Gates To Assist Maharashtra Govt To Set Up Information Kiosks for Farmers

By Anupama Chandrasekaran Jul. 3, 2007, 1:52pm 3 Comments

Despite being the Indian economy’s largest sector, agriculture has remained largely untouched by the Information Technology revolution in the country. In an effort that will help improve as well as save a few farmers’ lives, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has offered to help the Maharashtra government set up agro-kiosks to serve the information needs of farmers in the state. Plans are also on to set up a research centre near Pune, IANS quoted Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh as saying. “The agro kiosks will help farmers get the latest information on weather, cropping patterns and trends in agricultural produce prices very quickly and efficiently,” Deshmukh told IANS in an interview.