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 control2. Crop and livestock information3. Market information4. Government programs, and5. 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 up2012 Test Transmissi

on2013 2014

Toll-free

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 SystemContent development partnership with other projects Support from Local Knowledge CentersLocal level Knowledge Actors and Extension Agents

The process steps:1. Receive Incoming Call 2. Answer immediately from the CMS or from own expertise3. Search the answer from other sources4. Call back to answer,5. Consult with expert pool and to find validated answers6. Follow up some calls 7. 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