Digital Green: Videos by farmers, of farmers, and for farmers

An article in The Hindu highlighted a real-life “Swades” story. Rikin Gandhi, a Master’s degree holder in Aeronautical and Astronomical

Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, set to take up a job in space programme instead changed his mind, came back to India and started an NGO to help rural farmers.Digital Green produces and disseminates videos related to best practices in agriculture that helps farmers become better at their profession.

“The organisation produces and distributes community-centric, locally relevant videos about good agricultural practices…We are receiving good feedback about this project that shows nearly 70-80 per cent farmers are adopting new ideas as opposed to 10-15 per cent earlier by traditional extension approach.”

The good feedback and high uptake among farmers seems to be primarily because, the videos themselves are produced by the farmers. As the article in The Hindu puts it aptly, The videos are by farmers, of farmers, and for farmers. The videos thus produced are available in Digital Green’s website.

The website seems to be work-in-progress as most of the videos uploaded aren’t currently available. However, to stay abreast of updates one may follow them of facebook at http://www.facebook.com/digitalgreenorg. If you are willing to help Digital Green’s cause may either donate through their website. If you have a software background and would rather get involved in their work check out their requirement for Interaction Designer, Systems Engineer, and Assistant Development Manager in their careers page