AVAAJ OTALO (VOICE PLATFORM)

Description

Awaaj Otalo is an Interactive Voice Respond (IVR) system which any caller can access by dialing 079-30142000. AO works on PRI line connecting to server and telephone line and can be accessed by site administrator of DSC and the technical service provider Awaaz.de. By calling this number, recorded message navigates a caller and offer four services by pressing described number. If a caller wants to register a question, he/she has to press button-1, for hearing the latest updates about weather and agriculture button-2 for hearing radio programme press-3 and button-4 for recording and hearing fellow farmers’ experiences. Since June 2011, AO broadcasts a voice SMS of 3-8 minutes to more than 1000 farmers. From July 2011 onwards, Coastal Salinity Prevention Cell uses AO for reaching out to another 1000 farmers living on coastal line to educate them about how to deal with salinity in their farms. The kharas sandesh by CSPC broadcast a weekly special message to those who are under rainfall insurance cover. In 2010, total 2000 callers accesses AO and AO got 20000 hits. From January 2011 to date AO has registered 5000 unique callers and more than 40000 hits.

What we deliver

Avaaj Otalo provide daily agri advisoery through voice messages. AO offer four options to its user. 1. FAQ 2. MAHITA (Provide daily information on what user has to do in agriculture and animal husbandery. 3. RADIO. AO offer to listen past radio programmes named SAJJATA NO SANG, LAVE KHETI MA RANG, produce by DSC o agriculture enhancement. 4. ANUBHAV means experiences. Users share their experiences in agriculture to share with fellow farmers. Also broadcast AO users gets daily agri advisory in form of voice message. Mainly target audience are farmers, member of farmers organization, extension workers. [Provide the complete list of deliverables to the customer/target group]

Whom we deliver

It an open no. More than 5,000 farmers are using Avaaj Otalo for their agri information needs. Out of 5,000 farmers 1,000 farmers from CSPC (Costal Salinity Prevention Cell) are using and another

How is the project unique?

Avaaj Otalo (voice based community forum) is mobile-phone based ICT initiative to empower farmers to access relevant and timely information by DSC and Sajjata Sangh. The Avaaj Otalo was designed in the summer of 2008 as a collaboration between IBM Research Laboratory and Development Support Centre. By dialing a landline phone number and navigating through simple audio prompts farmers can record questions, queries and upload their experiences. AO provides daily voice SMS to more than 2000 farmers of Gujarat. This IVR based AO becomes a daily broadcaster of daily farm activities, weather report, latest scientific research and relevant news of rural development. Any farmer can dial 079-30142000 to get an access of AO for interaction. In addition to MAHITI MARG DARSHAN SEVA (DAILY BROADCAST), AO also provides questions and answers forum and radio archives to listen past episodes of Sajjata No Sang Lave Kheti Ma Rang – a weekly programme on agriculture. In AO, caller has to bear the cost of local call. Generally caller is accessing AO for an average three minutes. Everyday AO registers average 100 calls in Q&A form, feedback and listening to Mahiti Section which contains daily update on weather, crop related scientific information.

Roadmap

Looking at the demand and need for AO, it is planned that during the next three years AO will cover at least 50000 farmers. The main problem of AO is mobilizing funds for its production after Dec 2011 . Partly this problem can be solved through get subscription from the users, inviting corporate/ government to advertise.

Contact

DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT CENTRE
MR. SACHIN OZA
MARUTINANDAN VILLA, NEAR GOVERNMENT TUBE WELL, BOPAL AHMEDABAD GUJARAT – 380058
URL/Website – www.dscindia.org