KISAN II (Knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture) in Nepal Project II

The Knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal (KISAN) II project seeks to develop strategic agricultural value chains: vegetables, rice, maize, lentils, and goats. KISAN II is a Government programme supported by USAID under its Feed the Future Initiative. KISAN II includes an ICT component seeking the digitalization of agriculture, the provision of training provided by dedicated agents (Krishi Guru) and facilitated through social media and chat bot platforms. The Krishi Guru App was shown to be highly useful as measured by the large number of downloads (over 20,000) and over 40,000 users. Kisan II also disseminate new technologies to farmers via videos, farm training and social media. The KISAN II initiative is implement through a consortium including Winrock International (Prime contractor), Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy, Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED) for agricultural productivity, Development Project Service Center (DEPROSC) offering business literacy, microfinance, Siddharth Inc. offering business diagnostics and business development services, Digital Green for information, communication, and technology (ICT)-based extension solutions and the Overseas Strategic Consulting Limited (OSC) providing behavior change analysis and communications.

Lead (category)

Multi-partners

Name of initiative lead (and partners)

Winrock International

Categories of Digital initiative deliverables

Specific ICT technology product and/or service delivery

Technology-neutral supporting services (incubation, finance, training, etc)

ICT products/solutions and services by category

Digital Agriculture

Digital Social Services (Education, Health, Skills)

Non ICT products and services (deliverables)

Business and governance structure

DI ICT-deliverables format

Mobile applications

Web-based platform

Interactive data exchanges

Primary stakeholders (beneficiaries, actors, enablers)

Farmers

Agribusiness / private organization

Farm organizations

Size, scale or scope of primary stakeholders

Downloads (over 20,000) and over 40,000 users

Digital Initiative development Stage

Fully operational - Growing and expanding stage

Measurable impacts on primary stakeholders and target beneficiaries

Initiative geographic scope (or coverage) (national, regional, sector specific, specific user co-horts etc)

National

All over Nepal

On-line resource links (Web-page links, links to videos, links to reports, etc)

Main DI webpage

Other useful link

Link to Digital village

Link to Digital solution