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Govi Mithuru


The ground-breaking 'Govi Mithuru' (in Sinhala) or 'Ulavar Tholan' (in Tamil) service, launched in 2015, provides customized and timely advice to farmers regarding land preparation, cultivation, crop protection, harvest and improved family nutrition.

The service was developed with the support of the GSMA mAgri Challenge Fund. Content partners include the Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of Sri Lanka, supported by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI, an inter-governmental organization) providing the main agricultural advice, as well as the Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine of the Government of Sri Lanka, which provides family nutrition advice.

This service is specially designed to help farmers by sending the right Information at the right time for each farmer's needs, correctly tailored for their crop, location and stage of cultivation. Registered users receive information related to each registered crop as a voice message to their mobile phones. Users have unlimited free access to call 616 to listen to all messages received up to that point.

Download the case study on Govi Mithuru.

In Sri Lanka, agriculture has long been a traditional occupation, necessary for survival. Hundreds of hours are invested into growing crops and for many farming families, it is their only source of income. The importance of communication and access to relevant information is key for these farmers as they continue to face ever-changing risks and challenges.

Keen to learn more, Chathura travels across Sri Lanka to meet various farmers who live and work in the Southern Province, who are now embracing a mobile technology initiative by Dialog, called Govi Mithuru.

It's a simple service but its impact is profound. Farmers sign up for 1 rupee a day and are sent daily seasonal advice to their phone via voice messages. As Chathura finds out, it's transforming the lives of many famers; protecting their crops from pests and disease and giving them the knowledge they need to cultivate bigger profits than ever. With these profits, farmers can grow their businesses and provide the best lives for their families as well as safe, healthy produce for their communities.

As a 24/7 service, help is always at hand, giving this proud industry – one built on intuition, experience, and heritage – the foundation to thrive in an increasingly connected world

Crops