Question 3 (opens 19 Nov.)

Ms Koy,

I agree with you, but if the XO computers can be tailored fit to the school age children, perhaps, this can be done also for farmers in the producer organizations.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, technology or any other ICT can be simplified/modified  according to the target users' need and purpose.

Hi Sansu,

The XO laptops are designed and targeted for children so I don't think OLPC will allow these to be given to farmers.  Besides, at around $150+ each, it might be better to give them cellphones or ebook readers.  By the way, private organizations were the ones who brought the OLPC laptops to the Philippines, the DepED only supported it.

Regards,
Harv

Hi Harv,

yes, it's true that the XO laptops were designed for children, and thanks to OLPC for their generous deed, and the DepEd is one of lucky goernment agencies to receive such generosity, but if there has not been a collaboration with the DepEd (say, in vocing out the needs of the school children particularly in terms of ICT), and OLPC heard such call and responded with generosity, then, these school children beneficiaries would have not been enjoying what they have on their hands right now.

It is in the same line of thinking that ICT can work for farmers, like what you said, mobile phones for farmers.  Perhaps, if producer organizations and other groups would help POs to be "heard", perhaps, a generous private sector would be kind enough to provided the POs with mobile phones especially designed for farmers/POs.  And such mobile phones need not be as pricey as the XO laptops.

This is an interesting discussion, showing there can be a role for government to facilitate PO's access to ICT. In the case described it seems the XO - a tool like a mobile phone - was provided free or at a very low cost as a result of the government's action.

In terms of sustainability, is this sufficient? What about the capacity to use, or the costs of use?

Hi Michael,

Actually the XOs are laptops, and selected schools are lucky recipients of these devices (for free!).  As for sustainability in the Philippines, the first deployment in Lubang (Dec 2010, initiated by the mayor) is still going smooth because of the support of the government.  In fact, it was expanded to the whole region of Occidental Mindoro (Nov 2011, initiated by the governor).  Given proper training, all stakeholders (students, teachers, administrators) can incorporate the laptops in their daily activities.  As for the costs, you will just need a basic computer for the server and internet access, plus the training.  The school can get these for free if there are NGOs helping.  Recently, there is a private company that has started to deploy XOs, and they provide free training (through eKindling, volunteer org) and connectivity (through Smart, private telco).

Harv

Hi Michael and Harv,

this afternoon, we had the opportunity to listen to Mayor Juan Sanchez's presentation of their best practice exemplifying public and private partnership in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro, and he mentioned this XO laptops.  One of the key factors that this project has attained popularity in other areas is that, the initiatives of the local government for the upliftment of the lives of their people, making this partnership a replicable practice in other areas.

Another mayor mentioned a strategy of setting up an MDG fund, if not the local development fund, to support such initiatives.  This act could very well support the needs of the farmers or Producer orgranizations in terms of providing them mobile phones that are designed according to their needs.  

I remember an article in the internet that mobile phones used by military personnel do not have as much features as other smart phones, but features which are only useful to their needs.

THis same principle can be applied to mobile phones specifically designed for farmers and producer organizations, if only some telecomms are open to engage in designing and producing sector-specific mobile phones.

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">Ms Koy,<br>I agree with you, but if the XO computers can be tailored fit to the school age children, perhaps, this can be done also for farmers in the producer organizations.&nbsp; As I have mentioned in previous posts, technology or any other ICT can be simplified/modified&nbsp; according to the target users' need and purpose.<br><br>just <br><br>--- On <b>Tue, 11/20/12, [email protected] <i>&lt;[email protected]&gt;</i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: [email protected] &lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>Subject: Re: [e-Agriculture] Question 3 (opens 19 Nov.)<br>To: "sansu" &lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 3:00 PM<br><br><div id="yiv795380635">

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Last year, the Global Information Technology Report (GITR) series celebrated its 10th anniversary. The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with INSEAD, initially
began this project to explore the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on productivity and development as a component of the Forum’s
research on competitiveness. To this end, over the past decade the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) has been measuring the degree to which economies across
the world leverage ICT for enhanced competitiveness.

During this period, it has been helping policymakers and relevant stakeholders to track their economies’ strengths and weaknesses as well as their progress over time. In addition, it has identified best practices in networked readiness and designed roadmaps and strategies for establishing optimal ICT diffusion to boost competiveness.

Since 2002, the networked readiness framework has remained stable, aside from some minor adjustments at the variable level to better reflect the dynamic
trends in the technology landscape. This has allowed for meaningful comparisons across time and created a valuable database of technology metrics. However, the
ICT industry has changed dramatically since 2002 and its effects are increasingly transforming our economies and societies.

More precisely, over the past decade, the world has become increasingly “hyperconnected.” We live in an environment where the Internet and its associated
services are accessible and immediate, where people and businesses can communicate with each other instantly, and where machines are equally interconnected with each other. The exponential growth of mobile devices, big data, and social media are all drivers of this process of hyperconnectivity. Consequently, we are  beginning to see fundamental transformations in society.
Hyperconnectivity is redefining relationships between individuals, consumers and enterprises, and citizens and the state. It is introducing new opportunities to increase productivity and well-being by redefining the way business is done, generating new products and services, and improving the way public services are delivered.

However, hyperconnectivity can also bring about new challenges and risks in terms of security, cybercrime, privacy, the flow of personal data, individual rights, and
access to information.

Traditional organizations and industry infrastructures are also facing challenges as industries converge. This will inevitably have consequences for policy and regulation because regulators will have to mediate the blurring lines between sectors and industries, and will be obligated to oversee more facets of each interaction in
a pervasive way. For example, in terms of security and surveillance, hyperconnectivity is transforming the way people, objects, and even animals are being monitored. Experts also predict it will have an impact on inventory, transport and fleet management, wireless payments, navigation tools, and so on. The impact of ICT on different facets of life and work is growing.
In this context, the way we monitor, measure, and benchmark the deployment and impacts of ICT must evolve to take into account the rapid changes and consequences of living in a hyperconnected world.

Reflecting on this imperative of adaptation, a comprehensive review process of the NRI framework has been undertaken, guided by a process of high-level consultations with academic experts, policymakers, and representatives of the ICT industry. The results of this new framework are presented for the first time in this edition of the Report.
 

(http://www3.weforum.org/docs/Global_IT_Report_2012.pdf)

Dear all, welcome to the second and final week of this discussion. It is great to see that we are off to a strong start.

Please keep in mind that the questions this week (#3 and #4) are very focused. They are designed to highlight issues that the World Bank and FAO believe are critical when producer organizations use ICT.

Question 3 here covers three points – public sector support (not necessarily limited to funding), producer organizations, the uptake of ICT by producer organizations. Please draw all three of these points together in your responses. [We are not looking for a discussion on agricultural or ICT-related policy issues in general.]

Cheers, Michael

The public sector should be committed to support ICT investments in order to deliver maximum value for money.  The public sector should be prompt in finding opportunities to capture various benefits in enhancing access and improvement in the quality and value of services it may provide producer organizations on a national, regional and local basis. 

Shared ICT platforms, a connection and spread of exemplar projects and enhanced engagement with the industry would reduce the proportion of cost invested in ICT by individual organizations and deliver local savings which might be partially reinvested in advancing the progress of ICT. It would also open the door to significant additional and wider savings in public sector costs by providing a platform for the operation of other shared services and better support sustainability goals.

The public sector should recognize that in the current economic environment a largely standalone and "self-sufficient" operating mode is no longer affordable and should commit to an era of sharing in ICT that will not only offer better value but also still meet the needs of individual producer organizations and their customers.