4. Does ICT empower or marginalize women or smallholders in producer organizations? Support examples with specific reference to an organization, the technology tool(s), and content delivered.

      Certainly, ICT empowers or marginalizes women or smallholders in producer organizations, as supported by the examples below:

1. Women have lower levels of income and access to resources. They value affordable access as well as ways to increase their income.To meet women's pricing constraints/cost barriers, SMART (Philippines) provides Panolo Phone, a low-cost mobile with cheap airtime top-ups. It comes with an FM radio, a flashlight, calculator, access to a mobile money service, and a trial subscription to a job referral service.
2. Technologies should take into account issues of illiteracy, lack of comfort with technology, and cost effectiveness. Strategies include providing options for non-literates, being easy to use, integrating into existing networks, and utilizing different ICT channels. To meet women's resource and education constraints,  Enhancing Access to Agricultural Information, WOUGNET (Uganda) supports the two-way linkages with women farmers through radio, SMS, audiotape, videotape, CD-ROM, and local notice boards.
3. Long work days, lack of resources, and their family responsibilities lead women to choose options that are perceived to improve their workload, quality of life, children's health and education, and increase incomes.T o help women achieve their life and business goals, Cell phone use and reselling of airtime by women's farming cooperatives in Lesotho increased their income and public profile so that members will be able to participate in agricultural shows, trainings, and conferences through national programs to encourage small-scale farmers.

4.  Women make up the majority of population in rural areas in most regions, with less access to reliable power. Decreased earning power leaves them vulnerable to poor energy access. To use a reliable and affordable power supply—solar, renewable, wind-up radios, a) Community Listening Clubs in Niger encouraged women to call local radio stations over their mobiles with questions and comments for local broadcast. Solar/wind-up radios and solar-charged mobile phones provide consistent access in remote areas b) The Turning Ox, used by Radio Maigaro (Central African Republic) and the Mobile Power bicycle phone charger (Uganda) are examples of renewable power generation.

5.  Women need to reduce transaction and travel costs to increase profits and make their enterprises more productive. They do not have the same access to producer organizations, technical support, and capacity building. To improve efficiency through time and money saved, a) Market Extension and Mobile Phones for Women Chicken Farmers (Bangladesh) provided women farmers new leverage with a local trader and allowed them to increase the volume sold. Prices increased by 60 percent and prompted expanded production b)FEPPASI (Burkina Faso) provided female farmers with computers and training to manage their revenue-generating activities more efficiently.

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/sis/newslog/

Question 3: What should be the role of the public sector in supporting producer organizations' uptake of ICT? 

Let me share this with all of you-

First, Philippines is an agricultural and a calamity-prone country. It is the sector of the government that primarily provides agricultural food for the people.   It is encompassing therefore, that the government should invest more in improving this sector of our government.

Second,  we have a downward trend in the number of enrolees and graduates in the country, perhaps because of the impression that agriculture connotes farming and parents who are farmers would rather see their children with white collar jobs than to see them in the farm.

Third, offices in Region I and perhaps in other regions like Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fisheries (BFAR) and in the Local Government Units have been running out of experts not only in agriculture but also in fisheries. How could we be assured support from the public if they are just  few takers of the program or meager number who appreciate the agriculture program?

This is one of reasons why the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued  CHED Memorandum Order 32, s. 2011 to put on  moratorium the opening of all undergraduate and graduate programs in Business Administration, Nursing, Teacher Education, Hotel and Restaurant Management and Information Technology Education, effective School Year 2011-2012 to give way to the undersubscribed programs, where one of which is  the Agriculture program.

As an initiative, CHED Region I,  in one of the  activities we conducted on agriculture,we  organized an association, conducted a Student Congress, held Trade Fair in collaboration with the DA, DENR,BFAR  and DOLE  all in Region  I. Recently, we were able to produce a 7th placer in the region, which  is a history to the institution. Further, based on the monitoring activity conducted recently by the joint team, CHED and PRC with two (2) institutions offering the agriculture program, their enrollment increased and their  performance rating in the recent board exam has gone beyond the national passing rate.

How can we have the public support to the  producer organization’s uptake of ICT if our agriculture sector is seemingly "weak"?

1. Starting from the bottom, we have to  intensify advertising the agriculture program so as to increase the number of takers. From here, public would appreciate the program.  (INFORMATION DISSEMINATION/IEC)
2.  Collaboration of the different concerned agencies like DENR, DA, BFAR, DOLE, etc.  could help strengthen the program by conducting activities, trainings, etc. (LINKAGING)
3. There is a need to revise/enhance  the curriculum on agriculture to integrate  further knowledge and application of  ICT since the Policies and Standards for said Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program  (CHED Memorandum Order No. 14, s. 2008) only requires,  as a minimum requirement , 1 subject (3-units) of  ICT. This will help students be exposed in the new media technology. This way, their knowledge on ICT could be utilized during their community and extension activities, On-the-Job Trainings (OJT)/practicum and the like. Training of farmers on the use of ICT as part of the activity could be engaged in. (COMMUNITY EXTENSION)
4.  Once the farmers or stakeholders are ICT equipped, communication with producer organizations could be easily accessed. Public in general could have  a ready access on said organzations.(COMMUNICATION)
5. Tapping  the support of the private enterprise like  telecom/ICT companies to get involved (perhaps through sponsorships, provision for gadgets/ICT equipment or trainings) would mean, advertising their products and at the  same time getting  the farmers  be trained on ICT. (INVOLVEMENT OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE) 
6. Use of networking like social media to intensify   ICT between producer organizations and other stakeholders could be of help like creating  an e-Agriculture Group, etc. (NETWORKING)
7. The convergence of government and private enterprises (through the use of human,  physical, economic resources)  to attain public support could help out. (PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP)