Since the dawn of humanity, technological developments have had a tremendous impact on the agricultural environment.
The farming communities throughout the world are embracing technology advancements and taking advantage of the wide-ranging advantages of the digital transformation for their industry, which hitherto depended on conventional farming techniques and transmitted the same expertise to subsequent generations.
As production costs rise, farmers are now utilising agri-tech to better suit their crops and farming requirements. Stakeholders are keen to undertake this kind of cultural transformation.
As the largest economic sector in Pakistan, contributing USD 57 billion to the GDP (24%), agriculture continues to be the major employer in the nation, employing 40% of the workforce.
In addition to making up a significant portion of the GDP, it is the main source of foreign exchange profits and provides food for both the rural and urban populations of Pakistan.
Even though Pakistan has one of the largest agricultural industries in the world, the country’s crop yields still fall short of expectations due to a lack of access to formal financial institutions, the prevalence of the black market, and a poor level of public service delivery to support the sector.
Technology and telecommunications, such as the extensive range of mAgri services and platforms offered by Telenor Pakistan, have been crucial to the sector’s explosive expansion over the past ten years.
The network offers a unique rural portfolio that provides more than a dozen services to meet the needs of a rural Pakistani’s lifestyle and agriculture. Through awareness initiatives, the mAgri portfolio has also assisted businesses in reaching their rural target demographic.
As an illustration, Telenor Pakistan and Viamo recently collaborated to promote social and behavioural change. Through this collaboration, Telenor Pakistan hopes to promote a more affluent future by educating people about the value of immunisation for both adults and children, women’s empowerment, tolerance and inclusiveness, and charity endeavours.
Telenor Pakistan is leveraging its influence to raise awareness about important issues and expand the services that are helping to address those concerns in the mAgri portfolio because it has access to a sizable portfolio of consumers.
As health information and accessibility are crucial issues, particularly in remote rural areas, the network has previously collaborated with a variety of pharmaceutical companies to raise awareness about the prevention and treatment of diseases like diabetes and hepatitis. These partnerships include those with Roche Diagnostics Pakistan and Novonordisk.
In order to provide crop input and pertinent information on crop inputs to the end user, the mobile agriculture team is also investigating joint ventures with input manufacturers.
For the purpose of creating value for the rural audience, the mobile agricultural team focuses on two factors.
The first is developing an all-encompassing portfolio for the lifestyle requirements of the rural audience (via IVR-based infotainment services), and the second is providing services for the rural audience’s agricultural needs, as it is their primary means of subsistence (through services offering information such as mandi rates, crop, and livestock info, etc.).
The goal is to use technology to assist farmers, livestock owners, and rural women who lack access to reliable information about farming, animals, and health.
Through its specially designed products and services for the agricultural industry, such as its Khushaal Watan mobile application, Khushaal Sehat, Kisaan Kahani – an IVR-based product, and many other digital interventions for the Pakistani agrarian landscape, Telenor Pakistan promotes the development of agricultural innovation.
Through its flagship efforts for financial inclusion and the training and counselling of farmers across the nation, the network has taken the lead in digitising the country’s agricultural industry.
More than 6 million farmers in Punjab and Sindh regard Telenor Pakistan’s Khushaal Zamindaar consulting service as the industry standard for agricultural information.
The network’s extensive collection of agriculture apps gives farmers all the knowledge they need to expand their businesses, including weather advisory services with individualised, hyperlocal weather forecasts and disaster alerts, livestock advisory services through “Khushaal Maweshi,” and “Khushaal Kahaani,” a platform for farmers to share their own success stories and raise awareness.
Despite Pakistan’s low internet penetration rates compared to the rest of South Asia, the country’s agriculture industry has quickly adopted digital methods, which is a definite indication of the effectiveness of agri-tech.
With the help of digital agriculture, farmers may increase their yields, lower costs, waste, and food loss, as well as earn fair pricing for their agricultural products. With platforms that deliver immediate, relevant information at the farmers’ fingertips, Telenor Pakistan is empowering the entire sector.
As more people in rural areas use smartphones, we provide value by providing an improved version of the services through the “Khushaal Watan” mobile application.
There is still more work to be done for an effective and environmentally sustainable digital transformation in Pakistan, where the agri-tech industry is still in its infancy.
Farmers in Pakistan are already benefiting from increased resource efficiency, decreased food loss and waste, and knowledge sharing thanks to Telenor Pakistan’s agri-tech platforms.
As more farmers across the nation begin utilising these digital services, the entire scope of agritech’s potential will become more clear. There are currently 16 million subscribers who make information and advice more available.
Agri-tech is reducing information asymmetry, lowering agricultural expenses at different levels, and enhancing the lives of devoted farmers all throughout Pakistan.
