Hello all,

On this second date of our discussion we have to start addressing the Question 2. After consiering the notion and concept of e-agriculture strategies as well as the rationale and justification for national e-strategies, now we may start highlighting specific instances of national e-agriculture strategies. Doing so enables us to learn more about them with the possibility to assess whether they live up to their rationale and expectations.

So here is a restatement of the Question 2 for you to tackle:

What examples of ICT strategies targeting the agricultural sector do we have in ACP and in non-ACP countries (“ACP” stands for “Africa, Caribbean and Pacific”)?

Up to you!
Thanks,

Mawaki

Dear all,

Thank you for your contributions on this first day of our discussion.

First of all, please allow me to clarify a little further the general
procedure for a productive discussion here. We should strive to
address the current question put forward as specifically as possible.
By that I mean our responses should articulate elements that will
enable us to formulate a clear answer directly to the specific
question at hand. While you have a total choice over what those
elements (i.e. your response contents) may be, please make sure their
formulation clearly links back to the question --thus, helping the
reader clearly understand in which ways they provide or constitute an
answer to the question.

So far, I have noted some of the replies provide a direct answer to
the question, some other do so more indirectly by, say, listing a
number of positive impacts e-agriculture strategies may have or are
expected to have. In those cases, I take it that the author of the
message implies that those are reasons --albeit not all the reasons,
and maybe not even the main reasons-- why those strategies need to be
put in place. That's the way I'm going to be reading all your posts
over the next two weeks from the perspective of the question it is
meant or expected to address, whether they do so specifically or
indirectly and implicitly. However, the more direct and specific, the
better.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

A few questions arise from the posts I have read so far.   This first of question of our discussion entails a number of things. Note that we start from the view that ICTs hold benefits which the agricultural sector stands to realize, to take advantage from. Can national e-strategies be the an effective means to bring those benefits to fruition? What is the justification to the “race” to national e-agriculture strategies (assuming this move was as fast as the notion of race implies)? To what ends are they set up? What are their anticipated benefits? And most importantly how are they instrumental in helping the agricultural sector harness and benefit from ICTs?   For instance, when Robert you write in (b) of your response that e-agric strategies will help majority of relevant players to begin a learning process on how the incorporation and utilization of ICTs in Agriculture can be of greater benefit, the question precisely is about what your presumed, anticipated or even proven notion of that greater benefit is, what it entails.   And Bertrand, could you clarify how RFID chips have played a role in address the Praedial larcency bug issue (assuming that’s what you meant).  As Ken also noted, it would be good to hear more about your experience with RFID (at least to the extent of addressing this first question of the discussion for now). Clearly, RFID may be useful in situations involving the distribution of massive production. Jimmie mentioned how in Uganda it is said that low productivity (along with price fluctuations) is part of the factors contributing to poverty among farmers. So it is counter-intuitive to think of RFID as an important need for agriculture in ACP countries. Any experience that shows otherwise will be really valuable to share.   As Ben pointed out, if there are people who think e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries are irrelevant or counter-productive, it would be of interest for this forum to see that perspective elaborated on as well.   Thanks,   Mawaki

Greetings to all of you!   Here in Abidjan, it is 8:15 a.m. on this 25 February. My rolre here is to facilitate for the next two weeks our discussion of e-agriculture policies and strategies in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries. As you may know, the outcome of this discussion will serve mainly two purposes:  - To prepare the upcoming ICT Observatory that will be held from 24 to 26 April 2013 in the Netherlands  - To feed into the WSIS+10 activities pertaining to e-agriculture, as part of the Tunis Agenda's Action Line C7 relating to ICT applications (a WSIS Forum  will be organized to that effect from 13-17 May 2013 in Geneva)    Note: WSIS is the World Summit for the Information Society which, after a series of regional and thematic preparatory meetings, took place in two phases: Geneva, 2003 and Tunis, 2005. The main outcomes were captured in the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. The WSIS+10 activities kick off as we launch our discussion, this very 25 February, with UNESCO holding a WSIS+10 Review conference entitled "Towards Knowledge Societies, for Peace and Sustainable Development."     So before tackling the first question on our list for discussion, let me recall the main elements in the basic definition of e-agriculture included in my Terms of Reference for this assignment, drawing on the FAO definition. E-Agriculture: 
  - stands at the intersection of agricultural informatics, agricultural development and entrepreneurship. - refers to the use and application of the Internet and related technologies to agricultural services, technology dissemination, information delivery and knowledge services. - involves the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation and application of new or innovative ways to use existing or emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to enhance agricultural information processing, maintenance and transmission as well as to improve communication and learning among agriculture sector's stakeholders.   As some of you might have read from Michael (Riggs) post on our discussion platform (www.e-agriculture.org) the first week of the forum will consider the concept, need and adoption of e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries and beyond. Then the question to focus on is as follows:    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?   Please let us know your take on that based on your experience and expertise. I wish us a great discussion ahead.   Best regards,   Mawaki