-1-

E - PURJEE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN BANGLADESH PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS

BASED ON A 2011 STUDY OF E-PURJEE IN WEBSITES

1.0INTRODUCTION

1.1 Authorization of the Submission.

Here is the Assignment of E- purjee and its implementation. The Assignment is submitted to Md. Ziaul Haque. And the assignment was authorized to submit in 2 March 2011. The work of this assignment was conducted by Md. Mohibur Rahman.

1.2 What is E-Purjee?

Before we understand what is E- purjee we have to know the Traditional purjee or old purjee. The purjee refers the order paper of buying sugarcanes from farmers. When the crushing procedure of the sugarcanes is started, the sugar mill corporate sends purjee to the sugarcane growers in line with the course of action. Within the three days from the moment the purjee is issued at the sugar mill, the farmers have to deliver the expected quantity of sugarcanes to the different purchasing centre of the sugar mill.(Ref.). In purjee there is some information about farmers such as, names, address delivery amount of sugarcanes etc. from pre liberation war period to implementing period of E-purjee, the old purjee was used for sugar production. On the other hand, e-purjee technology is used. It combines the old purjee system with a S.M.S. based delivery notification. The moment the purjee is issued; the visibility in the mobile phones of the farmers through the software of the sugar mills instantly is the epurjee. In other words, to deliver the information concerning purjee using the information

-2-

technology is known as e-purjee.(Ref.). In E-pujee the same information as old purjee, is stored in mills server. The main difference is between old and E-purjee is that, the delivery notification is sent by S.M.S. to farmers mobile from sugar mills server. Here the payment of farmers is assured, where previously it was not. Here is the process of EPuree sending trough S.M.S.

.
Farmers get the information about delivering purjee trough S.M.S. After getting the information about delivering Purjee through S.M.S. Farmers is able to For getting the purjee in time, Farmers is able to deliver sugarcane to sugar mills timely

start the activity of getting Sugarcane

The process by which Purjee deliver advantage to both farmers and mill owners

-3-

2.0 HISTORY OF E-PURJEE

As our prime minister is opting to turn the governance and all system of our country in digital system, 17th November 2009 was the momentous day for her and us as well. Because, in that day farmers of our country got acknowledgement of delivering them an electronic purjee system. The system was mobile s.m.s based. Before, farmers suffered from many things for old purjee system. To diminish the sufferings of the farmers Access to Information (A2I) Program at the Prime Minister's Office along with and funded by Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) under the Ministry of Industries and UNDP, started the pilot project of e-purjee at the Faridpur and Moarakganj Sugar Mills. (Ref.) There was hand written purjee system for buying sugarcanes from farmers from pre liberation war period. The purjee contains the basic information of the sugarcane growers e.g. name, address, passbook no, name of the unit and center, date of the delivery and the amount of the sugarcanes.(Ref). The old system was lot of troubling for our sugar farmers. For example the purjee was not used to reach to the farmers in time; important information was not passed accurately. Not only farmers were facing problems but also mills owners were facing some problems. Such as, mills owners did not get the delivery of sugarcanes in time. The relationship among the sugarcanes farmers and Mill Corporation is complementary and mutual. Sugar Mills Corporation has to buy sugarcanes in predefined price, defined by government. And any farmer is registered in list, he would be provided by loan, and all agriculture elements such as, irrigation elements, fertilizers etc in free of interest. So if farmers are hampered the nations sugar production also hampered. To achieve the mission to become prosperous nation, our government is taking so many steps in agriculture, healthcare, education etc. In continuation to this, the Prime Minister's Office assigned different Secretaries to mark a 'quick win' e-service/ project each which could be implicated within a year. The Chief Minister of the Ministry of Industries selected the SMS based digital purjee service as a quick win. (Ref). After that many examination and test was done on the E purjee system, then the pilot project was

-4-

started for success. The project was successful. After that the E purjee system was implicated on many places through the order of our honorable Prime Minister. Such as, Panchagar, Thakurgan, Shetabganj, Shampur, Rangpur, Jaypurhat, Jillbangla, Rajshahi, Nator, North Bengal, Kushtia, Keru & Co. and Pabna sugar mill.

These are the sequence through which the E Purjee was implicated:
August, 2008 - Idea sharing and Project Data Sheet (PDS) preparation October, 2008 - MOU signing for Piloting at two sugar mills July, 2009 - Field level workshops and exchange views with stakeholder June to August, 2009 - Growers data collection July to Sep, 2009 - Software requirement study, analysis, design,

development, testing and installation Sep, 2009 - Field level trainers team formation for growers training (Service

recipient) Sep to Oct, 2009 - Training for the Trainers Teams (TOT) Oct, 2009 - Conducting growers meeting at each center by the Teams Sep to Oct, 2009 - Training to the system user and data entry operators at

Sugar Mill end. Sep to Oct, 2009 - Growers Data entry November to January, 2010 - Starting project operation and running till end

of the crashing season March, 2010 - Impact analysis June, 2010 - Govt. (BSFIC) ownership and up scaling decision July to Present Date - Implementation of the same system at all Sugar Mills

in Bangladesh by BSFIC (Ref.).

-5-

3.0 PRESENT CONDITION

The pilot project of e- purjee implementation was very successful. So our prime minister got inspiration to order the rest mills of sugar to implement the e- purjee system. The implementation process was helped by Access to information program (A21) technically and UNDP financially in Prime minister office.

PM inaugurates e-Purjee system.

To start the e- purjee system smoothly different task is being done. Such as raising inspiration among the farmer, different workshops, Training of Trainers (ToT), other trainings, necessary hardware and software installation, etc. The farmers ware divided into different unit and groups in different zones, under each sugar mill. The separation was done to help farmers to make them work properly. There are 80 to 120 units under each sugar mill. To supervise a unit there is cane development assistant (CDA). In each unit there are 100 to 200 farmers. A center is constructed by two or tree units. A center in charge performs all administrative works. The centers and units are important for e-purjee system, as in each centers the process of buying and selling are done. A workshop was arranged before implementing the e- purjee system in each sugar mill. In these workshops, high-ranked officials from the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), officials from the local sugar mill, the sugarcane growers, leader of the farmers, CDA, Centre-in-charge and lots of other people were present. The benefits of e-purjee service, the sufferings of the traditional purjee system,

-6-

and the vision of the Govt. etc. are presented to the farmers in light of the success of last years pilot project in the two sugar mills.(ref). The benefited farmers described to those who did not take the system yet, to give inspiration to them. To ensure that farmers get the proper knowledge about e- purjee, training of trainer has been arranged. A CDA and a leader of the farmers are trained from each unit to concern all the sugarcane growers about the e-purjee service, the meaning of the SMS, what to do after receiving the SMS, how to be sure f its being from the sugar mill, what information are provided in the SMS and so forth.(Ref). Then the CDA trained each farmers of his center to provide all required knowledge about e-purjee and inspired all farmers to take this service. The A21 and BSFIC helped a jointly to train the farmers by dividing the farmers into different teams. Totally about 1.5 lac farmers was trained for using the epujee system in whole country. The General Manager (extended) of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation, Mr. Amzad Hossain stating his experience at the field level said, "We provided trainng to all the members of the 80 teams of the 80 units of the 11 sub-districts in the districts of Faridpur, Rajbari, Magura and Gopalganj. In addition, we also distributed liflets in all the ouses and put banners and posters in places which added to its charm in the public" (Ref).

Sugarcane farmers having a Workshop

Every sugar mill of our country has a server now. All facility such as, computer, printer, scanner, internet service was provided to build server in each sugar mill. To run the hardware, software was installed. In Prime Minister Office the hardware was given by A21 and the software was developed by A21s web developer Mr. Monirul Islam. After the successful set up of the server, all the relevant information of the enlisted farmers (e.g.

-7-

name, address, name of the unit, name of the centre, mobile number, quantity of the cultivated sugarcane, passbook number, etc.) was saved in the server (Ref). Three operators were appointed in each sugar mill to do administrative works. The operators was trained is such a way, as they can perform their task, notify farmers and delivering them important informations about e-purjee.

E purjee service takers are keeping all important information

Mr. Forhad Zahid was the team leader of E-Purjee system implementation and A21 program. He is the one who directed the all program of this system such as, ToT, workshops etc. The key planer of the e-purjee system and implementation was Md. Iyahiya Mia, Director of the BSFIC (sugarcane and research). About the initiative of the e-purjee sevice he says, "The farmers had to suffer a lot in the traditional purjee system. Both the farmers and the sugar mill corporation had to undergo the losses. Regarding that we have been thinking what could be done to ensure the purjee to the farmers in an easier way. The entire world is developing smoothly using the Information technology, so the thought of solving the matter through SMS based mobile service to send purjee rang a bell and we started to work on it. (Ref). The E- purjee system got south Asian Recognition also. It got the manthan award, which recognizes technology solution and empowerment. It brought honor for Bangladesh in South Asian region through this award. And the award was received on Along with this, it

-8-

has also achieved the national award in the e-inclusion and livelihood category, in the "ICT award for e-content and development-2010". D-net, a private corporation for development organized this award program in assistance with the Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology.

The Nominees of Manthan Award 2010 in Which E- Purjee got Award

-9-

4.0 PROBLEM OF E-PURJEE

Nothing is plainly correct in this world. Every thing has some problem. E- purjee system has also some problem. They are:

o Some Farmers have no mobile set, but to get E- purjee confirmation s.ms. they have to have a mobile set. o Some farmers dont know how to read and write. So, it is little difficult for him to read the E- purjee s.m.s. o Network problem may arise to some of the villages, where E-purjee was implemented. o The S.M.S is not in Bangla form.

- 10 -

5.0 PROSPECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF E-PURJEE

Thoough E-purjee has some problems but the advantage of E-purjee is lot more than its problems. So we should accept the system to make the sugar production efficient and effective. There are lots of advantages of e-purjee. They are: Farmers dont have to wait for purjee. They continue their normal work and then when they get sms they just deliver sugarcanes.

Farmer Get S.M.S. and deliver Sugarcane

Their remains no uncertainty that purjee will not reach to each farmers. Because in purjee system farmers get the purjee directly to themselves, but previously they got it through neighbors or others farmers. Farmers get their money properly. As they get the notification of payment through s.m.s. then go to mills. The time for the purjee in E-purjee system is very less. Farmers get enough time to cultivate canes, as they get purjee before 3 days of delivering, where previous days it would not happened. By the help of information technology sugar mills can send purjee, without fieldworkers. If any accidental case occurs in sugar mills, it can notify farmers trough S.M.S that, not to notify.

- 11 -

5.1 Expected Upcoming Prospects

E-Purjee has lessened the suffering of farmers now. It bought so many advantages to sugarcane farmers and sugar mill producers. The new e-purjee system is now showing us that, it may give us bright future prospect. Some of them are:

Lot of farmers will be interested to cultivate Sugarcane. As the process is speedy and money payment is assured.

The successful system will encourage other sectors of agriculture to turn itself digital.

As Purjee is deliver according to sugarcane need and after the receiving of purjee farmars start the activity of cultivating sugarcanes. So in future no sugarcane will be damaged. So Production efficiency will increase.

Bangladesh may fulfil internal demand of agriculture foods in near future. E-Purjee will encourage scientist and government to invent new types of technology.

So we can expect in future Bangladesh will export sugar, sugarcanes, and some of agricultural food to international world.

- 12 -

6.0 RECOMMENDATION

After seeing the above situation of E-Purjee we can say that it is giving lots of benefit to farmers. But it has some obstruction to overcome. So in the Conclusion part I would give some suggestions, which can be taken by the developers of e-purjee system. These are mentioned below: Government can give financial help to each farmer for buying mobile with sim connection. The gonoshikhha karjokrom can be implemented for the farmer of sugarcane for doing their work in collaboration with sugar mills. Telecommunications and network provider should be ordered to improve network to that area, where the sugar and sugarcane production are done. The S.M.S. can be sent in Bangla form. Complementary assets, such as, delivery trucks, machinery etc can be provided to farmers to make the purjee system more efficient. -

- 13 -

7.0 CONCLUSIONS

E- purjee has changed the sugar production scenario a lot. Before in purjee letter farmers info and save and purjee sometimes was sent to them indirectly. Some times they unfortunately got purjee very lately. Thus lots of sugar used to damage, and some farmers didnt got payment in time. But all of this disadvantages has recovered by Epurjee system. Now farmers just get s.m.s. which contains purjee, then start the cultivation activity of sugarcane, then deliver all right amount of sugarcane timely. So by this system both farmers and sugar mills get benefited. E purjee was the one of the element by which our government wants to turn Bangladesh digital. To start E-purjee system different organization such as, A21, BSFIC worked together with farmers. They arranged lots of training program and workshops to make the farmers known to epurjee system. The system acquired some award in south Asian region, which gained honor for Bangladesh. E-Purjee has some problem but the advantages and future prospects of it is lot more then the problems. If the government make the system more effective and efficient and implement this kind of Information Technology for Agriculture, our country will become a self dependent country in near future.

- 14 -

8.0 REFERENCES

1. Digital Bangladesh E Tothho kosh Homepage, URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/ (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 2. Digital Bangladesh : Traditional Purjee Vs Digital Purjee, URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/blog.php?ID=451, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 3. Digital Bangladesh : Digital Purjee : History, Background, Future, URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/blog.php?ID=450, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 4. E- purjee Goggle Image Search: URL: http://www.google.com/images? hl=en&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&&sa=X&ei=otlrTeugIJHRrQeahITGCw&ved=0CDM QvgUoAA&q=E-purjee&nfpr=1&biw=1024&bih=578, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 5. URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/blog.php?ID=453, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 6. 7. URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/blog.php?ID=452, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011) 8. URL: http://www.digitalbangladesh.gov.bd/blog.php?ID=462, (accessed from 22 February to 1 March, 2011)