ICT and AG Profile: IKSL's Green Sim Card

IKSL, a joint venture between IFFCO (a large fertilizer cooperative with 60 million farmers) and telecom companies Bharti Airtel and Star Mobitel, produced a special SIM card that includes access to a number of agricultural information services. Subscribers receive five free one-minute voice messages each day in their local language on topics such as crop management, market rates, weather forecasts, and government schemes. In addition, they have access to a live Helpline service where they can consult with experienced professionals for solutions to agricultural problems they are facing. IKSL currently serves 18 states in India. This brief profile outlining IKSL's green SIM card is provided by USAID’s Fostering Agriculture Competitiveness Employing Information Communication Technologies (FACET) project under the FIELD-Support LWA.

The FACET project aims to help USAID missions and their implementing partners in sub-Saharan Africa use information and communications technology in sustainable and scalable approaches to improve the impact of their agriculture-related development projects.