How Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Meghalaya, is supporting farmers during the COVID-19 Lockdown

In this note, Canning S Shabong illustrates how the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Meghalaya (India) is using ICT solutions to support farmers who are facing marketing issues resulting from the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

On the evening of 26 March 2020, in the midst of the national lockdown because of COVID-19, the Government of Meghalaya took a Cabinet decision that the 1917 iTEAMS (Box 1) of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare will procure vegetables for distribution to retail outlets at Shillong and other urban areas.

1917 iTEAMS is a programme considered India's first-ever disruptive farmer centric, market-oriented, cloud-based facilitation service that connects farmers to markets through real time agro advisories, affordable logistics, and market information. More information about this initiative and its impact during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found on AESA's website.