E-Agriculture

Question 1 (opens 12 Nov.)

Question 1 (opens 12 Nov.)

 

 Question 1: What roles does ICT play in producer organizations? Support examples with specific reference to an organization, the technology tool(s), and content delivered. 

In particular consider:
  • How can ICT facilitate accountability and transparency among members of an organization and between different organizations?
  • How can ICT facilitate climate change adaptation among members of an organization and the rural communities where the organization is active?

 


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Corazon Reboroso
Corazon ReborosoUniversity of the Philippines Open UniversityPhilippines

ICT facilitate climate change adaptation among members of the Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Calatagan (Organization of Small Fishermen in Calatagan, a first class municipality in Batangas, Philippines) when their organization showed awarenes of environmental concerns that directly affect their livelihood and their commitment to do their share in protecting the coastal resources.  The organization used mobile phones and social media to create awareness about the concerns of the locality regarding illegal extraction of coral, illegal conversion of mangroves to fishponds, the threat of mining operations, their opposition to the illegal land reclamation and their campaign against improper garbage disposal.  Because of their efforts, private individuals and organizations including the ESSC tried to help in the regeneration of mangroves and beach forest.  Similar smaller initiatives have now emerged in other parts of the Philippines.

Hi Corazon, this is very intersting. Is there any information on how long this organization has been using ICT and social media?

Also, what is the ESSC?

Thanks :)

Corazon Reboroso
Corazon ReborosoUniversity of the Philippines Open UniversityPhilippines

Hello Michael,

ESSC stands for Environmental Science for Social Change, a Jesuit research institute in the Philippines that promotes environmental sustainability and social justice through the integration of scientific methodologies and social process.  The organization of Small Fishers of Calatagan used ICT in 2007 and social media in 2009.  Calatagan, Batangas, Philippines is now a marine reserve and ICT and social media helped tremendously in creating awareness .

 

Koy

 

Reference:

http://www.essc.org.ph 

In the Philippines, there is an abundance of agricultural cooperatives and I am happy to note that they are starting to embrace ICT. This is good news considering the fact that 10 years ago, the villages where these agricultural cooperatives are located were not yet energized.

The Caridad Sur Farmers Cooperative is located in the municipality of Llanera, Province of Nueva Ecija. Two years ago, the cooperative decided to purchase a personal computer in order to improve its record and bookkeeping functions. Littler did the members thought that this new hardware will usher the cooperative in the new era of information revolution.

The cooperative was able to develop its own website where the treasurer and auditor regularly post the financial statements of the cooperative. This ensured transparency in the fiscal affairs of the coopertative. 

The leaders of the cooperative also took advantage of the new technology in educating the members. Thanks to the Open University of the nearby state agricultural university, members were able to enrol basic courses in rice production, bookkeeping, community development.

With the devolution of the extension delivery system to local government units, the Philippine Department of Agriculture can tap local coopertives in disseminating new agricultural technologies! 

IRRI is located in the Philippines and yet up to now, the country is not yet self-sufficient in rice production. Maybe the use of ICT in local agricultural cooperatives can help improve efficiency in rice production. 

Just thinking aloud.

I noticed that BS Agriculture students in the Philippines are required to take the following basic courses, in addition to the general education requirements (humanities, social sciences, math and sciences), before they can specialize: Principles of Crop Science, Fundamentals of Animal Science, Introductory Soil Science, Basic Pest Management, Agricultural Mechanics, Farm Management, Extension Teaching and Communication.

Why not update the curriculum and include subjects such as ICT for agriculture as a mandatory basic subject. 

There is common notion here in the Philippines that the BS Agriculture course is not a glamorouse course. Why not re-package the degree to entice more students so that we can have more entrepreneurs and/or advocates of bio-enterprise development.

Hi Michael. We in the e-Agriculture Team would agree that ICT in agriculture is an important part of any formal curriculum. (We might be biased!) Important enough that it probably deserves its own dedicated forum. Let's keep our convesation here focused on producer organizations. :)

Myla Borres
Myla BorresPhilippines

 

I agree with you that curriculum in agriculture needed to be revisited and I also believe that Agricultural Universities/schools' management are tailoring the course to the current situation and future demands.  I remember when I was taking BS Agriculture in the early 90’s Computer Science was an elective subject, but I did not take it. After I graduated, most of the jobs I had (even now)have something to do with computers – research work in plant breeding ,  in the local government unit, in hotels and especially now with my stint in the DILG –  actually I regretted that I did not grab the chance to enroll in computer subject then :-(. But you see Agricultural Universities have foreseen the importance of computer subject in the field of agriculture. We would not be surprised if ICT will be offered in the curriculum soon :-).

I agree. I hope that this will be a reality 10 years from now.

Sr. Eva Ocenar
Sr. Eva OcenarPhilippines

Hi, Yitzhak613 and Mjborres22, 

It is nice to hear from your idea about revisiting BS Agricultural Curriculum in relation to ICT; your relfections bring an inspiration to reflect on the possibility of considering ICT in the study of agricultural course.  I can also see the necessity and usefulness of it, at least the basic and the fundamental knowledge.  It could be of great help to the agricultural students someday once they land, employ, and practice their degree of profession.  I agree on that opinion and hopefully this shall be materialized.

The Philippine agricultural sector may find time to cope with globalization in terms of ICTand producer organizations may find  difficulty to invest on ICT having all the issues posted  like limited resources, etc., but let me draw from the baseline by starting to think outside the box-The Agriculture program curriculum being adopted by higher education institutions (HEIs) may  be enhanced.  In fact, in CMO 14, s. 2008, otherwise known as the Policies and Standards for Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) program, there is only one (1) subject (3 units) of Basic Computer Concept and Application being offered,  where the competencies  desired   to achieve are to develop the ability of students to access, retrieve, process and disseminate information and  to update the students of the recent trends in ICT. The agriculture student's ICT  knowledge and skill should  already be fully developed   so that  once they go through  community immersion,  OJT or when they graduate and go to rural areas, they could start by introducing a literacy program  for farmers or  having been equipped, they could readily utilize  and share such skill with the stakeholders. Once they have internalized this, a domino effect will set in.