Bridging digital divide: Chittoor farmers go smart with training programme

Tirupati:The Chittoor district administration has launched an innovative digital literacy programme titled ‘Skill Up Chittoor’ -- a digital training initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide in rural communities and modernizing agriculture through latest technology.

The initiative, spearheaded by district collector Sumit Kumar focuses on equipping farmers with essential digital skills to improve productivity, access market intelligence, and reduce reliance on middlemen.

With 3,26,788 acres of cultivable land in Chittoor district — including 1,69,560 acres of agricultural crops, 1,45,335 acres under horticulture, and 11,892 acres dedicated to sericulture — and a farming population of 1,57,575, the district has initiated this training through its 502 Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs).

“In today’s agriculture, information is as valuable as water and soil. Our goal is to make farmers self-reliant not only in the field but also in the digital space”, said Sumit Kumar.

He said while smartphones have become common in rural households, many farmers still use them only for communication or entertainment. “This initiative is about shifting that usage toward productivity—accessing market prices, weather updates, government schemes, and farming solutions in real time.”

The programme follows a three-tiered training structure. First, eight master trainers were imparted digital skills, who in turn trained RSK in-charges and selected farmers from March 7 to March 15. In the second phase, each RSK in-charge would train 30 farmers practising traditional farming methods.

In the final stage, these trained farmers would act as peer educators under the ‘Buddy Farmer System’ to spread awareness at the grassroots level.

The training modules focus on the practical use of smartphones — from sending and receiving payments via UPI apps to accessing market prices, weather forecasts, crop management techniques, and government schemes.

Farmers are trained in using agricultural apps such as Agri Central (available in 18+ languages), Vyavasayam, Plantix, and the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS).

These tools provide services like crop planning, disease detection through photo uploads, pest control advice, and fertilizer shop locations. YouTube’s role as an educational medium is also emphasised, especially channels like Padi Pantalu, Rythu Badi, and Rythu Nestham, which offer demonstrations of modern farming machinery, drone-based spraying, smart farming techniques, and government scheme awareness.

As part of the post-training assessment, farmers are required to perform simple digital tasks such as sharing weather updates via WhatsApp, comparing market prices, making a Rs 1 UPI transaction, creating WhatsApp groups, and exploring government schemes online.

“Even something as simple as checking market prices across mandis using a phone app can prevent farmers from being exploited by middlemen”, said the collector. “With digital knowledge, they can sell their produce at better prices and also track government subsidies or crop insurance benefits.”

To encourage participation and excellence, the administration has introduced cash prizes. RSK in-charges who train the most farmers would receive Rs 20,000, Rs 12,000, and Rs 8,000 as first, second, and third prizes respectively. Similar rewards are extended to those who raise the most awareness among peer farmers.

Meanwhile, farmers have responded positively. K Thulasayya from Buragamandlapalli in Sadum mandal said the training helped him understand how to directly sell produce like tomatoes and watermelons to buyers, bypassing middlemen and gaining better prices.

K Loka Prasad from RKV B Pet in Karvetinagaram mandal shared that through apps introduced in the training, he could better manage his mango and sugarcane crops by accessing timely information on pests, fertilizers, and modern techniques.