MoU signed for knowledge connectivity

PUDUCHERRY: Marg Karaikal Port (MKP) and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), on Friday, announced the launch of a new project on “Knowledge Connectivity for providing Integrated Agricultural and Micro-Enterprises Advisories” in the districts of Karaikal and Nagapattinam.An official statement from MKP said that the project would be executed jointly. A  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Professor  M S Swaminathan, Chairman, MSSRF, GRK Reddy MP (Rajya Sabha), Chairman and Managing Director, MARG Group and Dr Ajay K Parida, Executive Director, MSSRF.The duration of the current project is one year spanning across 12-15 km radius of Karaikal Port. It will be executed by the MSSRF with financial assistance from MKP.The focus of the programme is ‘empowerment of the rural communities’, aiming to address the gap between “scientific know-how” and “field level do-how” using different Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools. It will provide need based, local-specific,  demand-driven information in vernaculars using various communication methods and mediums. As first phase of the project, a need assessment would be conducted with different target groups; the fisher folk, farmers and SHG members, to gauge their needs and interests. The project will also develop databases to provide season and need based advisories. This is the first time that such a project is being proposed in the Nagapattinam District. It will select pro-active and progressive fisher folk, farmers and SHG women in the selected villages to receive and disseminate information through cascading method.