Greetings from Trinidad and Tobago.

I firmly believe that ICTs bring benefits to the sector and e -  agriculture strategies can be effective.  The justification is that in order for us (small states) to remain competitive globally, our extensionists and producers and  must be in touch with current technologies being utilised and one of the easiest ways to accomplish this is through ICTs. While the adoption of these technologies will not be instant at any level, it will certainly give some direction of the way in which to move.

A national strategy can also bring greater cohesiveness within the sector and foster collaborative efforts between farmers and farming groups, and stakeholders such as manufacturers and exporters of fresh produce.

While the agricultural sector here has started implementing ICTs, there are some challenges.  It's reach is limited to only to those stakeholders who are in touch with new interventions put in place by the MOA, and unfortunately, many farmers are excluded.  A national e - agriculture strategy, should involve a needs assessment which could highlight current deficiencies within the sector as it relates to ICTs, and once this assessment is completed, the steps to the way forward should be clear.  Other challenges include training of extentionists in how ICTs can be used, accessibility to equipment (many stakeholders particularly farmers do not have smart phones), infrastructure and general computer literacy.