Is there a role for modern technologies, including Information and Communication Technologies, in sustaining capacity development initiatives?
All your contributions on the above question acknowledge the role of modern technologies in sustaining capacity development initiatives, largely by providing platforms/facilities to support post CD activities including networking, access to information services and innovations, business opportunities, lifelong learning opportunities, and on-farm data/information processing.
Modern technologies are needed to:
- Support networking: enable youth agriprenuers to establish online platforms such as mailing lists, Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, mobile apps, etc. that could be used to stay in touch with each other and facilitate information/knowledge sharing on modern agricultural technologies, experiences and good practices.
- Provide platforms for lifelong learning: access to online courses and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to support personal development.
- Provide online platforms for mentorship, coaching including virtual interaction with peers and experts.
- Facilitate access: to ICT-based information and e-advisory services, i.e. SMS-based alert systems, mobile apps, etc. outbreak of pests and diseases, weather information, market information services, financial services, e-extension services, etc.
- Facilitate access to innovations: provide easy access to information about research, available agricultural technologies (i.e. new varieties of seeds), and other data and tools that are relevant to youth entrepreneurship initiatives.
- Offer business opportunities: modern technologies offer business opportunities youth agripreneurs and access to distant markets/clients for their products and services.
- Support on-farm activities: ICT (especially Apps) provides opportunities for on-farm systems for collecting and processing socio-economic and agronomic data (i.e. daily water requirement, measuring starch content, moisture content, etc.) useful to the running of the business.
Are there other opportunities presented by modern technologies that could contribute to sustainability of capacity development interventions targeting youth in agriculture?
Justin Chisenga
Dr. Justin Chisenga