INTRODUCTION

Under Sindh On-Farm Water Management (SOFWM) Project three Information Kiosks/Centers are established supervised by Media & communication Cell, Transition Wing, Sindh Irrigation & Drainage Authority and Directorate of Agriculture Information.

Location of Information Kiosks 

• Mirpurkhas @Nara Canal Area Water Board.
• Hyderabad@ Left Bank Canal Area Water Board.
• Ghotki @ Ghotki Feeder Canal Area Water Board.

Purpose

 The main purpose of establishment of these kiosks is to provide an opportunity to the farmers to have an easy access to the necessary information related to irrigation water, Agriculture and the market

Goal

 The ultimate goal of establishing information Kiosks/Centers is to strengthen the Irrigation and Agriculture sectors for increase in agricultural production, the back bone of national economy, by facilitating the stakeholders

Facilities: 

• IT-Services for farmers will be optimized on the monitor based system. It will provide information, including seasonal crops, soil nutrients, weather, and market prices of crops, insects and pests, weed control measures and advices of experts.
• Trainings for Tenants/Farmers in new technology, keeping them abreast with modern techniques and knowledge to provide them chance to update themselves in field work.

Development and production of material for field functionaries to educate Tenants/Farmers with modern agriculture and agro based interventions.

Information available at information Kiosks/Centers:

• Project related activities, carried-out or being carried-out by implementing agencies.
• Printed material like posters, brochures, magazines, videos, pictures and monthly/quarterly issues released by DG AE&WM and DG Agriculture Extension and M&C Cell SIDA.
• Irrigation network etc, related to three Area Water Boards.
• Rules, regulations and agreements related to farmer Organizations/Watercourse Associations.
• Internet connection to allow browsing for agriculture and irrigation water.
• Data such as availability of water at barrages and its allocation to various canals, lists of canal branches, distributaries and irons, outlets, water scheduling and water closures.
• Information material regarding the use of laser land leveling equipment. Progress of land leveled by Farmer under the scheme of Precision Land Leveling in Sindh (ADP Scheme) supervised by Director General Agriculture Engineering and Director General Agricultural Engineering & Water Management.
• A website of there own where form all the necessary information could be access by farmers or farmer’s organizations.
• Information about sources of availability of price information, market of agricultural produce of agricultural inputs, procurements of various corps.

The said information Kops/Centers are focal points one in each AWB, where;

• All printed material regarding the functioning of AWBs, FOs and water Course Associations under the new system.
• The relevant rules and regulations in Sindhi Language.

The latest printed material with regard to the new technologies of land leveling through laser units. Integrated pest management & Integrated Plant and Soil Nutrient Management Program and as well as to get maximum output with the minimum use of irrigation water, would be available at these kiosks.