Corazon Reboroso
| Organization | University of the Philippines Open University |
|---|---|
| Organization type | University |
| Country | Philippines |
Admin and Human Resources Manager of IBC Channel 13 and Lecturer at Centro Escolar University. Student of Doctor of Communication program at the University of the Philippines Open University.
This member participated in the following Forums
Forum Forum: "ICT and producer organizations" November, 2012
Question 3 (opens 19 Nov.)
Hello Pierre and Adrian, In addition to your posts, the government can encourage the producer organizations to invest in ICT by ensuring the systematic dissemination of information using ICTs on agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry and food, in order to provide ready access to comprehensive, up-to-date and detailed knowledge and information, particularly in rural areas. Public-private partnerships should seek to maximize the use of ICTs as an instrument to improve production (quantity and quality). Work on removing the gender barriers to ICT education and training and promoting equal training opportunities in ICT for women farmers.
Hello Sansu, We have to check on that. While this subnotebook computer is distributed to provide the children with access to knowledge, opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves, the design of the XO Laptop intentionally omits all motor-driven moving parts; it has no hard-drive and instead use flash memory and come with a distribution of Linux. Perhaps, the public-private partnership can facilitate and coordinate considering that its upgrade process is easy especially if you upgrade off a USB memory stick. The producer organizations can upgrade as a group. The content can also be expanded and by covering the basics, the PO can show what can be done to help the farmers learn even when they are offline. There are also User Guides and complete XO manuals to show new users the XO's tricks. It is also self-powered equipment as its power options include batteries, solar power panels, and human-powered generators which is very handy to the PO and the farmers.
The public sector can effectively and efficiently carry out certain functions in supporting poducer organizations' uptake of ICT. First, it can provide Extension. Extension is a nonformal educational function that disseminates information and advice with the intention of promoting knowledge, attitudes, skills amd aspirations. Extension is the transfer and exchange of practical information. Second, the public sector can also help the PO by contracting with private sector organizations to provide ICT services necessary for an integrated approach to agricultural education, research and extension. Third, the public sector can also help the PO in its capacity building as it requires funding to widen and ensure strong links with and modernization of the various componens of the formal and non-formal agricultural education on ICT. Fourth, the public sector can also tap the help of various media to assist the agricultural producers with information and advice as to agricultural innovations, market prices, pest infestations and weather alerts. http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/Y5061E/y5061e06.htm
Question 4 (opens 20 Nov.)
Hello Pierre, I agree with you. ICTs can help mobilize science and technology for agriculture by linking agricultural specialists into virtual communities and accelerating agricultural research exchange. ICTs can bridge the knowledge divide. However, ICTs can also marginalized women or smallhoders. There are still countries/cultures that discriminate women. Those living in rural areas who suffer from higher levels of poverty are more likely with limited education and training, and poorer access to information and technology. In other areas, women farmers are ignored in policies and programmes. This is partly a result of weak farmers' organizations and cooperatives which often fail to represent their interests. There is often a disconnect between women's potential and their actual access to ICT resources.
Does ICT empower or marginalize women or smallholders in producer organizations? Definitely, ICT can empower women in producer organizations. One of the objectives in organizing smallholder farmers, especially women, into producer organizations is to build their capacity to produce and market cash crops collectively to chain buyers. On other hand, it is clear that ICTs have brought to the fore new ways to stimulate agriculture. Still, while women now represent many of producer organizations, they are still often concentrated in the less profitable stages of the value chain and to engage in its more lucrative activities. In fact, in the CARE report, the gender training component had a limited impact on strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality. Nevertheless, the ICT can empower women as the producer organizations need to invest in building the human capital to help create a viable and sustainable business model. One example of an organization is the Adarsha Mahila Samaikhya in India which is the beneficiary of the idea from International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) which establish a system for innovative knowledge sharing with regard to drought preparedness through a Virtual Academy for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT) involving advances in ICTs coupled with Open Distance Learning. By interacting with scientists at ICRISAT via audio and video conferencing, representatives for Adarsha Mahila Samaikhya women learned how to overcome the effects of drought and pests through a virtual academy. The network assistants also help disseminate information on cropping practices (drought-tolerant crops, cultivating practices, pest control, soil fertility, etc.) that can also help farmers maximize their harvests. VASAT's training equip the women to communicate the problems affecting farmers directly to scientists. http://ictkm.cgiar.org/2011/03/03/women-overcoming-the-effects-of-droug…
Question 2 (opens 14 Nov.)
Hello Pierre and John, I agree with you that there is a need to bridge the information gap. In the meantime, the producer organizations need to focus the ICT-in-agriculture intervention on the need for better and more timely market information, better access to financial services, timely and appropriate crop and disease management advice and stronger links to agricultural value chains. Through this, the PO can help their members, which in turn, will make it easier for the PO to encourage member users to invest in the ICT. Koy
You are right Susan. While everyday ICTs, such as cellphones, are more widely used, the complex ICTs used in production is still deficient. This is perhaps due to the fact that ICT adoption is sensitive to variables such as the location, size and income level of the operation, market access, technological level and the age and education of the producers.
- Koy
I agree with you Peter. Agriculture is a complex system, encompassing a wide range of acitivities and issues. The ICT side is also becoming more complex. Maybe the limitations to the adoption of ICTs in agriculture lie in the education levels and cultural background of rural communities, as well as a lack of motivation emanating from the farmer's scant perception of ICT's usefulness. This can be achieved if we can educate the farmers to handle growing volumes of data. In this context, ICT can become a powerful tool for farmers to access and organize the available knowledge.
- Koy
Producer organizations can consider creation of sustainable Industry model. Also, ICT readiness and usage remain key drivers and preconditions for obtaining any impacts especially in the rural areas. Thus, producer organizations must ensure that they can provide able support to the rural farmers.
Traditional organizations and industry infrastructures are also facing challenges as industries converge. This will inevitably have consequences for policy and regulations. Governments can perform policies and regulations to encourage competition and remove barriers to investment. Governments can also directly invest in ICT infrastructure and services. In other words, governments can facilitate the technological innovation required for ICT convergence and meet market demands.
- Koy http://www3.weforum.org/docs/Global_IT_Report_2012.pdfQuestion 1 (opens 12 Nov.)
Hello Arnel,
This is the main concept of the Philippine Digital Strategy (PDS) for 2011 to 2016. The PDS lays out what needs to be done in order for the country to progress. It allows Filipinos to be more than just informed and updated on the latest trends in technology and it also help create citizens who are proactive and innovative. The government also addresses not only the needs of our formal sectors but also of our marginalized communities.
- Koy Reference: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58949299/Philippine-Digital-Strategy-2011-2016