In this context, I would like to draw your attention to a recent publication by UNCTAD on measuring the impact of ICT. You can find it at http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/dtlstict2011d1_en.pdf.

Kind regards, Torbjörn

 

 

 

Hi Mohamed, What concrete evidence is there that telebanking or m-banking in the agricultural value chain has led to reduced transaction costs? Are you aware of any such studies? Kind regards, Torbjorn [quote="alasow"] Hi, ICT can reduce transaction through telebanking. (If the illitecary complex among rural residents is taken care of, through empowering with ICT itself using the mobile phone, the telecenters etc.) ICT reduces transaction costs if regular information on commodity pricing is availed to the rural people and loan systems are structured through ICT, so that it becomes important for the rural people to demand for ICT education. It also reduce transation costs by eliminating the middle-man factor. Mohamed [/quote]

Dear Benard, I would be keen to learn more about how the use of mobile phones by traders has affected farmers and their productivity. Torbjörn [quote="oderoboa"] [quote="Lisa-Cespedes"] Question 2 (8 Dec.) What positive impact can ICT have on the agricultural value chain? Where in the value chain can ICT reduce transaction costs? [/quote] ICT is likely to be one of the biggest revolution that will change the literal and business environment of agriculture. The Municipal Council Market in Nakuru is a practical scenario where each trader has a mobile phone for business communication [/quote]

Dear Mr Kasana, Your project (pakissan.com) sounds very interesting. Is there any concrete evidence to date that it has helped to improve the productivity of farmers in Pakistan? If yes, in what ways? Kind regards Torbjörn Fredriksson [quote="irfan.kasana"] Hi, I am Muhammad Irfan Kasana from Pakistan, working with Pakistan's first Commodity Exchange "National Commodity Exchange Limited" as Manager Research & Product Development & Operations. Core objectives to provide an Online Future Trading Platform wher farmers can directly trade what ever they produce right from there farm gate a true implementation of ICT. I have also developed the largest Agriculture web portal in Pakistan http://www.pakissan.com with more than 7000 subscribers and 2300 active forum members aiming "Connecting Agric-Community for better farming" We are at the moment working on E-Village concept and had already organized successfull conferences with in 3 provinces out of 4 in Pakistan. Follow us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=185839181212 . Here we are striving for ICT & Associated Technologies to the door step of our rural community not only for Agriculture development but for Education, Health, and Social Activities. [/quote]

Dear all, My name is Torbjörn Fredriksson and I am in charge of UNCTAD's work on ICT for Development. Our next issue of the Information Economy Report (www.unctad.org/ier) will focus on how the use of ICT in enterprises may contribute to poverty reduction. As agriculture is such an important sector in this context, I hope to learn a lot from this discussion forum. I am looking forward to learning about success/failure cases where different kinds of ICT (community information centres; mobile phones, community radio, etc.) have made a diifference and improved the livelihood of farmers/fishermen. Kind regards Torbjörn