Question 1: Why are national e-agriculture strategies (also referred to as “ICT for agriculture strategies” or “cyber-strategies for agriculture”) needed for the agricultural sector to fully realize the benefits of ICTs?
Definitely, our friends from the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands (Sanjay here and Anju earlier) have very much a business oriented view of the agricultural sector. From that perspective, it seem e-agriculture strategy should strive to organize the sector as a competitive industry.
It is a great point to insist that any strategy build on actual current status and existing capacity ('zabedin54'), hence the crucial need for a proper and honest evaluation both at the beginning and at the end of the process. A strategy should be about taking the entity concerned from the actual current status A to an attainable status B at some point in the future through workable objectives.
Clearly then, indicators for measuring progress are crucial as evaluation tools (Towela). In all the strategies we are discussing are there always included such instruments for measuring progress? What kind of indicators, benchmarks or other instruments are included in those strategies and actually used in implementation? At any rate how is progress measured?
Otherwise stated: It may feel good to say there is a need for a strategy and ICTs need to be applied to agriculture, but do we always start from and build on the actual capacity (social, economical, financial, technical, cultural, etc.) on the ground and do we set reasonable/attainable objectives based on that capacity? And then how do we document accurately the performance achieved at implementation?
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I have read the majority of the responses which are in favor of a national e agriculture plan in agri. However some repsondents pointed out some challenges in implementing such a plan.
Issues faced in the Caribbean region include
-difficulty in adopting new technologies
-severe learning curves
-disinterest by some stakeholders
-severe implementation issues.
There is the CARICOM which has a regional initiative for ICT in agriculture but not only is the intiative far from being properly implemented but nothing is done to solve the aforementionaed problems. Older and Rural farmers do not always see the benefit in ICTs. This certainly does not mean that they are not able but the problem is they are not willing at least not all of them.
Therefore in my opinion any national e-agri strategy should aim to solves these problems as well.
Dear All,
Thanks for the lively discussions going since last week which I found very enriching. Having being on mission in Rwanda last week, I was trying to catch up and wanted to share few thoughts and experiences from UNECA initiatives in this area particularly on issues that have been discussed over last week.
Yes, there is a need for national e-agriculture strategies, as it was highlighted by different colleagues here for some simple reasons ranging from competing for the limited financial resources for the sector to coordinating the multi-stakeholder initiatives in the sector into the overall national vision for the ICT sector in general and sectoral strategies in particular. In this regard, for example over 45 countries in Africa have now national ICT policies in place. These national policies identify key pillars or priority areas ranging from infrastructure development to human resource devt, content dev’t, e-government, ICT for community development, agriculture, education, health, etc. For example, agriculture is one of the key pillars of the national ICT policy in Burundi, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire. Most countries have moved from policy formulation to implementation in the last over ten years which necessitated defining sectoral priorities through sectoral strategies, namely, e-agriculture, e-health, e-commerce, e-education, etc. strategies. However, we have few countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali which have developed e-agriculture strategies. As most colleagues mentioned, there are a number of initiatives in the agri sector in several countries aiming, for example, to enhance the agri value chain through for example mobile app for providing market prices of agri products to farmers, and providing community telecentre access to rural communities, etc. However, there are several challenges of sustaining such initiatives as they are not connected to national dev’t plans or government sector development programmes through e-strategies in the sector. We are glad that the needs for e-agri strategies have been largely positively addressed in the discussions last week.
As it is clear, a lot of investment is going on in developing the infrastructure, deploying broadband and upgrading networks to 3G and 4G, etc. which agri stakeholders ranging from smallholder farmers to govt ministries and research institutions, famers organizations, universities and research institutions in the agri sector, etc. need to exploit the benefits of using ICTs in their respective domain in the wider agriculture sector.
At UNECA, as facilitators and coordinators of the implementation of WSIS action lines in Africa, we undertake questionnaire-administered surveys every two years to assess the status in each country. According to the results in the last three surveys, there is increasing use of ICT in some sectors such as e-government, e-education, e-business, etc. which has received the priority from government and other stakeholders. However, with agri gaining importance in the last few years at international levels there is increasing investment in the use of ICTs which need to be coupled with proper strategy in place. We look forward to providing our inputs on the rest of the issues this week.
Ken LohentoTechnical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA)Netherlands
Dear Abebe
Thank you very much for your contribution.
Regarding the ICT for agriculture strategies UNECA assisted Mali and Burkina Faso to develop, do you know if they have been officially adopted or if they are being implemented?
The e-agri doc exist, but only with staff members. they don't want to publisch the docs now i think.
But if you ask directly thez can give you.
As i explained, after 2 years, the documents need to be actualise.
For me , the most important thing is to publish the docs and to give the opportunity of those who want to follow.
Question 1: Why are national e-agriculture strategies (also referred to as “ICT for agriculture strategies” or “cyber-strategies for agriculture”) needed for the agricultural sector to fully realize the benefits of ICTs?
Definitely, our friends from the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands (Sanjay here and Anju earlier) have very much a business oriented view of the agricultural sector. From that perspective, it seem e-agriculture strategy should strive to organize the sector as a competitive industry.
It is a great point to insist that any strategy build on actual current status and existing capacity ('zabedin54'), hence the crucial need for a proper and honest evaluation both at the beginning and at the end of the process. A strategy should be about taking the entity concerned from the actual current status A to an attainable status B at some point in the future through workable objectives.
Clearly then, indicators for measuring progress are crucial as evaluation tools (Towela). In all the strategies we are discussing are there always included such instruments for measuring progress? What kind of indicators, benchmarks or other instruments are included in those strategies and actually used in implementation? At any rate how is progress measured?
Otherwise stated: It may feel good to say there is a need for a strategy and ICTs need to be applied to agriculture, but do we always start from and build on the actual capacity (social, economical, financial, technical, cultural, etc.) on the ground and do we set reasonable/attainable objectives based on that capacity? And then how do we document accurately the performance achieved at implementation?
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
I had the honor to participate at different levels to reflect on the e-strategy in Burkina Faso as a consultant and as a member of social society with Yam Pukri
Burkina Faso has started early this reflection on the national vision for ICT. That is why after having established the National Center for information processing in the 1970s, a department was created in 1997 with the creation of DELGI responsible to initiate e-governance in Burkina Faso.
I participated in 1998-1999 in the general debate on ICTs and national development. Broad participation was requested and anyone could send their ideas in written format to DELGI on what he thinks as appropriate in the context of national e. This consultation has been extended in all regions and at all levels (private, public, NGO ...)
As the process was long, UNDP has supported the meantime Burkina approach with smaller where I also participated in the study on the establishment of community telecentres in Burkina Faso. There was also a governance component, multimedia, and other educations.
UNDP process was blocked by lack of resources to conduct the approach that relied on external funds.
In 2004, after intensive consultations and a national conference that brings together technical and financial partners, the government and NGO's and the private sector, the government adopted a national strategy for ICT based on 6 axes. This strategy was juxtaposed with the strategic framework to fight against poverty. In fact, ICT should come and help the national strategy to fight against poverty.
Although aging adopted, no action left this document.
In 2009, we were again called to consider a possible readjustment of the e-strategy. I was responsible for leading the debate on e-services to the rural world. After extensive consultations and implications of more than 10 ministery departments, technical and financial partners, NGOs and other stakeholders, this plan was adopted in 2010.
We are in 2013 and nothing has been done.
I must say that we had a change of ministry. New technologies were under the direction of DELGI which itself has disappeared with the creation of the Ministry of ICT and post in 2004. this department was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the Department of the digital economy and the Post in 2010. The ministry has changed again and became the Department of Development of the digital economy at the end of 2012.
Changes between these departments and practice every day, we must say that the government has been very ambitious with the different programs and the urgent need has led to the implementation of concrete actions and smaller projects .
Therefore whenever aditive studies already carried to adjust to the needs of the moment. Non fundraising may also explain the perpetual recommencement of the e-strategy.
NGOs and other private or public structures or telcoms continue , at their own levels to take action on the ground and certain actions affect the rural domain. For example, the implementation system of money transfers via mobile comes resolve monetary exchanges in rural areas. Projects such as those undertaken by the consortium C4C arrive at local levels to conduct substantive action on the ground, waiting for marge action by the government.
An e-strategy oriented rural and agriculture should go fast with its implementation after having the consent of the whole population, if not, the technology changing at a faster rate than strategies. The state did not want to go into adventures therefore, they only repeat studies to make adjustments.
The implementation of an e-agricultural strategy should take into account the national strategy for food security. This sector is about national sovereignty and to do this should be largely financed by the national budget. This is the only way that everything can get very quickly after adopting plans.
Dear Sylvestre
Merci beaucoup pour cette contribution et pour l'effort de l'avoir fait en anglais.
I will now continue in English.
I see different elements/lessons on your contribution, useful for any e-agriculture strategy process. I will add my comments under question 4, focused on lessons learned http://www.e-agriculture.org/forumtopics/question-4-opens-4-mar
Regards
Ken Lohento
All
Apologies for such a later post.
I have read the majority of the responses which are in favor of a national e agriculture plan in agri. However some repsondents pointed out some challenges in implementing such a plan.
Issues faced in the Caribbean region include
-difficulty in adopting new technologies
-severe learning curves
-disinterest by some stakeholders
-severe implementation issues.
There is the CARICOM which has a regional initiative for ICT in agriculture but not only is the intiative far from being properly implemented but nothing is done to solve the aforementionaed problems. Older and Rural farmers do not always see the benefit in ICTs. This certainly does not mean that they are not able but the problem is they are not willing at least not all of them.
Therefore in my opinion any national e-agri strategy should aim to solves these problems as well.
Regards
keron
Dear All,
Thanks for the lively discussions going since last week which I found very enriching. Having being on mission in Rwanda last week, I was trying to catch up and wanted to share few thoughts and experiences from UNECA initiatives in this area particularly on issues that have been discussed over last week.
Yes, there is a need for national e-agriculture strategies, as it was highlighted by different colleagues here for some simple reasons ranging from competing for the limited financial resources for the sector to coordinating the multi-stakeholder initiatives in the sector into the overall national vision for the ICT sector in general and sectoral strategies in particular. In this regard, for example over 45 countries in Africa have now national ICT policies in place. These national policies identify key pillars or priority areas ranging from infrastructure development to human resource devt, content dev’t, e-government, ICT for community development, agriculture, education, health, etc. For example, agriculture is one of the key pillars of the national ICT policy in Burundi, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire. Most countries have moved from policy formulation to implementation in the last over ten years which necessitated defining sectoral priorities through sectoral strategies, namely, e-agriculture, e-health, e-commerce, e-education, etc. strategies. However, we have few countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali which have developed e-agriculture strategies. As most colleagues mentioned, there are a number of initiatives in the agri sector in several countries aiming, for example, to enhance the agri value chain through for example mobile app for providing market prices of agri products to farmers, and providing community telecentre access to rural communities, etc. However, there are several challenges of sustaining such initiatives as they are not connected to national dev’t plans or government sector development programmes through e-strategies in the sector. We are glad that the needs for e-agri strategies have been largely positively addressed in the discussions last week.
As it is clear, a lot of investment is going on in developing the infrastructure, deploying broadband and upgrading networks to 3G and 4G, etc. which agri stakeholders ranging from smallholder farmers to govt ministries and research institutions, famers organizations, universities and research institutions in the agri sector, etc. need to exploit the benefits of using ICTs in their respective domain in the wider agriculture sector.
At UNECA, as facilitators and coordinators of the implementation of WSIS action lines in Africa, we undertake questionnaire-administered surveys every two years to assess the status in each country. According to the results in the last three surveys, there is increasing use of ICT in some sectors such as e-government, e-education, e-business, etc. which has received the priority from government and other stakeholders. However, with agri gaining importance in the last few years at international levels there is increasing investment in the use of ICTs which need to be coupled with proper strategy in place. We look forward to providing our inputs on the rest of the issues this week.
Thanks
Abebe Chekol
UNECA/ISTD
Dear Abebe
Thank you very much for your contribution.
Regarding the ICT for agriculture strategies UNECA assisted Mali and Burkina Faso to develop, do you know if they have been officially adopted or if they are being implemented?
Are the documents publicly available?
Regards
Ken Lohento
The e-agri doc exist, but only with staff members. they don't want to publisch the docs now i think.
But if you ask directly thez can give you.
As i explained, after 2 years, the documents need to be actualise.
For me , the most important thing is to publish the docs and to give the opportunity of those who want to follow.