MAHAAGRI SMS an e-Governance project under AGRISNET is initiated with the following objectives;

• To help farmers and villagers through farm specific, need based, demand driven and just-in-time advice and knowledge.

• To mobilize the farmer groups to use the information for their continuous agrarian development and progress.

• To establish last mile link with the farmer.

Farming in the state is highly diverse. There are about 121 lac farmers across the state. The average holding is 1.34 ha. Wide ranges of crops are cultivated in the state. The farmers are innovative and open to the new technologies. More than 65 % of the population is engaged in farming occupation. The state leads in Horticulture, Floriculture, Poly house cultivation, Micro irrigation. The four State Agriculture Universities gives technical backup. The State Department of Agriculture has deployed extension officer in every village.

Knowledge is going to play a dominating role in all the developments leading towards agrarian prosperity of Maharashtra. The purpose of this Techno-social networking project is to employ the latest Information Communication Technology, infrastructure and managing resources to reach the unreached.

The mobile penetration in rural part is significant. This technology is one of the fasted adopted by the rural population and the youths in particular.  With the explosion of mobiles usage especially in the rural area the department saw an opportunity and explored this tool for real time communication.

Minimum five progressive and active farmers from each village are selected as “Krishi Mitra”. They represent the department in the village. Total three lac farmers from about forty thousand villages have registered in this project. Forty three major crops are identified for sending crop specific advisory. Indian Agro Metrology Department delivers location specific Agro-met advisory. The registered farmers on receiving the SMS pass on the message to the other farmers in the village. Advisory dissemination for market intelligence and for price realization of farm produce through scientific storage facilities and Commodity markets for farmers is being integrated in this service in collaboration with state Marketing Board and State Warehousing Corporation.

This online application was launched on 1^st August 2009 with a view to deliver location specific need based advisory/information to the farmers. Five hundred users can send SMS to the farmers. The Block/Taluka Agriculture officer, Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer, Dist. Superintending Agriculture Officer, Divisional Joint Director, Director Agriculture, Commissioner Agriculture and Secretary Agriculture can broadcast SMS. Even the scientist from State Agriculture Universities can send SMS to the farmers in their jurisdiction. The content is delivered in Marathi as well as in English. The handset compatible for Indian languages receives contents in Marathi. Inter departmental communication is also the part of the application. All necessary reports are generated to monitor the quality of the content delivered. Feedback from the farmers is frequently taken to understand the need and to improve quality of the content.