THE BENEFITS OF THE E-LEARNING AGRICULTURAL PROJECT KISSANKERALA TO DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS AND DIGITAL NATIVES

In recent times Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been able to
make inroads into the ways information is disseminated among those involved in direct
farming and farming related enterprises.
This paper arose from a two-year study of the KissanKerala, the e-learning project
underway in Kerala, a small state in India. It is more conspicuous when we learn that
the KissanKerala project is able to disseminate agricultural information also among
digital immigrants. Since 2003, the KissanKerala has been providing advisory services
to the farming community in Kerala using a combination of technologies. Salient
features of the project are discussed. Noteworthy are its interactive web portal and the
online agri-video channel that uses the video sharing platform of YouTube.
In this paper, we look at the e-learning strategies adopted; virtual learning
environments created and also discuss participative tools used for communication. We
have also made an impact-study of the project with a large number of beneficiaries. We
learn that the Kissan Kerala is one of the most successful learning projects undertaken
in distance mode in India.