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BEYOND SHORT-TERM PROFITS
30
Axiata Group Berhad | Sustainability & National Contribution Report 2016
BEYOND
SHORT-TERM PROFITS
Almost three-quarters of Sri
Lanka’s population reside
in rural areas and depend
on agriculture for their
livelihoods.
Despite
the
prevalence of mobile phone
ownership - the majority of
farmers have mobile phones
- there remains inadequate
access to relevant farming
information
leading
to
stunted farm growth.
Govi Mithuru (Farmer’s Friend or ‘Ulavar
Tholan’ in Tamil) is a mobile advisory
service created by Dialog in partnership
with the GSMA for farmers to address
the information gap.
By January 2017, over 267,000
farmers were registered with the Govi
Mithuru service, which has expanded
Helping Sri Lankan farmers improve yields and health
through mobile technology
its crop advice to include paddy, maize,
potato, tomato, aubergine and big onion
cultivation. Farmers from all over Sri Lanka
have welcomed Govi Mithuru with growth
particularly strong in agriculturally strong
areas such as the North Central, Central
and Eastern provinces.
Under the programme, voice recordings
providing customised information on
land preparation, cultivation, harvesting
and post-harvest activities are available
to farmers for Rs. 1 per day. The service
also provides advice on seed selection,
pest and disease control and family
nutrition. Implementing this advice leads
to better agricultural practice and onwards
to improved crop security, greater
profitability, better family nutrition and
enhanced engagement with officials.
Officials
overseeing
agricultural
activity have also benefitted from the
implementation of Govi Mithuru. In terms
of planning, the service helps promote
XL Axiata is playing a part
in bridging the digital divide
in Indonesia through its
1,000 Broadband Schools
Programme as part of
the national agenda of
securing 1 billion internet
Bridging the digital divide in Indonesia
connections by the national
telecommunications industry.
In 2016, XL Axiata outfitted 50 schools with
mobile broadband connectivity benefitting
some 15,000 students throughout the
country. XL also conducted an internet
literacy programme in the schools to
the cultivation of strategic crops and
disseminates time-critical information
on weather and disease control. It
also provides important analytics
information by offering insights into
yield availability and better insight
and tracking of farmers’ progress and
needs.
Govi Mithuru is also being observed as a
pilot programmebyglobal development
agencies including the Department for
International Development, UK and the
GSMA who are following its progress
and developing best practices from
its implementation. The project is part
of the mAgri Challenge Fund, a GSMA
initiative designed to improve the
livelihoods of smallholder farmers in
African and South Asian countries using
mobile services. Dialog is among the
six operators worldwide to have been
chosen as a winner of the Challenge
Fund by the GSMA.
help students familiarise themselves
with online access and to learn how
to benefit from connectivity. Through
programmes such as these, XL Axiata is
ushering in a new technologically literate
generation and bringing connectivity to
the previously unconnected.