Social Media

Features

• Connectivity – connects people globally in real time.
• User-generated content – users create, share, and comment on posts.
• Interactivity – two-way communication (likes, comments, shares).
• Multimedia sharing – supports text, images, audio, video, live streaming.
• Community building – formation of groups, pages, networks around interests.
• Accessibility – available via mobile, tablets, computers.
• Analytics & feedback – insights on engagement, reach, and trends.
• Virality – ability to spread information quickly to a wide audience.

Applications in Agriculture & Extension

• Information dissemination – sharing updates on crops, livestock, weather, and market prices.
• Capacity building – online training, demonstrations, and live Q&A sessions for farmers.
• Farmer–scientist interaction – direct queries and expert solutions via WhatsApp, Facebook, or X (Twitter).
• Promotion of agripreneurship – marketing of agri-products through Instagram, YouTube, etc.
• Awareness campaigns – on soil health, organic farming, climate change, and government schemes.
• Networking – building communities of farmers, extension workers, and researchers.
• Feedback mechanism – farmers can share problems instantly with extension officers.

Facts

• As of 2025, India has 470+ million social media users (source: Statista, 2025).
• Around 65% of farmers with smartphones use WhatsApp for agricultural information exchange (ICAR study, 2023).
• FAO promotes “Digital Agriculture Platforms” leveraging social media for sustainable farming practices.

Social Media in Agriculture – Facts & Examples

Global & Indian Context

• Global Usage – By 2025, over 5 billion people worldwide use social media (Datareportal, 2025).
• India – ~470 million social media users; rural penetration increasing rapidly due to cheap smartphones & internet (Statista, 2025).
• Farmers & WhatsApp – A 2023 ICAR study found 65% of farmers owning smartphones use WhatsApp for agri-information exchange.
• YouTube & Learning – Surveys show 70% of Indian farmers prefer video demonstrations on YouTube for learning about new practices like drip irrigation, mushroom farming, etc.
• Facebook & Community Building – “Digital Farmer Groups” on Facebook connect lakhs of farmers with extension agents for crop advisory. Example: Kisan Mitra page.
• Twitter (X) – Used by organizations like ICAR, MANAGE, and FAO for quick weather alerts, pest/disease outbreak warnings, and agri-policy updates.
• Instagram – Agripreneurs & startups use Insta reels to market organic vegetables, dairy products, and handicrafts directly to consumers.
• Government Initiatives –
  • Kisan Call Centre (KCC) & m-Kisan Portal link with WhatsApp/SMS for advisories.
  • MyGovIndia Twitter handle shares agri-scheme updates with millions.
• FAO Example – FAO’s “#DigitalAgriculture” campaigns spread awareness on climate-smart farming using social media platforms.
• Crisis Management – During locust attack (2020), social media platforms like WhatsApp & Twitter were used for real-time locust movement alerts to farmers in Rajasthan & MP.

Example – Social Media Platform & Use in Agriculture

Websites

Definition: A website is a collection of interlinked web pages hosted on a domain name, accessible via the internet using a web browser.

Key Facts about Websites

• First Website: The world’s first website was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991 (info.cern.ch).
• Number of Websites: As of 2025, there are over 1 billion websites worldwide, but less than 20% are active.

Types of Websites:

• Static websites → Fixed content (e.g., simple company info).
• Dynamic websites → Regularly updated, interactive (e.g., Facebook, YouTube).
• E-commerce websites → Online shopping (e.g., Amazon, Flipkart).
• Educational websites → Knowledge-sharing (e.g., Khan Academy, IndianAgriExam.com).

Uses of Websites:

• Information sharing (Wikipedia, Government portals).
• Communication (blogs, forums, news sites).
• Online services (banking, railway ticket booking).
• Entertainment (Netflix, Spotify).
• Education & Exams (Byju’s, ICAR exam portals).

Website Technology:

• Built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern frameworks (React, Angular, etc.).
• Hosted on servers and accessed through browsers (Chrome, Firefox).

Fact for Exams:

• The term WWW (World Wide Web) was coined in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee.
• A website can be static (read-only) or dynamic (interactive).

Examples of Websites

• Educational: IndianAgriExam.com, ICAR.org
• E-commerce: Amazon.in, Flipkart.com
• Social Media: Facebook.com, Instagram.com
• Government: India.gov.in, PM Kisan Portal