Maharashtra’s first smart village centre opens in Pune

“RSVC would create market linkages through collaborations with e-commerce platforms that will help rural producers have access to larger markets and be able to sell our produce at competitive prices. Also, training from experts at RSVC would help farmers learn emerging technologies,” said Sagar Daphal, 29, a farmer from Dhamari village.

The Office of Principal Scientific Adviser conceptualised RuTAGe in 2003-04 and emphasis is given to agricultural innovation, entrepreneurship, farmer education to fill the digital divide, financial inclusion, and water management among others.

“These technological solutions have the potential to create ‘Agripreneurs.’ It has made us available services at affordable rates, like a mango sapling cost us Rs 120 elsewhere in the market which is available at Rs 25 at RSVC. Also, solar dryers will save us time and effort. It would enable farmers to bring their produce to market profitability and will help in doubling farmer’s income while attempting to avoid farmer suicides,” added Shubhangi Nilakh, a farmer from Mukhai village.

“RSVC facility aims to support entrepreneurs to create employment opportunities, enhance productivity, and improve the quality of life, especially in the rural areas. As we cannot expect rural India to come to the digital platforms and choose their innovations so such centres work for technology-driven rural empowerment,” said Dr Sapna Poti, Director of Strategic Alliances in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the GoI, while inaugurating the centre.

“Currently, at Dhamari we are offering five of the twelve technological tracks under the RVSC Programme. We have started with a satellite-based soil nutrient monitoring, a plant nursery with high-quality saplings, a solar dryer for post-harvest processing, agri-advisory with digital soil testing, a fertilizer unit for sustainable inputs, and an integrated processing machine with a grain cleaning plant to enhance productivity and efficiency that provide services to farmers at affordable prices, like 90 per cent subsidy available on saplings. This would help over 5,000 farmers from the surrounding villages,” said Siddhesh Sakore, founder of Agro Rangers who leads the Dhamari-based RSVC Centre.