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e-Agriculture

Surabhi Mittal

Organización CIMMYT Int.
Organization type International Organization
País India
Surabhi Mittal is a Senior Scientist (Agricultural Economics) with the Socioeconomics Program, based in India. She joined CIMMYT in August 2010 and is working on the role of modern information and communication technology (ICT) in overcoming asymmetric information among farmers in India and South Asia. She is doing the economic and institutional analysis of the delivery of accurate and timely agronomic, climatic, and market information to farmers for improving productivity and sustainability of smallholder agriculture in maize and wheat systems. Prior to joining CIMMYT, she worked on the productivity, infrastructure and ICT, agricultural reforms, horticulture, demand and supply projections, trade in agriculture (focusing on subsidies in context of WTO), food security, regional cooperation in South Asia, domestic market integration with focus on India. Dr. Mittal obtained her MS in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and her PhD in agriculture economics from B.R. Ambedkar University, India.

This member participated in the following Forums

Foro Forum: "Using ICT to enable Agricultural Innovation Systems for smallholders" September, 2012

Question 1 (opens 17 Sept.)

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Mar, 18/09/2012 - 07:12

This working paper gives insight on the status of ICT's in India

 

The major objectives of this scoping study are:1) to analyze the scope and potential of the use of ICT, especially mobile phones, for farmers and the agricultural sector; 2) to identify farmers’ present sources of information and information networks, and to identify the information needs that help them to mitigate production and market risks; 3) to identify existing ICT-based innovations in the agricultural sector, the key players, and the institutional arrangements for the dissemination of information;4) to highlight selected models and innovations in the form of case studies; and 5) to identify the constraints and challenges and to suggest key questions that should be taken up for research based on this scoping study.   http://repository.cimmyt.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10883/1322/96533.pdf?sequence=4

Will be happy to receive comments on this

Regards

Surabhi

 

Foro Forum: "Challenges and Opportunities for Capturing Impact in ICT initiatives in Agriculture" September, 2011

What is the most effective way to measure the impact of ICT for development (ICT4D) initiatives?

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Lun, 03/10/2011 - 06:25

Isn't it worth discussing about these indicators and trying to list out both quantitative and qualitative ones to be able to start thinking in developing an ICT index for agriculture. This will build the base the future databasis and comparative studies across states or nations. At this forum we can think and try to do this.

Surabhi 

Introduction and Question 1

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Mié, 28/09/2011 - 11:30

Hi Jenny,

I agree to all the three points that you have highlighted. To answer to the third point- ICT (mobile / internet based indformation delivery systems) are complementary to the all other existing extension networks. Traditional extension chanels help in strengthening the existence of modern ICT. We have observed this during our study as well as in present day field works in various low income states of India. 

Cheers

Surabhi

  

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Mié, 28/09/2011 - 05:41

 Shehzaad,

 

The indicators according to me as neccasary to track the change is

1. What % of messages do farmers act on?

2. With the new information received do qunatity/ cost of inputs used change?

3. What si the observed change in yields, income?

4. Do farmers change their behaviour over time by adopting to new technology or even trying to use new technology (seed technology, non- seed technology etc.)

I am trying to develop methodology on these lines and run some experimental trials, hopefully will be able to start some of these soon for India. 

Surabhi

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Mié, 28/09/2011 - 05:37

 I am posting this on behalf of the undersigned who is not able to post his message here and has thus requested me to do so.

The recent 8th EFITA Conference in Prague http://www.efita2011.cz/index.php?idScript=29
dedicated a Keynote to the Impact of Technological Innovations. In several sessions  various 
aspects of information-providing mobile systems were presented and discussed. An aspect
of particular interest included the impact Social Network information-exchanging (Facebook?) 
have on Agricultural Productivity. This facet specifically under the title: 
Collaborative platforms and Social Media for Agriculture.
The format was a query: 
Are Social Networks A Technological Upgrade or a Paradigm Shift?

This  questions and findings in this Indian study add universal clarity to the issues as 
discussed in Prague - issues such as:

    • What kind of information do farmers value the most to improve agricultural productivity?
    • Do mobile phones and mobile-enabled agricultural services have an impact on agriculture?
    • What are the factors that impede realization of the full productivity enhancing potential of mobile phones?.
    • What are the interrelations between mobile phones (social networks), agricultural productivity and social factors?

best
Ehud Gelb, 
Center for Agricultural Economic Research, Israel

 

 

 

 

Subido por Surabhi Mittal el Mar, 27/09/2011 - 09:43

 Hi,

We need to be clear about the objective or purpose of delivering agriculture/ extension information to the farmers. The programmes or models through which this information is delivered, it is important for them to run their system efficiently and thus through a regular internal process they keep a close watch on if the information is being delived and how to improve the delivery. On the other hand it is also important to see if the information that farmers receive has any impact on their socio-economic conditions. Anectodal evidences from various earlier studies in India and South Asia (including mine ICRIER WP 246) has proven this fact. But the big question remains if actually a critical mass of farming community expecially the small farmers surviving on subsistence agriculture - mainly cereal based economy able to benefit from this information? How have they used this information? What mechanisms exist to see or to evaluste a continuous and rigorously acceptable (statistically) impact analaysis is something which I am also trying to find answer to. As an economist I have the options to do experimental trials or do an ae-ante and ex-post analysis. But then we work with a small sample of population. Is is possible to link the service provders with the researchers and through good data mangement infact using ICT itself, build up data to abe able to see the real impact in terms of income change, reduction in cost or yield improvements, reduced use of harmful chemicals, or even social changes. Important is also to observe and track the behaviour changes?

Cheers

Surabhi Mittal

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