Question 2 (opens 14 Nov.)

Hi Anne,

I think we can solve the language barrier by creating applications that do the translation themselves.  If we can only gather all the languages of all your tribes and create a database of information then we can work on the apps.  At first, we can translate them all to English then afterwards we can do direct translations from dialect to dialect.

Regards,
Harv

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">Hi Anne,<br>Yes, farmers (the older generation) may be less educated, yet, some members of their families who are sent to school can help their parent-farmers in ICT education or new technologies that could help them in their farming activities.&nbsp; This may sound ideal, but I know some far-flung people who are ICT-illiterates and depend on their children on being oriented/educated even on the simpler types of technology.<br><br>The community they live can be a starting point to set up small group that will provide orientations on the use of ICT in their everyday agricultural practices.&nbsp; <br><br>--- On <b>Sat, 11/17/12, [email protected] <i>&lt;[email protected]&gt;</i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: [email protected]
&lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>Subject: Re: [e-Agriculture] Question 2 (opens 14 Nov.)<br>To: "sansu" &lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012, 10:01 PM<br><br><div id="yiv511611820">

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         What benefit does the use of ICTs bring to farmer-producers? Several studies have shown how beneficial these ICTs are among farmers in the different parts of the world.

            Zambia’s National Farmer Organization (ZNFU) had developed an SMS-based Service messaging system which is an easy-to-use service that announces prices via SMS to mobile phones and the web. ZNFU introduced the system with support from the main mobile phone network provider in Zambia, several other local organizations, many farming cooperatives, the agribusiness chamber, and buyers and sellers. The mobile phone network provider organized the bulk messaging process to deliver the information to as many mobile phones as possible, and it offered several hundred half-price mobile phones to farmers.  As reported, this innovation brought a significant change on how farmers and traders are dealing with each other and observed that traders are now taking the farmers much more seriously as trading partners. 

            Another very interesting  story also happened with the Burkina Faso Farmers who  integrated the use of ICTs to share new production, processing, and marketing skills. The Federation of Agricultural Producers of Sissili Province (FEPPASI) now uses multimedia tools, such as digital photo and video cameras, to document the results of field trials and to create training materials. The FEPPASI headquarters  and one of its regional offices are connected to the Internet. Both locations function as information centers where members can use the computers. GPS is used to map farms, and a family farm database has been set up. Information and documents are stored on the Synology server. Some benefits cited by Sissili farmers include finding contacts to sell their produce,  managing techniques to produce more  and others.  

             Another good example of how ICTs enhance farmer organizations’ access to knowledge comes from a project in China (the Construction and Popularization of Agriculture Info-Service System), where a priority is to make modern ICTs accessible and useful for farmers. The project, introduced in Anhui Province, has three main features: an Internet portal, information assistants, and information dissemination models. It targets specialized farmers’ cooperatives, a primary force for agricultural development in China. 

 For a more thorough discussion of these stories please refer to this site:

(http://www.ictinagriculture.org/ictinag/sourcebook/module-8-farmer-organizations-work-better-ict)

                          Obviously, priority issue tackled here has to with strong  desire or determination to maximize ICT integration. This determination was carried out through serious collaboration among farmers, leaders, and agencies. The rest of the other issues like financial, intellectual, capacity-building were bearable for so long as farmers set their hearts into their purpose, that is to improve their lot. Afterall, there is always truth in the saying, "if there's a will, there's a way." 

Not much attention has been given so far in our discussions on business strategies for encouraging increased PO member and management adoption of mobile phone technologies at local level. I think the success of the Grameen Bank in promoting mobile phone adoption withìn its Grameen Bank groups is worth examining.

One of the business activities that Grameen Bank groups are encouraged to get involved in is the group purchase of a mobile phone, which they purchase from their pooled or accumulted group savings. The phone is then lent out to individual members or outsiders on a per-call basis and a fee is charged for each call. The fee income earned is then used to cover the monthly charge the mobilephone service provider charges for the phone service plus a little bit more to provcide additional income to the Grameen Bank group. Another business activity would also be the charging of mobille phone batteries where no electriicty exists, which could be done in a variety of ways, using a car battery, a solar powered charge, even a bycycle that runs a generator.

More information on this case can be obtained by accessing www.grameenphone.com

Could this approach be used in your country?

I agree with John, one of the key aspect is to identify sustainable business models.  In our country target farmers finds it difficult to purchase mobile phones and maintain load balance. Finding organizations, such as purchasers of commodities, who would pay for services so farmers may receive targeted mobile agricultural value added services. Tapping into the demand for information and data on rural communities, offering third party organizations access to the mobile phone users or information on their profiles as market research or monitoring and evaluation sources.

I guess one strategy would be to combine agricultural content and expertise with the expertise and reach of mobile network operators.  Agriculture needs to grow and be more productive to sustain demands while mobile operators in saturated urban markets see opportunities to grow in rural areas, combining these two ‘drivers’ benefits both farmers and mobile network operators.  If this opportunity is seen by other sectors, commitment to support ICT would increase.

Hi John,

I think you're referring to the Village Phone program of Grameen, which I heard has improved the lives of farmers.  Perhaps the closest approach to this program in the Philippines is the launch of wireless payphones by PLDT-SMART, one of the leading telcos here.  They have even partnered with 7-11 to produce GSM Coin Payphones, which I find very convenient (although I haven't seen one).

Regards,
Harv

As Faye {2000} has pointed out, ICTs are offering even less developed countries a window of opportunities to leapfrog the industrialization stage and transform their economics in to high value-added information economies that can compete with the advanced economics on the global market. Technological innovation has contributed to globalization by supplying infrastructure for trans-world connections. According to Ajayi {2000}, the revolution taking place in information and communication technologies have been the central and driving force for the globalization process. Both developed and less-developed countries cannot afford to miss out on the opportunities these technologies are creating.

With these, I believe it is important to invest on ICT roadmap like  Community e Center to  partner with private, civil and local government units and provision of bandwith connectivity and of  course sustainability of the project through  trainings and seminars.  

Interesting posts from everyone! To add on to the discussions, I believe producer organizations should focus on two areas: 

1. Capacity development and learning - Producer organizations must invest in training and capacity development of their stakeholders and partners to learn how to use ICT as a tool. Capacity development and learning can be in three levels: Technical experts training community stakeholders and partners, community stakeholders and partners training fellow members, and community stakeholders and partners training those outside of their community. Through these three-level initiative, capacity development and learning initiatives are scaled up and people within and outside the community benefit from it.   

2. Knowledge management - Producer organizations must also invest in processes and mechanisms that promote and/or enhance the five key processes of knowledge management: knowledge identification, knowledge creation, knowledge capture and storage, knowledge sharing, and knowledge use/application. Investments in the creation of venues for storytelling or devising simple ways of records storage and management can go a long way in preserving knowledge, enabling people to learn from it and using it in their everyday lives, and most importantly sustaining initiatives. 

I realized that I didn't answer the main question in my previous posts.  Here's what I think:  linkage through ICT.  The POs should help link the farmers to the different markets, LGUs/NGOs and the R&D centers.  These different channels provide the essential elements for agricultural success: marketing and selling strategies, funding activities, and knowledge transfer.  The agriculture system in the Philippines is somewhat fragmented, as shown in this cycle:  Markets->R&D->LGUs/NGOs->POs then back to Market again.  With ICT, the three are directly connected with the POs.

Harv