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Mobile Operator Tata Teleservices is testing technology that allows farmers to use their mobile phones to remotely monitor and switch on irrigation pump sets in far flung locations.

The technology, called Nano Ganesh, is being tested in two villages in the Indian state of Gujarat.

In India, where the electricity supply is erratic, farmers often walk several kilometers to where their irrigation pumps are located, only to find that there is no electricity available, Lloyd Mathias, chief marketing officer of Tata Teleservices, said.

By dialing a code number from his mobile phone to a wireless device attached to the pump, farmers can now remotely monitor the electricity supply, and also switch the pump on and off, Mathias said.

The technology for this application was developed and is manufactured by Ossian Agro Automation in Pune in western India. To use the service, the farmer pays Tata Teleservices 2,700 rupees (US$56) for the device attached to the starter on the pump and another 2,000 rupees for the mobile phone, as well as monthly service charges. The mobile phone can be used by the farmer for other communications as well.

Voice communications and SMS on mobile phones are getting commoditized, and as in urban markets, customers are looking for value-added services. By introducing technology and services appropriate to rural markets, Tata Teleservices plans to differentiate itself in these markets, and increase customer "stickiness".

The company already uses mobile phones to deliver education content, and agricultural information relevant to rural communities. It has tied up with specialist organizations to provide the content.