Kathmandu, December 31

Farmers will soon be able to get information related to climate- and water-related hazards easily on their

mobile phones.

Nepal Telecom (NT) and the Agriculture Management Information System Project of the Ministry of Agricultural Development signed a pact to provide agro climatic information to the farmers, today.

As per the agreement, NT will distribute SIM cards with talk time of Rs 100 for free of cost. Similarly, NT will develop a mobile application called ‘Hamro Krisi’ to provide information easily to users of Android-based phones and bring into service a toll-free number (16600177779) to relay the information. Likewise, it will also provide audio notices and agriculture information text messaging services to the farmers.

Farmers, who have access to smartphones, can check weather and agro-technology related information, phone numbers of the District Agriculture Development Offices and insurance agents, and success stories through the ‘Hamro Krisi’ application. The programme will be implemented in three different phases in 25 districts.

The Ministry of Agricultural Development will extend 15MB data each month to the concerned numbers distributed to the smartphone users. Likewise, NT will provide a five-digit short code to the ministry at its prevalent rates and the ministry will send related information through text message to the farmers.

Nepal Telecom has agreed to provide 1,500 and 4,000 SIM cards (with Rs 100 talk time) in two phases. NT’s Chief Business Officer Rajendra Nakarmi and Director of Agriculture Management Information System Project Shiva Nandan Shah signed the agreement.