ISLAMABAD: Farmers of Punjab province are being facilitated through provision of 3G and 4G enabled smartphones along with free SIM cards and data bundles under Connected Agriculture Platform Punjab (CAPP) programme to improve their yield through easily accessible advisory of modern agriculture practices and improved access to experts and input providers.

Under this programme about five lac farmers to utilize full potential of this platform as hundreds of facilitation centres and booths are being established across the province in this connection.

Training of thousands of farmers is also part of this initiative introduced by Agriculture Department of Punjab and Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) in collaboration with mobile phone operator Telenor Pakistan. The technical assistance for the programme is being provided by Karandaaz.

Digital App Gurus planned to be appointed at each Moza and village level under the programme.

Annual report-2017 issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday revealed as part of the programme, interest-free loans will be disbursed among small farmers.

These would be provided through EasyPaisa Mobile Wallets while Telenor will also develop a digital platform comprising multiple mobile and web apps to help millions of farmers in Punjab to improve their yield through easily accessible advisory of modern agriculture practices and improved access to experts and input providers.

The other aims of CAPP to revolutionise agriculture practices across the province by connecting all stakeholders in Agriculture Value Chain including agriculture input providers, farmers research institutions, commodity buyers, supply chain services providers, and agriculture extension workers.-APP