance farmers’ production
• Attain higher levels of efficiency in the farm enterprise
• Attain food security and improve rural livelihoods.

ICT tools can help in meeting the challenges in agricultural development in the following ways:

• Land mapping: Using satellite data and remote sensing, farmers can get real time information about soil moisture, water level etc. Soil quality assessment with help of remote sensing and tools for assessing the feasibility of crops.
• Soil and Water Testing Laboratories: These Testing Labs spreads across the country educate the farmers about various scientific tools for identifying superb soil and water for agricultural purposes
• Land record maintenance: This can also help in the measurement of the plots, land fragmentation etc.
• Weather information: Advanced information about adverse weather condition, so that farmers can take precautionary measures.
• Credit and finance: Information regarding agrifinance, agriclinics and agribusiness. Banking facilities like mobile banking, DBT of subsidies can be done easily.
• Agri-Marketing: Real time and near real times pricing and market information. E.g.: e-NAM
• It is as a powerful tool when combined with price incentives, input supply, credit, seed multiplication.
• Agri-Price Support: Market intervention scheme involving procurement through a notified agency like Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices, Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and Marketing Research and Information Network (AGMARKNET) etc, can surely be of great help in assuring fair returns to farmers.
• Advisory services: Agriculture Information, Awareness and Education.
• Government Initiatives: Information dissemination about various government schemes.
• Discussion portals: Online Farmer Communities to discuss the trends, issues etc.
• Allied sector information: in order to help farmer sustain and increasing income through beekeeping, fishery, animal husbandry. Recently , Mushroom farming on stubble left is being promoted through information dissemination in Punjab
• It acts as an intermediary link between agricultural development institutions such as research institutes, universities, colleges of agriculture and target groups
• The agricultural extension services mainly concentrated on to strengthen the agricultural system by empowering farmers in terms of health, education, livelihood and income.

Key Government initiatives to promote use of ICT in agriculture include  National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A), various Touch Screen Kiosks, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Kisan Call Centres, Agri-Clinics, Common Service Centers, mKisan, Kisan TV and various other applications.

In India ICT applications such as Warana, Dristee, E-Chaupal, E-Seva, Lokmitra, E-Post, Gramdoot, Dyandoot, Tarahaat, Dhan, Akshaya, Honeybee, Praja are quite successful in achieving their objectives.

Conclusion:

The implementation or rural ICTs involves organizational and social change. Information is vital to tackle climate change effects: for this reason, a shift is needed in the agriculture sector to disseminate appropriate knowledge at the right time to the ones who are at the frontline in the battle: the farmers, in both developed and developing countries.