1.0   The local network 

YPARD Zimbabwe was established in July 2011 with the nomination of a local Country representative by the global unit.  YPARD stands for Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, a global network of young professionals in agricultural research and development. The local network, an independent and autonomous unit, comprises about 250 members who are active online and offline, with some members in the Diaspora. The primary target group of the local network is young men and women who are passionate about agriculture, and under forty years of age.   

A core team of five members met regularly to design the structure, methods of engagement, and to inspire each other during the early years after establishment.  The team members continue to keep in touch through various means such as e-mail communications and Skype calls.  For many of the registered members, there is freedom to contribute to local agricultural development in any way deemed suitable and of value to the mission of YPARD.  

The modus operandi of YPARD Zimbabwe is to conduct as minimum programmes and activities as can be executed because of the rise of complexity and uncertainty in the country.  It primarily assumes the role of a “think tank” organisation.  We promote “knowledge creation" and "critical thinking" in orthodox ways across multiple domains, and sometimes in uncharted territories in agricultural research and development.  One of the reasons for this approach is to promote the use of the change leader’s imagination, creativity, and experimentation in building better futures in agriculture.   

Since its establishment, the local network has partnered with various local organisations and individuals in agriculture in direct and indirect ways.  In one instance, the local network signed a memorandum of understanding with a local network of an international organisation focused on young people and agriculture.   

2.0   The process 

This case study sought to analyse the possible areas of application for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in horticulture in Zimbabwe.  The areas are:   

• Production (food and environment)
• Business (incomes and wealth)
• Aesthetic (creativity and lifestyle)

Visually, ICTs can be found at the intersection of the three areas. The research questions in the case study were: How can ICTs be applied in horticulture in Zimbabwe?  What is the envisioned future with ICTs being used in horticulture systems in Zimbabwe?

3.0   Applying the Analysis

3.1   Sustainable intensification

“Sustainable intensification” including that of horticulture crop based systems as one of the suggested solution to meeting needs related to Production (food and environment), Business (incomes and wealth), and Aesthetic (creativity and lifestyle), needs to be addressed within the broader framework of ICTs as an enabling tool/mechanism for horticulture.    

3.2   Multiple uses of ICTs in horticulture in Zimbabwe
 
ICTs constitute the new digital economy where humans and machines/tools are inseparable, and depend on each other for mutual “survival” and “exploitation” purposes.  Each of these purposes brings merits and demerits to horticulture farmers.  In any analysis of ICTs’ applied use, taking into consideration the human species concerns (such as inspiration and courage) and business concerns such as convenience and returns on investment) should be borne in mind. 

One school of thought suggests that farmers will use a particular technology, service, or product if it addresses the problems they encounter as well as suits their needs.  You cannot depend on the excitement concerning ICTs to hoodwink farmers into ICTs adoption and application in their enterprises.  For example, unmanned aerial vehicles and robots use when proven to be practical importance and value farming ventures are most likely to have takers.      

ICTs have been used in the horticulture industry in Zimbabwe includes: setting up of websites for emerging farmers; marketing of horticultural produce using social media (e.g. Face book pages); publication purposes especially for events (meetings and workshops), and dissent.  

Another school of thought suggests that ICTs now epitomize the extent of modern civilization.  ICTs extend the idea that man is able to master his environment under certain conditions.  They have also brought together production and consumer in much more intimate ways.  Adaptable farmers and entrepreneurs must capitalize on this research and development competitive advantages as they relate to horticulture crop based systems. 

4.0  Reflections

In this case study, we convey the "concrete" idea that ICTs have been used in many areas in agricultural research and development, with varying levels of success.  In particular, for horticulture in Zimbabwe, this is seem largely as a domain of knowledge, and thus the issue becomes whether ICTs are perceived to serve the much needed functions, amongst other issues.  

In addition, each area of ICTs application in horticulture – production, business, and aesthetic – needs to be assessed on a case by case basis.  The local context should be considered as well when doing such an assessment. 

We believe as YPARD Zimbabwe that ICTs can serve as a sueful connector in horticulture in Zimbabwe.  All interested individuals and organisations in horticulture and associated enterprises should evaluate in a pragmatic way the use and perceived benefits of using ICTs in production, business, and aesthetic areas.  

The YPARD Zimbabwe Case Study Prepared by Raymond Erick Zvavanyange Email: [email protected] ; [email protected] Date: 13.03.2017

I hold the viewpoint that ICTs (broadly) will remain on the agricultural research and development initiatives for quite some time.  They represent a new business and lifestyle order – digital economy – where humans and machines/tools are inseparable, and depend on each other for “exploitation” purposes.

“Sustainable intensification” including that of horticulture crop based systems as one of the suggested solution to meeting needs related to production (food), business (profit), and aesthetic (creativity), must be explored in a greater measure.  Sustainable horticulture crop based systems should be given a fair hearing as to what it is able to contribute to the meeting the needs of an estimated 9 billion people by the year 2050, and other aesthetic means.  More so, we should take the approach/system for what the solution it presents and not necessarily, the hype it creates in the minds of policy makers and practitioners. 

From a strategic and systemic standpoint, ICTs are a “means to an end” and “an end to a means” in horticulture crop based systems.  This is within the “known” and “knowable” domains as presented to modern human history.  Essentially, both smallholder and commercial farmers should as a matter of principle assess in a pragmatic way the use and perceived benefits of using ICTs in such production and aesthetic systems.   

Again, generic merits and demerits of ICTs to smallholders and commercial farmers should be looked at the farm level, and taking into consideration each farmer’s context.  In essence, human-related concerns (such as inspiration and courage) and business concerns such as convenience and returns on investment) should be borne in mind when using ICTs in horticulture crop based systems.

ICTs are also instrumental in bringing knowledge, products, goods, and services to customers in a variety of ways.  They now epitomize the extent of modern civilization because, in a way, ICTs extend the idea that man is able to master his environment under certain conditions.  By extension, man is able to produce for his present and future needs. 

Last, ICTs have also brought together production and consumer in much more intimate ways.  As such, adaptable farmers and entrepreneurs who can capitalize on this development position themselves favorably in horticulture crop based systems. 

My recommendation is for Governments, Non-Governmental Organisations, and Civil Society to recognize the important role played by "conformists, disruptionists and misfits" in the modern society. Every individual has something to contribute to the entrepreneurial spirit and to resilience building whether they have a "status"' or not. 

Recognition of such members of the society should also be supported with pragmatic measures/mechanisms to allow for the full expression of talents and abilities of conformists, disruptionists and misfits. 

History is replete with experimenters and pioneers who pursued relentlessly (and still do) simple ideas regardless of their absurdness, and got transformative and impactful results. Such ideas in hindsight find themselves as the foundation to the changes that can be attributed partly to ICTs. 

This formal contribution albeit not specific to a particular country in Africa surveys the information and communication technologies (ICTs) landscape throughout the continent as championed by pundits and as expressed in various research and communication articles.  The basic premise is that we are in an "era of abundance" when it comes to what we have realised because of practical application and continued investment in ICTs.    

Humans are fixated on ICTs for better or for worse especially as it pertains to resilience programmes or projects, or simply put in the very goals that humans seek to pursue in the domain of choice.  There is absolutely no doubt ICT tools are amazing in shaping our society and how we come to create new programmes or projects. Fixation should be a cause of concern as resilience revolves around keeping the "entrepreneurial spirit" of all and not a segment of human population alive. 

ICTs are shaping the arc of human progress. Conversely, human progress should also shape the arc of ICTs, reminiscent of U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s mobilization of American resolve to “put man on moon” following the lead of the Soviet Union. We see throughout Africa, technology and entrepreneurship hubs whose pivot is ICTs.  In many of these programmes, the practical application to resilience initiatives is missing as resilience programmes or projects may not have profit making as the ultimate aim.  Thriving and not surviving should be the aim.  The two descriptions about human nature are fundamentally different. 

ICTs can be integrated through specific actions geared at “scaling up” and “scaling out” promising inventions, and match that with the other extreme, the non-mainstream ICTs inventions.  The choice as to what to "scale up" and "scale out" can be made by evaluation of ICTs captured from an open access repository.  This has the benefit of reminding humans that our capacity for exploration is in itself inadequate but sufficient to trigger transformative actions. 

Another example is that the integration of ICTs in resilience programmes or projects should draw lessons on discourse on civil society as “numbers matter” when implementing large-scale programmes or projects.  This is because the Internet of Things has so meshed together even the most mundane of things for economic, social and political reasons.  Individuals, their bodies, their expression, their businesses, and their feelings, all appear to “crank the Internet of Things”.   

We are perhaps being reminded through the pervasiveness of ICTs of our capacity for adventures, creativity, discovery, and exploration in what we can do for each other as part of the human species.  This capacity is, and should compel humans to re-imagine a better human-ordered society. That is perhaps one form of resilience-enabled.  

One would know what the community needs versus what they already have and how this can be improved. Again, time is not wasted as they are other ranking challenges in the communities. Resources are efficiently allocated and directed to where they are needed most.

In order to analyze the socio-economic impact of ICT in rural areas one has to understand the power-plays in rural communities for this is a critical factor in the launch and success/failure of the ICT projects. Indicators drafted at the initial stage of implementation are also important guides but note that this is usually idealistic. It would also help to understand the culture of the community.

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