Information Services Even if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, finding an answer is our problem, not yours.

Why should people be schooled in reading and writing skills to get knowledge and information ? A Library is a botanical garden of dead trees, when it keeps printed text in its shelves. 300 cognates and 60 phonological correspondence pairs is sufficient to change this….

Motivation for Reliance Foundation Information Services We wish all the lateral literates both those who don’t know how to read and write and those who are physically challenged to get information inclusion for a positive economic shift by the method of audio and visual search on Right information at the right time related to livelihood. We know your time is valuable, so when you’re seeking an answer you want it right away right in the middle of the sea where you the – fisher-folk is on job or a farmer operational in his field–and we aim to please. And we continue to work on making it all go even faster. So that every farmer or fisher-folk or any person from any unorganized sector also receives information in time by simply listening or watching and not reading. Our hope is to bring the power of search to previously unexplored areas, and to help people access and use even more of the ever- expanding information in their lives.

Road Ahead We’re pioneering new technologies and offering new solutions for mobile services that help people all over the globe to do any number of tasks on their phone, In addition, we’re hoping to fuel greater innovation for mobile users everywhere. No farmer and fisher-folk need be home or at any office to get the information he/she needs. Our researchers continue looking into ways to bring all the world’s information to people seeking answers. The world of lateral literates will open a whole new world of search globally. Positively we have to become relevant for 775 million across the globe but we are limited by the internet and the mobile connectivity reach.

Reliance Foundation- Core Model RF affects the lives of marginalized communities in over 5,500 villages & various urban locations across India Core Pillars: Rural Transformation Education Health Urban Renewal Art, Heritage & Culture o Working towards improving lives of India’s most marginalized and vulnerable communities o Direct engagement with the communities through a team of trained professionals o Focus on local needs, community ownership and long term sustainability o Outcome and impact orientation o Creating demonstrable models of development for replication o Leveraging technology for development solutions

Information Services – Current Status (Jan 2013 – Dec 2014) Modes of Reach o Face – to- Face meetings o Audio – Dial out Conference o Voice SMS o Local cable TV / Radio / Community Radio o Knowledge on Wheels (field based advisories / demonstrations / training) o Camps – Human Medical / Livestock / Plant Clinics o Training / Demonstration o Toll Free Help Line Number - to complete feed back loop Broadcast Reach - +5,500 villages Direct Programme Participants – 83,372 Programme and Help Line Queries – 65,621 No. of Districts Reached

Information Services Right Kind of Information from the Right Source to the Right People at Right Time Multi-channel information / knowledge provider on rural prosperity so enables rural communities to take right decisions Managing content and communication media (RF) Knowledge providers / holders Knowledge Seekers Identifies their information needs to support decision-making concerning their livelihoods & other aspects of health, education and market information Builds partnership with various organizations with valid and authentic sources Farmers, Fisher Folk, Livestock Owners, Micro- enterprenuers, etc. Universities, Research Institutions, Hospitals, Government Departments, Banks, etc.

Target Audiences and Services Target Audiences Farmers Marine Fisher Folk Micro-entrepreneurs Aquaculture Farmers Rural Youth Women and Adolescent Girls NGOs Government Missions / Projects – Village Contacts or contact persons Panchayat Leaders Services AgricultureHorticulture FloricultureMarine Fisheries AquacultureHealth EducationEmployment Early Warning/ Disaster Preparedness Government Schemes / Entitlements Rural Banks Schemes / Services Panchayat Governance Livestock Disaster Preparedness and Pre and Post Management

Study and analyze the secondary data on livelihood patterns pertaining to the region Target Audiences Farmers (different crop growers), Fisher Folk, Livestock Owners, Micro- entrepreneurs, Pregnant and Lactating Women, Students, Grassroots Networks (NGOs) and various Extension Network Officials Identify similar set of livelihood grassroots networks / individuals List out the major information and training needs - Various secondary data, primary data and network partners’ inputs Map the information and training needs vs resource institutions / experts Information providers’ information validated (ground truth) with the help of a small group of target audience and set of experts Advisories (some advisories in facilitation mode; some value added; some packaged) prepares and disseminates through various communication tools; continuously refined with the help of regular feedback from the various stakeholders Information Services Implementation Methodology

Knowledge Partners & Grassroots Partners (a few partners names) o India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Agro-Meterological Field Units (AMFU’s) o Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) o Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth o Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth o Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University o Krishi Vigyan Kendras o Tamil Nadu Agricultural University o Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) o Line Departments – Department of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Department of Fisheries, etc. o National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) o Convergence of Agricultural Interventions in Maharastra (CAIM) – Krushisamrudhhi o Farmer Associations / Fisher Folk Associations / Vegetable Associations o Action For Food Production (AFPRO) o Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal o Maharashtra Orange Grower Association (MOGA) o “Pudhu Vazhvu Thittam” - World Bank Project – etc. o Ratnagiri Central Co-Operative Bank o Government Departments / Universities / Research Institutions – Network farmers / fisher folk, etc.

Stakeholders Acceptance (a few samples)

Content Information Non-routine informationRoutine information Government Schemes / Announcements Organization Training Details Job Opportunities Early Warning / Disaster preparedness Career Counselling Various organizations details / addresses, etc. Weather Ocean State Forecast Weather and Season based agricultural advisories, etc. Trouble shooting knowledgeCapacity building knowledge Veterinary camps / vaccination Remedies for crop and livestock related problems Soil sample for soil health management Pest and Diseases Management Plant Clinics Medical camps, etc. Seed treatment Clean milk production Ethno veterinary practices for livestock Hygienic handling of fish Effective handling of GPS Organic manures preparation, etc. Knowledge

Direct Interventions Voice SMS Audio Conference Dial Out Conference Toll Free Help Line

Direct Interventions Knowledge on Wheels Knowledge on Ocean WhatsApp – Fisheries Advisories & Agriculture Advisories

Direct Interventions Livestock Camps Medical Camps Training Programmes Exhibitions SMS based advisories

Broadcast Interventions Live Phone in Programmes Video Modules

Broadcast Interventions Bulletins Flash News Scroll

Knowledge Sharing and Audience Retention Events Partners Meet Knowledge Fair Knowledge Quiz Knowledge Debates

Other Dissemination Modes During Exigencies Public Address System Announcements Notices in Local Grocery Shops / Tea Shops Rural Propaganda Explain Information Services to various departments induction / other programmes Village level local news disseminator

Direct Interventions – Mobile Plant Clinics Advisories

Pre and Post – Cyclone / Flood - Disaster Situations Advisories in Flood affected paddy fieldsFlag based field advisories Cyclone forecast and support evacuation

Monitoring Process o Staff daily report o Programme report o Help line report o Partners database o Daily content dissemination sheet o Farmers and Fisher folk database o Voice SMS receivers report o Programme queries and answers o Local media repository o Partners feedback letters / reports o Programme photographs / videos o Reach vs Programme Expenses reports o Programme dissemination materials Weekly Report Monthly Report Partners Report Case Studies Impact Analysis o More than 70,000 acres crops saved through various advisories (pest and disease, hail storm, delay cultivation process in relation to weather, etc.) o More than 18,500 livestock saved from various diseases o More than 8,750 fisher folk saved from various turbulence weather conditions and benefitted good catch o Around 70 crores worth towards risk reduced by loss aversion, potential additional income per individual and replenishment of natural resources A few highlights

Thank You RF Toll Free Number : We see being great at something as a starting point, not an endpoint. We set ourselves goals we know we can’t reach yet, because we know that by stretching to meet them we can get further than we expected. Through innovation and iteration, we aim to take things that work well and improve upon them in unexpected ways.