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.
- 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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Other options to what I earlier posted would be:
- Employment of the agriculture graduates, who are equipped with knowledge in ICT, by producer organizations
- Linkages to higher education institutions who are producers of BSA graduates and other concerned agencies.
These might support the ideas/points of view of Yitzhak613, Mjborres22 and Sr. Eva.
Hi Gigi,
Greetings from Manila!
Thank you so much for enlightenment. When I was formulating my earlier post concernning the online discussion on education in agriculture in view of ICT, along with the ideas of Yitzchak613 and mjborres22, I was indeed thinking of you. I am pretty sure that there is an appropriate person among us from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) who can brightly address and support the opinion. I am also reflecting Gigi, probably this is only my presumption, I am not really sure if I am correct, that not only BS-Agriculture Course nowadays has computer subject in the curriculum. I think in today's time, almost all degrees and courses in any field of study in the undergraduate course has the basic computer subject and even in the lower level of education (elementary) has computer lesson in this present age of education in our country. We can think of the "young generations" computer literate even teaching their old "folks" to use the computer and other high tech ICTs gadgets. It is really very interesting.
Now, it is nice to know that higher education in our country is really exerting efforts, knowledge, initiatives, and programs to mold and nourish the mind of our young generations to the interest which could be applicable and useful to them this time and for the future as well so as to attend to their needs in line with the proper preparation to fully practice their degree someday whether for their own improvement or for the progress of our society. Since the young generations are basically the future parts of the producer organizations, productive farmers, or potential consumers and products builders.
Best Regards,
Sr. Eva
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:
1. 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.
2. Employment of these graduates, who are equipped with the knowledge and skill in ICT, by producer organizations, could also be done.
3. Linkages to higher education institutions who are producers of BSA graduates and other concerned agencies may also work well.
This could also support the ideas of Yitzhak613, Mjborres22 and Sr. Eva.
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [e-Agriculture] Question 1 (opens 12 Nov.)
To: "gigi_casipit" <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, November 16, 2012, 12:30 PM
Mike maybe with the Dept Ed change of having K212, CHED should look into the curriculum, because there will be lesser general education subjects. Grades 11 and 12 will tackle most of the general education subject.
Mike maybe with the Dept Ed change of having K212, CHED should look into the curriculum, because then now there will be lesser general education subjects. Grades 11 and 12 will tackle most of the general education subject.
We now have several examples of farmers and/or farmer organizations using ICT and finding it useful. In these examples do we know if ICT has helped the farmer organizations to better serve their members and to be more efficient? Does ICT help farmers to directly access market and knowledge information without having to go through its organization??
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are useful to support accountability and transparency, necessary for attempts to track and ensure good use of funding for different efforts. Making information available to the public by mobile is one such way. SODNET's budget tracking tool, for example, informed Kenyans of how much funding is allocated by the Constituency Development Fund to different municipalities in different categories.
New Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are considered to be powerful tools to engage citizens in policy-making. Although governments continue with traditional tools today, many of them are working to bridge the "digital divide" to ensure that all citizens enjoy equal rights of participation in the public sphere by providing information through websites, portals, to facilitate consultation (e-mailing and on-line chat events) and active participation (on-line discussion groups and interactive games). However, it has been the experience of many countries that integration with established "off-line" tools is needed to make the most of ICTs.
Public participation is a critical ingredient for good governance, whether at the local or national level. Citizens must be able to communicate their needs and demands to decision-makers, and vice versa. Active public participation also promotes government responsiveness to public needs.
There are many ways in which governments try to give citizens a voice. It can be as simple as establishing a telephone hotline citizens can use to report wrong-doing or corruption by local government officials within a broader anti-corruption strategy. Take the Municipality of Ipatinga in Brazil. In 2001, they began using the Internet to give citizens an opportunity to vote on budgetary priorities and allotments for local projects. They had introduced participatory budgeting a few years before, but participation became much easier when they began using the Internet and citizens could voice their opinions on budget priorities through computer stations in various public locations. In addition, citizens could submit online proposals, keep an eye on the implementation of city projects, and participate in online chats with the mayor.
Other interesting examples of how ICTs can be used for transparency and accountability can be found at Tactical Tech's Info Activism site and at Technology for Transparency.
References:
http://www.ictworks.org/news/2010/12/27/5-ways-ict-can-support-millenium-development-goals
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg02168.html
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UN/UNPAN007714.pdf
As you say ICTs are useful to support transparency and accoutability. Your post explain how ICT can help accountability and transparency with the Government and public institutions. Do you have also examples how ICT has helped farmer organizations to be more efficient and better serve their members??
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.
Thank you for your provocative question. I think a good place to start is recognizing that ICT is very dependent on the situation on the ground. That is to say that there are many factors that actually define what ICT is in that particular context, and perhaps more importantly what content can be delivered. Rather than focus first on the suggested items, I would like to explore the idea of food safety which is a growing global concern. I am involved in food safety education in Japan and I think that "content" and context first needs be addressed before looking at the delivery system, which I would define as the role of ICT. SO when we look at comtent in any area (I will use food safety as an example) I think we first need to look to education of the baisc issues. regardless of how effective ICT if there is not value placed on the goal of ICT by the communities that are being targeted for ICT, then ICT will not make any impact.
One example is toxin risks posed by poor storage risk (eg OTA & OTB in rice) . How effective will any ICT approach be without an understand and agreement with the objetive of the disemination of this information. So back to one of the "subtopics"
How can ICT facilitate climate change adaptation among members of an organization and the rural communities where the organization is active?
Well this question is context oriented because the situation will be different for each organization based upon the situation that they are involved in. While this seem self evident, I believe that the question suggests that there may be one solution utilizing ICT to address the impact on rural communities. I do not believe that this is the best approach becuase even in communities with fairly developed information systems, there may not be universal agreement on what should be done. That being said, in my opinion ICT probaby need to play an initial role as tool for eductaion. But before I go further into it, I have to ask how the "rural" areas are defined because certainly rural areas of Japan are impacted by climate chages, as they are in Thailand, and so on.
So "what is a rural area"?
best regards,
Peter
Hi Peter,
You raised use of ICT in disaster preparedness - involving local communities aka farmer groups - and whether it is of any use to communities. In vietnam at least ICT has been used in preparedness. I don't know but suspect ICT is increasingly important in this type of use also elsewhere. In Vietnam, natural hazards - storms, flooding - are linked to climate change, but help with both resilience and adaptation. The following is a cut and paste from Asian Disaster Reduction Center:
"The use of ICT for disaster preparedness and response has been making a steady progress in Vietnam, in particular weather forecasting and monitoring, risk assessment and risk mapping, early warning to communities and people, etc. Moreover, state-of-art ICT technologies have been widely applied such as broadband networking of observation stations and automatic communication by mobile phone, but mostly on an experimental basis.
While good progress has been made for typical meteorological and hydrological hazards such as typhoon and flooding, relatively less progress has been made for landslide, flash flood, and geological hazards such as earthquake and tsunami. Among them, tsunami warning system (towers) has recently been developed in Da Nang city in Central Vietnam, but more has to be done in view of future tsunami risks in its long coastal line. Likewise, disaster preparedness and response capacity could be further enhanced if it would make more use of such ICT technologies as information sharing system among various institutions, remote sensing, imaging system, real-time measurement sensor, etc."
Hello Riikka
Thank you for your comments. I am not familair with the situation in Vietnam other than that after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and subsequent tsunami some countries affected by the tsunami had begun plans to improve their warning systems.
I think that ICT can play a greater role in disaster warning. You mentioned that state of the art technolgy is a new approach that may be useful. I fully agree that it has great potential to fill gaps particularly where governent resources are somewhat limited to provide. However, I think this would have to be combined with local systems that exist on the ground so that information can be relayed to those that do not have access to the techonly. I think that in areas of lower penetration of smart phone technolgy (due to lack of tech infrastructure, or high cost of phones/services) a lower tech network is also needed.
IN the event of a major distaster the overlaoding of private phone networks is something that needs to considered which if memory serves correctly occurred after the Hanshin earthquake.
However, I think that many people (regardless of location, education, etc) underestimate the danger of natural disasters and are slow in responding to warnings, so I think that the first step in creating an ICT must be eductaion as to the potential risks of disaster. We have seen time and time again how people have ignored warnings to "watch", to try and protect their homes, or remove their possesions.
Peter
Thanks for your very valid comments. ICT are instruments that can be used by people and their organizations to improve the efficency of their organizations. The question is not related to what do producers use ICT for but how producer organizations use ICT to be more effective in delivering services to their members.
You are very right that ICT can be an important tool for producer organizations dealing with food safety. The question to you is do you know andy producer organization engaged in food safety ? Are these organization using ICT ? In other word are you working with cooperative engaged in storing rice ? If yes how can you work with these cooperatives and help/engage them to use ICT to disseminate information you want their member to know?
Thank you for your comments.
You are very right that ICT can be an important tool for producer organizations dealing with food safety. The question to you is do you know andy producer organization engaged in food safety ?
Not directly. I am a few steps removed from this, so I am more familiar with some of the food saftey issues than the producer organizations.
Specifically, I am involved in a food saftey program in Japan for students from Asian countries.
Are these organization using ICT ? In other word are you working with cooperative engaged in storing rice ?
No, but our some of our graduate students (and profs) are involved in investigating food safety issues and looking for practical solutions that may be useful for producer organizatons, such as inexpensive and relatively simple analyais methods of testing for food contamination. However, this is still ongoing.
If yes how can you work with these cooperatives and help/engage them to use ICT to disseminate information you want their member to know?
I would not be involved in this kind of dissemination.
Thank you for your questions.
peter
Peter has a point. The rural-urban dichotomy may not be that appropriate when we look at ICT and producer's organizations from a climate change lens. In reality, extreme weather events may lower food production in some areas but may also increase production in some areas. Communities that are in the direct path of a typhoon may suffer immense crop damage, but provinces in the periphery benefit from the added rainfall. And a typhoon doesn't distinguish between a rural, a peri-urban, or an urban community
A more relevant factor may be vulnerability or resiliency (at the other end of the continuum). Hence, the appropriate question would be, how does ICT enable climate change adaptation in high risk, vulnerable communities.
Hello Dr. Flor. The importance of ICT in areas affected by extreme weather conditions can never be undermined. This is, of course, working on the premise that ICT survives in the barest and hardest of circumstances. Let me recount a personal experience. In 2009, Kenya suffered from a long drought which claimed the lives of thousands of Kenyans and drove pastoralist tribes out of their animals’ grazing areas. An estimated number of 38,000 cattle believed to have died during the extended dry season. In the place where my missionary-colleagues worked, mobile phones and internet became their life-line. By using SMS, phone calls and emails, they were able to organize and mobilize food donations, and direct food supply to where people had moved. My colleagues were fortunate to be using solar-powered electric system to charge their mobile phones and computers.
And so, in dealing with issues regarding ICT’s ability to facilitate climate change adaptation (or survival?) among members of an organization or community, the most fundamental step to be undertaken is to ensure that ICT survives the ordeal and remains in place, particularly in rural areas, whenever tragedy strikes.
In the case of the 2009 Kenya drought, the awareness and information generated by ICT and the media in general regarding the vulnerability of people in the drought-stricken areas led the government to put up more mobile phone signal transmitters and solar-power systems in key centers, so that, in the future, people could be reached, forewarned and assisted early before another dry spell bites.
Dr Flor, thank you for adding that perspective. I think that if we look at ICT in terms of the high risk, venerable communities, I think one wy may be to look to:
1) preparation
ICT can play a role as a warning system (but as I mentioned before, I think it must be used first as an eductaion tool to increase understanding of the immense danger that could exist so when it is used a s warning more people will heed the warnings)
2) short term relief
ICT, assuming that is exists after the disaster, would be an effective way of helping people get information about relief efforts and ways to access this relief if necessary
3) long term recovery
ICT can also be used to inform people of immdiate health risks (e.g. water comtamination) and of longer term issues such as risks due to molds, storage methods, etc.
Unfortuneately, ICT cannot actually help unless there is real relief (i.e. financial and food aid) for the people suffering for a major disaster.
Peter
Thank you for your comment.
In light of your question: how does ICT enable climate change adaptation in high risk, vulnerable communities.
I think that ICT could play these roles:
1) Pre disaster eductaion
As we have seen time and time again, even the best warnng systems are inadequete when the people affected do not heed the warnings. (they sometimes want to "watch" the disaster, or try to proctect their homes, or evacuate their possesions, etc).
2) Warning system
3) Short term disaster relief support
ICT could disseminate information regarding disater relief, and impending dangers, (e.g. after shocks, water contanination, etc
4) long term recovery efforts
education for replanting, information about long term risks (e.g. food storage) etc.
I see Pre disaster eductaion to be the most important because climate change is putting NEW areas at risk. I think that leads to people being more likely to underestimate the risks.
peter
Its very true today Sir Flor that the challenge of cliimate change adaptation in high risk and vlnerabale communities should get extra attention. One thing that we are therefore focusing on today in the Department of Agriculture is the complettion of Climate Change vulnerability maps that can help in the planning for appropriate interventions that can be provided to ensure that the sector and farmers can be able to adapt to climate change. The ICT is medium by which these vulnerability maps and technology information on climate change adaptation are disseminated to farmers and other farming stakeholders.
Vulnerability mapping then is a tool that can show where extreme weather events at a given period can be either advantageous to one geographic area and disadvantageous to another geographic area or depending on standing crops or commodities. In this way, the appropriate commodities can be grown at a certain period where extreme weather events usually occur of which commodities can withstand extxreme weather conditions. Added information would be he different programs and services that organizations are extending to farmers in these areas and how these programs and services can be accessed. It is really be of great help if these inforation are readily available to farmers through the ICT.
Through ICT, food production in different areas can be readily monitored, and resources can be rationally allocated so that food security can be ensured, as well as livelihood can be sustained.
The roles of the ICT towards producer organizations can be categorized as mediators and bearers of good news and upright human values. I think the contents of the message of information would rely on the continuing promotion of constructive and useful knowledge, awareness and education in general that focus on the concern of aiming for the benefits of all both the capitalists, owners of the lands, farmers, and laborers. "Accountability and transparency" can be seen as important parts of the interest. While concentrating on the target and goal of attaining and gaining profits, it is necessary to consider the human assests; the laborers, workers, farmers, and contributors or whoever parts of such constructing and developing agricultural profit or non-profit stocks, projects or establishments. This job of channeling truthful information and learning in a holistic approach to cater to the needs of the receivers in the agricultural aspects, I believe, is not that easy as what the others have already mentioned that indeed there are already existing socio-political and economic systems and policies which are needed to be respected. Again geographical location is another challenge, in terms of accessibility of digital connection and linkages in some regions and places of the country. Therefore, these factors also call for awareness.
Education in this matter, specifically in the information dissemination and upholding awareness of knowledge, is not simply based on feeding the targets and beneficiaries on the use of modern technologies or upgrading them for the new agricultural procedures and systems for wide-ranging information but to impart to them the learning and values on how to appreciate and treasure the lands and seas; the ecological gift of nature, the environmental endowment wherein it is in these very significant sources which our daily bread; provisions, fuels, and sustenance in life are dependent on them. Thus, transmitting to open what is essential and needed message (information) applicable and suited to the needs of the producer organizations, ICT meets its goal and functions effectively and productively.
Content and context in relation to the roles and functions of ICT are truly significant. They are inseparable and connected to the whole picture of the reality. While ICT is the tools, means, transmitters, and distributors of information, it is essential to keep in mind the contents of information which are being routed to receivers. Again, I think it is the responsibility, accountability of the involved groups to ensure critically the right use of ICT. Whether producer organizations utilize ICT as a means, still it is their duty to use these tools accordingly. It is not only to consider the how to use but also the message, the content is absolutely needed to be crucially deemed as they are part of the concept, belong therefore to the entire story. So ICT even it is merely an instrument of probably simple communication or complex ones, still users are primarily the reliable ones for the purpose and result of transmitting information. To what purpose and kind of goals does ICT is trying to achieve.
I think it is also important to note that contents of information may vary to various contexts. It depends on the demands and the applicable needs on those contexts. That is why I can see that reviewing our posts and sharing, we have all different stories to tell, multi socio-economic and cultural praxes in terms of dealing agricultural realities in relation to ICT. It cannot be declined the uniqueness of each country and place with regards to responding to the needs, and the manner of employing ICT is regulating on the mandates.
Dear All,
Greetings,
A healthy discussion is happening across the society about ICT and its benefit to the Farmer Producer companies.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has used the opportunity extended by Govt. of India; an amendment in Companies Act to promote the farmer producer companies.
Pl. click the following video link for better understanding.
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/govt_schemes_services/mmedia/videos.html#
Benefits in Nutshell
01. Uniform standard of practice with consumer preference and needs
02. Linking with local, national and global markets
03. Empowered in terms of technologically, socially and culturally
04. Availing best practices elsewhere in the world
05. Synergy with research institutes for the member welfare
06. Extending common services and benefit to all members in the producers companies
Looking forward to seek more from your end,
With warm regards
Anandaraja, TNAU, India
Dear Anadaraja,
Are all of the above 6 points linked to the use of ICT by producer companies? If yes, please share some more information on how ICT enables the producer organizations to achieve the goals listed in each of these points. The video clearly shows different ICT being used, but it is difficult for the casual observer to identify the actual appliations and benefits in this case.
Thank you.
Dear Michael Riggs,
Thanks for comments and seeking additional information on application of ICT and benefits
We have done (video module) with 10 successful producer companies functioning in Tamil Nadu, India to motivate the rest of crop / animal enterprising farmers to venture on the same.
Example,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfKjY_waMs8&feature=plcp
Theni Banana Producer Company. Till 2004, they have been in conventional way of farming and cultivating the crop (local variety called 'Naadu') and selling the produce in local markets. TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) introduced the precision farming system (suites for tropical condition) in 2006-07 and provided the market exposure and linked the farmers through mobile platform for calling and sharing improved technologies.
More details: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/pres_farm_agri.html
As you aware, ICT alone will not supplement the total livelihood system of farming. It has provided the farmers on Market Prices through mobile phones (free of cost), nutrigation and now exporting banana to Philippines by using the on-line market and cash transfer system. In that way it is helping.
More details: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/pres_farm_agri.html (project is time being stopped and will resume in Jan, 2013 onwards with additional and multiple SMS/ IVRS)
In this regard, my humble suggestion is that we need to use parallel and multiple tools like demo, exposure visit, training and ICT tools like on-line video, voice SMS, IVRS, social media tools to reach the potential farmers. Still, connectivity, content and accessibility to be given with much emphasis with partnership mode of public-private and civil societies.
Thanks
Anandaraja
Dear Anadaraja
When I open the lik I did not see any video!
Producer companies are great institutions allowing farmers to really engage in business development and compete with other private shareholding companies. Please can you share with all of us how ICT has help extending common services and benefit to all members in the producers companies (your point number 06). Thanks in advance
Dear Pierre Rondot
Thanks for clarification
Pl. visit to the below given link and double click the producer company video (2)
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/govt_schemes_services/mmedia/videos.html#
Common services includes, availability of farm input and cost through mobile phones (producers companies have input shops, diesel bunk, cold chamber facility), inviting the experts from University and Industry for learning and cross learning, planning visit to various places for visualizing best practices, market prices, training etc.
Every month all the members and directors of producer company have half day interactive session and planning the farm activities. That way, all the members in the company are benefiting out of common service rendered by the company.
I believe, farmer-member-to-farmer-member communication about the technology, market, and process is highly trust-worthy than the outside communication sources. ICT may play a part of intervention and quick sharing of know-how’s. ICT alone will fulfill all needs and requirements of farmers. It has to go long way with suitable policy initiatives of local, regional, state and countries.
With best regards
Anandaraja
Thanks Anadaraja
This is a great form of organization developped by India. I hope similar legal institutions can be developped elsewhere in the world as this will be an alternative to the cooperatives that was the only business status for the farmers.
Congratulation and obvioulsy ICT is essential for the success of the entreprise.
Glad to see you here, Anandaraja. It may be part of Benefits 3 and 6 but perhaps we should include "Capacity Development of Individual Members and the Association as a Whole" as another benefit if only to highlight its importance.
Dear Sandyflor,
I agree with you about the capacity building and collective developments,
In Tamil Nadu (India) farmers have been confined to the cropping system based on the availability of land resources. They are not really thing beyond that. The need is what consumer really likes and what kind of variety are preferred at the end users on different time and season. Same may be case in all over world.
Hence, we have really look up the holistic system and strengthening the capacities of farmers understanding the nexus in market and how to win the market as producer companies.
We have to go with production led farming into market led extension and farming system. Even, it may though that all Agricultural Universities in world may be converted as Food Universities. That means, University will not limit only the production technologies. Beyond they have to go processing, marketing, studying consumer needs, logistics, food industry requirement, exporting etc,,
With kind regards
Anandaraja
Hello everyone!
Kenya’s fast rising ICT infrastructure has made people in this agricultural country very excited these past few years. Farmers in far-flung areas are seeing possibilities on the way they could monitor market price and sell their produce. A church-organized ICT centre in Eldoret town, for example, has enabled farmers to get up-to-date information on the prices of different products. This simple facility has helped the farmers rid of middlemen who in the past had exploited them and manipulated their business. The center has been so far very effective in boosting farmer’s economic gain which in turn has been reinvested into their farms for greater productivity.
Another example is the use of money transfer service through mobile phones. People in urban areas can now conveniently send money to their relatives working in rural farms or vice versa. The facility has resulted in the increase of economic transactions between city dwellers and rural folks who are mostly farmers. Further, the M-Pesa service of Safaricom (a mobile phone service provider in Kenya) is not just a mobile phone-based money transfer; it also facilitates microfinancing in partnership with like-minded banks. This means that farmers without bank accounts can easily apply and receive loans through their M-Pesa account with Safaricom.
Further, dairy farmers in the country can have access to information through mobile phones by simply subscribing to an SMS application (icow 5025). Subscribers to this service will get regular tips on dairy farming and send queries. The more tech-savvy of these farmers could go online and visit the website (http://www.icow.co.ke/).
Before my current job i used to work with a special project of the Department of Agriculture which was jointly funded by the European Union. This was in the upland of the Cordilleras, in the northern part of the Philippines. For 15 years we were organizing farmers some producing rice, corn, coffee, etc. we helped them to organize themselves into producers groups so they can have access to credit, taught them basic principles of simple accounting, giving them trainings on applicable technology to increase yield, access to market outlets, repaired. Farm to market roads, etc. These were done notwitstanding the difficulty of reaching the areas which were mostly accessible by foot or four wheel drive vehicles like land rovers. Now where does ICT figure in? We were dealing with farmers who were mostly barely literate, living in areas where there was no electricity and whose daily lives or activties are dictated by their culture. Then here comes our organization bringing in televisions taking pains to lbring along generators if only to expose farmers to the so-called more advanced farming technologies through film showing of best pratices ofnareas with similar situations. Or in toher instances the use of flip charts written in cloth to motivate farmers to look at other ways of doing things which may help increase their production. Before theuse of cellphones, the project invested on installing two-way frequency radios to assistbthe farmers in updating themselves of prices of fertilizers and other farm inputs as well as current buying price of farm produce. These worked for a time but the use of ICT albeit in its simpler forms dwindled especially after the project ended.its sustainability was designed to be the responsibility of the loacl governent units as they were heavily involved in the project but it was left wanting in term of support to farmers groups. Now its the middlemen who continues to maximize the ue of technology to improve their lot while the farmers groups remain marginalized. With this experience - i believe ICT using Any tool to deliver information and knowledge managent can only be as effective as the commitment of individulas, groups and organizations to make it work, sustain its efficiency, and continue to evolve more proactiv ways of harnessing ICT to make a difference in peoples lives.
Thank you Alice. You make good points from your experience about the importance of planning for technology to be sustainable, as well as the need to avoid creating greater inequity.
In question 3 we will look specifically at the role of the public sector in supporting producer organization's uptake of ICT. Question 4 will look at the possibility of expanding the "digital divide". Please stay with the discussion!
Hello everyone,
An interesting example on how ICTs are being used by producer organizations is the experience of the Zambia Honey Council (ZHC) as reported by CIFOR. Zambia is the top exporter of honey in southern Africa. The honey is primarily produced and harvested in rural areas far from buyers and markets, which complicates selling. ZHC was created in response to this limitation, to develop capacities of honey producers. ZHC is also part of the Zambia Honey Partnership, which includes government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business and trade associations, beekeepers, exporters/packers, researchers and international development agencies, all supporting the honey industry.
Members of ZHC can benefit from training modules on best field practices in honey production, bulking centres established in honey-producing districts, and the dissemination of information via mobile phones. This last service provides information on potential buyers and their prices by SMS, thereby promoting informed bargaining by the producer organizations. This SMS marketing system allows access to information on individual and collective buyers and specific information on the type of honey buyers are looking for.
As a result, negotiation of prices and quantities can be done directly between producers and buyers, instead of being shared from one producer to another, making the information more accurate and the marketing more efficient. The use of the SMS service has allowed producer organizations new marketing possibilities, which ultimately improves their sells and income.
You can read more about this experience here
Hello Andrea,
I find your example of ICT as a marketing tool for honey producers to be quite interesting. The example seems to point out one thing - ICT can enable producers to exercise more control over operations. Operations that used to be handled by different divisions with different responsibilities could therefore be streamlined or centralized attributing more accountability to the producer organization. Simply put, with ICT, producer organizations have nobody else to blame for mistakes or to praise for successes but themselves.
Following up on Andrea's post, I was actually just out in Zambia a few weeks ago conducting a workshop for 12 different local agribusinesses on how to use low-cost video to create their own extension videos. One of those businesses was a honey producer. Through a partnership with Cisco, we were able to pass along free Flip cameras to each company to get them started--although some many end up investing in slightly more robust equipment as well.
We should know within the next six months how many of these agribusinesses have been able to develop their own videos and to what extent they are achieving their objectives of improving the sharing of best practices with farmers.
This workshop--and others like it that I have facilitated in Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, and Senegal--are funded by a USAID project (FACET) and structured around a toolkit I wrote on the subject entitled Integrating Low-Cost Video into Agricultural Development Projects: A Toolkit for Practitioners, which can be found online at http://www.ictforag.org/video.
Unrelated to this response, but also potentially of interest, we also just released a second toolkit focused on radio entitled Interactive Radio for Agricultural Development Projects: A Toolkit for Practitioners, which is online at http://www.ictforag.org/radio.
A very interesting example Andrea. ZHC seems to integrate all the key actors of the honey supply chain from producers to retailers, including packers etc... It seems that ITC is very helpfull for ZHC to deliver the services demanded by the members.
How old is ZHC and who is financing it?
Hi Pierre,
The Zambia Honey Council was formed in 2003, and the partners of this initiative are Hivos, The Swedish Cooperation Centre and the Embassy of Finland.
More information is also available in their website: http://www.zambiahoneycouncil.org.zm/
Hi Everyone! Reading through the posts and the cases presented, ICT is still a tool, a means to an end, an effective way of connecting people, enabling them to work together to help address or resolve problems, and of course be updated of what's happening outside their community.
One case that I can share is the experience of the Panglima Laot, a network of local fisher associations, in Aceh, Indonesia. When Aceh was struck by a tsunami in 2004, fishers became unaware of what areas became hazardous and areas where it's safe for them to fish. Through an ADB-assisted project, the fishers were trained in using GPS. By combining the GPS results with their local knowledge, they were able to generate updated navigational maps. The maps identified 3 previously unmapped areas, 4 unmapped geological faults, and several unknown coral areas. The updated maps made their fishing more accurate, prevented damage to their nets, saved fuel by going directly to the fishing grounds, and saved lives when in one incident, the captain and his crew were able to radio their positions during an emergency and the rescuers got to know their exact position from the updated navigational maps: http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/pub/2009/Mapping-the-Sea.pdf
ICT is indeed a powerful tool, but the power really lies on how people's capacities are enhanced and how they are able to use this tool to improve their lives.
Hi Leah, this is interesting. It would be helpful to know if the process became part of their regular activity after the post-tsunami funds finished. Do you know if the fishers association is still using GIS or other ICT tools for mapping or other functions today?
Hi, just wanted to share a project brief I came across which highlights the experiences of Advancing Capacity to Support Climate Change Adaptation (ACCA) project in communicating climate risks from 10 pilots in Africa and 5 pilots in Asia. The project aims to address the need to develop appropriate risk communication strategies that can support the decision-making processes of stakeholders for climate change adaptation. The experiences identified the importance of determining local context for decision making prior to identifying information needs and designing appropriate communication strategies, promoting social learning between project staff and stakeholders, maintaining continuous dialogues between policy makers and local communities, sustaining active interaction and learning-by-doing to foster comprehension, and communicating clear and relevant climate adaptation messages.
The cases presented in the brief showed that some communication tools were found effective in communicating climate adaptation risks in specific countries. In the Philippines, for example, the use of posters, project magazines, newspaper articles, tv and radio broadcasts, peer-reviewed articles, group discussions, and videos were found effective in communicating key messages on climate change and creating positive effects both at the local and national levels. (http://start.org/download/publications/accca09-web.pdf)
Here's an interesting case that is somewhat related to your posts on people as key in the effective use of ICT and how in some cases traditional modes of information exchange still prove to be (more) viable.
With ICT literacy a persistent challenge particularly among smallholder farmers, an approach that has been proven to be effective by a farmer in Kenya is the combination of traditional and ICT tools in disseminating useful agricultural information to the smallholder farmers in his community.
For Kenyan farmer, Zack Matere, it all started when he found a solution to a strange disease that attacked his potatoes by googling it on the Internet. Recognizing that many other farmers in his area may not be literate in or have access to the technology, he invested in a 3G-enabled phone and decided to become the bridge between these farmers and the internet. Zack sources agricultural-related information, including details on how to make crops flourish, farming methods or market opportunities, translates the information into the local language, and posts this as posters on notice boards that he hangs in public places.
Using his phone camera, he has taken photos of encroachers in a nearby forest, a major water catchment area in Kenya, and posted pictures of the encroachers on Facebook. He also presented his photographic evidence, to a NGO that eventually decided to build a security fence round the water catchment area. Zack has now started a pilot fish-farming project on the back of government funding and using a computer donated by a NGO, and linked to the internet via GPRS, farmers working on the project monitor satellite images of the constituency’s fishponds. The center also serves as a resource center where farmers gather to find information on various aspects of fish farming.
While this case focuses on an individual, it nevertheless highlights how ICT is employed on the ground in finding solutions to farming concerns and in prompting action to address a potentially far-reaching environmental issue; how tools can be combined and customized to suit local context, including concerns of affordability of technology and literacy; and in eventually bringing together farmers to form a community or an organization encouraged by the now realized benefits of ICT.
The case of being able to use mobile phones to capture incidents of encroachment also shows how farmers can become data collectors at the local level through mobile technology. With proper incentives to encourage reliability, data can then be used by mobile phone providers as information service to other farmers in the form of alerts, for example.
(Source: ICT Update, August 2012)
Hi all,
Great examples of the benefits of and challenges with using ICT among cooperatives, producer organizations and rural communities overall.
Would you have anye xamples where ICT enabled training (off-line, on-line) have been sued by e.g. cooperatives members? Topics could range from technical to managerial issues?
Hi Riika,
1. UP Open University currently offers two non-formal courses available to those interested in cooperatives and bio-enterprise development: New Enterptise Planning and Personal Entrepreneurship Development. These course have enabled the members of primary multi-purpose cooperatives to hone their entrepreneurial skills and thereafter result in additional household income. The courses are available online.
2. The University of the Philippines Los Banos - College of Development Communication operates a radio station, DZLB. DZLB broadcasts development-oriented radios. Farmer education is onew of the current programs of this radio station. This is an economical way of training cooperative members.
3. The UPLB Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-enterprise Development (ICOPED) is currently studying the ways in order to fully utilize ICT in cooperatives management. The institute is currently being reorganized to answer the needs of the modern agricultural cooperatives. Let's hope that ICOPED will advocate ICT application in producers cooperatives.
ICT and mobile money benefits in agriculture
One fairly successful ICT intervention in agriculture (and in people’s lives in general) is the use of mobile money or the conduct of financial transactions using the mobile phone. Generally, the way this works is that a sender loads up on cash credit by going to an agent or registered outlet, and use these credits to transfer funds via mobile phone service in a secure and transparent manner. The recipient can choose to store the funds for further mobile money transactions or visit a registered outlet to convert the mobile money to cash.
Particularly beneficial to small-scale farmers are the reduced transaction costs, reduced risks of losing cash, and as mentioned in a USAID Briefing Paper, increases chances of savings. Kenya’s M-PESA, operated by Safaricom, is cited as a successful case with 13.5 million customers and over 21,000 agents as at 2010.
For smallholder farmers, mobile money can be used for loan services – both receiving loans and for making payments – in a secure, efficient, time-saving manner, and at reduced transaction costs.
In Kenya, the service is being employed by input suppliers to collect payments. Producer organizations can use the service to aggregate orders for inputs, negotiate for better deals, and pay for them.
The service has caught the attention of government agencies providing support to the agricultural sector. If I may directly cite from the USAID Briefing Paper on “Using Mobile Money. Mobile Banking to Enhance Agriculture in Africa” (December 2010): “This will offer even more opportunities to agriculture development projects to leverage such services to tackle financial-services related challenges for smallholder farmers individually or in groups. Projects need to monitor new opportunities such services offer, such as faster payments to farmers; easier access to credit and savings opportunities; and access to related financial services such as weather insurance and more.”
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.
There are many ways that ICT in agriculture will help producers. With technology being more advance in the stages of agriculture, in cultivation such as control of water on the plant, the appropriate application of fertilizer, weeding, pest control, waiting time for plant to mature, and harvest. All these applications could be manage efficiently with ICT. With ICT the enhancement of these stages could be improved by information and communication processes. Information is vital to farmers for them to be able to manage the stages more efficiently.
Example:
Outline
Changing over to agriculture that uses IT services increases productivity and maintains stable crop yields and quality.
This solution unifies the management of environmental data obtained by sensors and cultivation records and supports agricultural production activities by providing adequate cultivation information. NEC plans to provide know-how, such as harvesting timing forecasts, by using statistical analyses of accumulated sensing data and production log history and harvesting records from GAP1 management.
This solution will:
- Support the provision of safe and secure agricultural crops through the quality control of production sites and logistics
- Realize cultivation diagnosis and harvesting forecasts through data collection and storage
- Provide support for engagement in agriculture and for successors of farming by using stored production know-how
Note 1) Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is an agricultural production process and a collection of methods applied to agricultural activities for growing safe and healthy food and non-food agricultural products that also takes into account economical, social, and environmental sustainability.
Features
The agricultural ICT solution is applicable to every service since basic functionalities such as sensing data collection, data statistics, analyses, and various data provisions are normally included. NEC provides applications, system platform, network environments, and various sensors that collectively enable companies and network operators to launch M2M services as a one-stop service. Leveraging this enables customers to start up services more quickly and economically than they can when building up an individual system.
Use case
By managing environmental data (e.g., on temperature and illumination intensity) and pesticide spraying data quantitatively, safe and secure crops can be delivered to consumers. The agricultural ICT solution diagnoses crop growth particulars and predicts picking time and crop yields by continuously collecting data.
Agricultural workers have until now passed on technical know-how based on experience, but in the future, they will be able to hand down more explicit know-how based on objective data, which realizes more progressive generational changes and engagement in agriculture to aid the expansion and activation of agriculture business.
http://www.nec.com/en/global/solutions/nsp/m2m/prod-sv/prod-sv
It is nice to know that there are lots of benefits ICT brought to improved the lives of our marginal farmers in some part here in the Philippines…It would be much better if it will enjoyed by majority of our farmers. In areas where the local government units’ support to economic development particularly in agriculture is very minimal; where agricultural infrastructures - farm to market roads, markets, irrigation facilities, post- harvest and credit facilities among others - are still not in place; where farmers’ associations are only organized but not sustained due to lack of government incentives/support and the bayanihan spirit and where the main source of knowledge on agriculture is through the radio – farmers are lucky enough to have access to flyers, agriculture magazines, demonstration farms or regular visits from their agricultural technologist – farmers remained marginalized. It would be beneficial if the agriculture sector will have a seat in the local councils to respond to issues relating to agricultural development. The only sector which has a clear guideline on sectoral representation in the local councils is the Indigenous People. I also believe we still have much more to do in terms of sharing and showcasing best practices of farmers’ group in their collaboration with the government/NGOs/funding agencies, using ICT to really make a difference in the lives of our poor farmers and to address poverty which is one of the Millennium Development Goals.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) here in the Philippines has this flagship program known as the Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS). It is a self-assessment tool and web-based development management tool for provinces, cities and municipalities capable of providing information on the capacities and limitations of Local Government Units (LGUs) in the delivery of essential services (Compendium of DILG Key Programs and Projects). It aims to provide results-oriented information concerning levels of LGU management capacity, service delivery and state of development. It emphasizes on the areas of Valuing Fundamentals of Good Governance, Administration Governance, Social Services Governance, Economic Development Governance – which includes support to Agriculture and support to Fishery sectors - and Environmental Management Governance. It also reflects financial reports of the LGU and the state of local development (generated every three years after the term of the local officials). The results of the LGPMS are the State of Local Governance Report (SLGR), e-Financial Report and State of Local Development Report (SLDR). After generating these reports, an Exit Conference or Utilization Conference is conducted to address the gaps by incorporating it in the Local Development Plans as well as the Capacity Development Agenda. CSOs and Private Sectors' representatives are also invited for their inputs. LGUs’ performances are open to the public.
Another program of the Department initiated by the late SILG Robredo is the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP), where LGUs are required to post Local Budget and Finances, and Bids and Public Offerings in the FDP Portal. Compliance to FDP is one of the requirements of the LGU in receiving the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) award which enable LGUs –especially 4th -6th class – to avail the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF), which can be used to augment in financing development projects included in the Annual Investment Program (AIP). SGH is also a requirement for an LGU to avail of bank loans and other financial institutions per Local Finance Circular 1-2012.
The Philippines Government through the Department of Agriculture is embarking on developing and operating a functional information communication technology system with the end purpose of fast tracking agricultural development. It has developed and opened the e-learning system which is an on-line education/training system for farmers, agri-entrepreneurs and other interested persons on agricultural courses. This is currently operated by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATIs). Another is the Agriculture and Fisheries Information Management System (AFMIS) that provides information and likages as to agribusiness and and marketing matters, particularly linking producers, suppliers and buyers.
The DA has really recognized that through ICT, relevant information on government programs and services can be easier accessed by farmers, fishers and other stakeholders.
The challenge however that remain today is the ability of poor and small farmers and fishers to buy or own the gadgets and other hardwares needed for them to make use of the ICTs. (The DA however is now trying its best to address this problem. It is also operating School on the Air Programs being broadcasts through selected radio stations).
Hi Susan & Maila,
The problem of infrastructure and means of transportation in many cases of the rural areas in the Philippines are also other hindrances of implementing ICT to the fullest in the country. It cannot be denied that there are those unfortunate Filipinos who are not benefiting the projects of the government in terms of developing infrastructures and means of transportation and communication while obviously the government has programs, and definitely there are fortunate places who are lucky enough to access modern technologies, enjoying the projects of the government, and eventually there is an ease of transporting products for trade and marketing to the cities. While there are places which are struggling because of the problems of infrastructure and difficulty in the means of transportation which could be one of the problems of fully practicing and realizing ICT in the remote areas in which producer organizations are affected.
One example which I recently encountered was when I went to one of the provinces of Mindanao, but Mindanao is known as one of the biggest sources of agricultural productions in the country. Although I did not intend to observe the agricultural situation, but one thing that touched me most is the means of transportation from the city to various barangays in that region at least two barangays I heard from the local people, besides of underdeveloped infrastructure, the public transportation which can accommodate twenty (20) persons, the so-called "jeepney" only serves once a day. Once you missed the trip your plan of activities will be delayed and you have to wait for another day or else you have to ride in a so-called "habal-habal", it is a motorcycle that is creatively modified by adding wings and propels so that it can accommodate four (4) persons in every ride. But riding on that transportation does not guarantee security and satefy. It is an interesting situation in connection with agriculture in the country. Farmers may have ICT information but in this case providing other necessities in farming it is truly a sacrifice and vice versa, transfering the products to the market as mentioned earlier, it takes interval once such products are not delivered and transported on time. Therefore, all aspects require attention and consideration when we talk with the function of ICT to the producer organizations or even to the farmers themselves.
Hello Sr. Eva,
It is not only the farmers in Mindanao who are experiencing that situation. That is why the National government particularly the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in coordination with the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster and the Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Cluster organized under Executive Order No. 43 s. 2011, together with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) piloted the bottom-up approach to planning which ensured that funding requirement for the development needs of at least 300 of the 609 selected focus local government units were included for the Budget Year 2013. I was able to participate in one of the bottom-up planning and budgeting (BUPB) , it was a multisectoral plan -local poverty reduction action plan (LPRAP)- it will not be entertained by NAPC without the endorsement of the CSO representatives. With regards to agriculture farm-to-market roads; post-harvest facilities, farm aninamals (dispersal) and livelihood projects for fisherfolks were identified. Early next year, more LGUs will conduct the BUPB so that their programs, projects and activities identified in their LPRAP can be included in the 2014 General Appropritions Act.
Hi,
would it be out of place to use as example the Federal government of Nigeria, using mobile or evuchers - text message confirming to farmer he has made purchase of a bag of fertilizer which the farmer presents at collection point for claiming. This seeks to remove middle men who have the money to buy off the inpute and re-sell at higher prices, thus making it out of reach to subsistent farmers. Through this means inputs get to real farmers who apply to the scheme and probably at subsidised rates.