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Agricultural Value Chains and ICT

ICTs play an important role in agricultural value chains, with different types of ICT having different strengths and weaknesses when applied to particular interventions. The impacts of ICT are diverse, and they influence market competitiveness in different ways. However, technology should not overshadow the people and institutions involved. While the positive impacts of ICT are being catalogued and discussed, many rural farmers still do not have access to or the capacity to use ICT.

It is clear the impact of ICT in Agriculture Value Chains is diverse, and influences the market competitiveness in different ways. Given the importance of context and the rapid development technology, it can be difficult to determine whether the appropriate tool now will persist in being the appropriate tool in the future.

In this section, you can find a wide range of materials that look at key opportunities and challenges of ICT interventions in the agricultural value chain with a special focus on the most beneficial interventions in rural areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LATEST POSTS ON THIS TOPIC

Katalyst case study 6
20/03/2013

This case study has been developed on the use of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in disseminating agricultural information to the farmers in Bangladesh. It was prepared by the ICT team of Katalyst and Dan Nippard of The Springfield Centre (www.springfieldcentre.com). The case study  ...

 
http://www.fao.org/
15/02/2013

This study documents the various kinds of information and communications technology (ICT) initiative being implemented globally to improve agricultural value chains and agribusinesses. Many of the solutions presented entail improving access to reliable and timely information. Inequity in access to ...

 
12/02/2013

A brief profile outlining Agrimanagr, a supply chain management platform by Virtual City being used by outgrower companies in Kenya and Tanzania,  including how it works, the implementer/funder, the technology used, fees, primary markets, users, business model, and impact.  

 
29/01/2013

A brief profile outlining MRI Agro, an input supply company in Zambia that is using electronic vouchers to encourage advance purchase of inputs and to offer discounts,  including how it works, the implementer/funder, the technology used, fees, primary markets, users, business model, and impact.  ...

 
e-Agriculture
28/01/2013

A brief profile outlining Crop Nutrition, a soil testing service in Kenya that provides results via SMS,  including how it works, the implementer/funder, the technology used, fees, primary markets, users, business model, and impact.  How it Works: Crop Nutrition is an agribusiness company providing...

 
e-Agriculture
17/01/2013

This briefing paper presents the results of an assessment carried out to identify, document and disseminate information about ICTs that are being used by African agribusiness companies to improve the management of outgrowing operations and the various forms of support they provide to farmers.  ...

 
e-Agriculture
14/01/2013

This briefing paper presents the results of an assessment carried out to identify, document and disseminate information about ICTs that are being used by African agribusiness companies to improve the management of outgrowing operations and the various forms of support they provide to farmers.  This...

 
08/01/2013

Kiringai Kamau is a Social Entrepreneur. He has founded VACID Africa as an Africa Wide Capacity Building initiative that promotes networking among development institutions, workers and partners. Watch Kiringai's new interview on the e-Agriculture YouTube channel  Agriculture is, to many African...

 
Source: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/123073232/ICTs-for-Agricultural-Extension
22/11/2012

This paper reports on a study conducted in North India, contributing to the existing research gap on what a farming community does with Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) when they have access to them.  The study provides insights into intentions and factors surrounding the...

 
19/11/2012

The concept of agribusiness network is primarily based on the use of an ICT model or system to provide access to information at reasonable cost to farmers. The use of ICT allow a rapid flow of information between buyers and producers, which reduces misunderstandings and therefore improves the...

 
e-Agriculture
04/11/2012

The main objective of the African Cashew Alliance is to increase the competitiveness of African cashew smallholders and achieve a lasting reduction in poverty in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Mozambique, building the capacity of the producers and processors and linking...

 
e-Agriculture
19/10/2012

Crospter provides "an innovative platform that directly integrates the farmers into the supply chain. This application provides online tools for sustainable supply chains - including producers, traders and processors of agricultural products. It also has an M&E tool, enabling efficient...

 
13/10/2012

Whoever hurriedly reads the title above may not understand the use of capital letters differing WEALTH from wealth. However, no one would deny that Water and sanitation, Energy, Agriculture, Learning and skill building, Technology, and Health (in brief, WEALTH) are needed to create real impact and...

 
e-Agriculture
12/10/2012

Sustaination is a network serving every type of food business, from farm to fork, at every scale and turnover. A professional network for local food and farmers, with an emphasis on SME, sustainability, and relocalization. Sustaination uses social, local, and mobile web technologies to make it...

 
09/10/2012

A brief profile outlining Lima Links, a market information system in Zambia using a mobile point of sale app,  including how it works, the implementer/funder, the technology used, fees, primary markets, users, business model, and impact. How it works: Lima Links is a mobile phone point...

 
20/09/2012

Today, Thursday 20th September, is the fourth day of the ongoing Online Forum "Using ICT to enable Agricultural Innovation Systems for smallholders" and the discussion continues to benefit from the active participation of people in over 100 countries. The first question, "What...

 
01/08/2012

Acopio is a social enterprise offering tools and services to help collect, manage, and share data along the agricultural value chain. Acopio's team is made up of software engineers, entrepreneurs, international development workers, impact investors, ICT analysts, and coffee experts. Their primary...

 
16/07/2012

"Making The Connection: Value Chains for Transforming Smallholder Agriculture" This event, coordinated by The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) in conjunction with other organizations, will bring together global experts and practitioners to discuss the future...

 
29/06/2012

This government programme in Malaysia seeks to reduce the cost of land preparation for paddy growers. The "iTraktor" system was developed to manage the incentive system efficiently and effectively.  Read more in the New Straits Times: http://www.nst.com.my/nation/extras/r-d-...

 
15/06/2012

A brief profile outlining MFarm, a mobile and web-based market information system in Kenya that allows farmers to collectively sell crops and buy inputs to bulk buyers. This profile includes information on how it works, the implementer/funder, the technology used, fees, primary markets, users,...