Earth File

It’s always amazing to know how a small gadget called mobile phone is making life easier for us. Not just as a communication device but more as a multi utility device across socio economic strata. Being in the digital media industry I come across many such utility applications which are trying make our lives easier and engaging in one or the other way. But what really makes me more thrilled is when simple technologies are used to bring some kind of reforms at the grass root levels, especially the farmers. In our country in which half the population depends on farming and most make out a living as subsistence farmers.
Here is one interesting yet simple innovation by engineers who are trying to make farmers lives easier with the help of mobile phones.

If you come from a farming background you would definitely know how many times fluctuation of power makes farmers run to their farms to switch on the irrigation pumps. Indian engineers have come up with a device that allows farmers to use cell phones to remotely turn on their irrigation pumps. All they do is install the switch box type device next to the pumpset panel and this machine will work through the sim card inserted in it.
once installed farmers can just dial a number from their mobile phone, wherever they are and the motor will start pumping water to their fields. Not just this they also get SMS when the power comes

With the rural mobile penetration growing at an amazing rate, there's a whole lot of opportunity for viable solutions like this.