Airtel enters into a strategic tie-up with Iffco

IKSL will offer products and services, especially designed for farmers, through Iffco societies in villages across the state.

On offer will be affordable mobile handsets bundled with an Airtel mobile connections. The farmers will also get access to a unique VAS platform that will broadcast five free voice messages on mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts, dairy farming, animal husbandry, among others on a daily basis.

"In addition, farmers will be able to call a dedicated helpline manned by experts from various fields, to get answers to their specific queries," CEO Bharti Airtel, Andhra Pradesh. Elango T said.

Sharing the details of IKSL, R V S Bhullar, COO-IKSL, Iffco Kisan Sanchar Ltd said, "This is a unique venture to strengthen the cooperative movement in rural India, to empower the farmers through information, to boost the rural economy, and also to create rural employment."

K somesekhar Rao, director-Iffco, said, "Iffco is an organisation of the farmers and for the farmers and works on the model of cooperatives. We feel there is a great opportunity in telecom sector going to rural India to create new business opportunities for the cooperatives where farmers are the key stakeholders."