Introduction
Introduction
The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) has been organizing the ICT Observatory since 1998. It is an instrument to advise the institution and its partners on ICT strategies and applications relevant to ACP agricultural and rural development and to identify ICT policy issues, experiences and projects.
The 2013 ICT Observatory will be held from 24 to 26 April 2013 in the Netherlands.
It will focus on how to strengthen e-agriculture strategies and policies (holistic ICT policies and strategies dedicated to the agriculture sector) in ACP countries. The planned e-debate will contribute to preparing the meeting.
The results of these activities will be fed into the WSIS+10 activities with regards to Action Line C7 dedicated to e-agriculture. (meeting in May 2013 in Switzerland).
1. Increased need for strategic planning on ICT integration in Agriculture
ICT uses in Agriculture
In most ACP countries, use of the internet and mobile phones have considerably spread and new information and communication technologies are reaching all development sectors. Indeed, from 2000 to 2011, the internet has witnessed a growth of 2,988% in Africa and 1205,1% in Latin America and the Caribbean, while the average growth for the world is 528% (Source : Internet World Stats). The agricultural sector is also greatly benefiting from this progress. Mobile phones, which also provide access to the web, are now widespread: for example Benin has almost 90% of subscriptions while Trinidad and Tobago has more than 150% subscriptions (several people have more than one SIM card). Mobile applications are being developed in ACP countries targeting several segments or activities of the agriculture value chains, with applications such as the mFarm, iCow and mFisheries. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools are improving the traceability of agricultural products; agricultural extension services are more and more tapping into new technology to provide advisory services to individual farmers; agricultural research or development institutions use the web to promote their services and interconnect their agents; and all agricultural stakeholders, including farmers, youth, women and adults are more and more enthusiastic to raise their capacities in Web 2.0 tools (Source : CTA web 2.0 analyses). Additionally, even though crucial issues such as power outages put hindrances on access to ICTs, new projects are regularly designed by governments, the private sector and international institutions to improve bandwidth and equip citizens.
About the need for ICT for agriculture (e-agriculture) strategies
These steady developments occurring 8 years after the launch of the international e-Agriculture dynamic, in the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), imply that specific agriculture ICT strategies are implemented to make the agriculture and rural sectors fully seize the benefits of information technologies to improve food security.
The WSIS Plan of Action had called for measures to “Ensure 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” and that “public-private partnerships should seek to maximize the use of ICTs as an instrument to improve production (quantity and quality)”
In addition, in April 2012, the African Ministers of Agriculture, Science and Technology recommended "To take advantage of modern technologies such as biotechnology and ICT, including development of national ICT/M policies to encourage investments in knowledge management and targeted information & agricultural extension and advisory services delivery” (April 2012 meeting). In a report produced by the International Telecommunication Union, it was observed that “Many e-government, e-business, e-learning and e-health strategies are in place. Other sectors are still lacking e-strategies. Governments need to ensure more coherence between their ICT and sectoral e-strategies (ITU, 2010).”
Even though in most ACP countries there do not exist specific ICT for agriculture strategies, in most ICT for development policies developed with the support of organizations such as the UNECA, IICD, UNDP etc., there are provisions on sectoral strategies for agriculture. Also, as illustrated in the background report commissioned in the framework of this project, there are increasing discussions on the need of holistic strategies on the integration of ICT in agriculture, even though there is a lack of understanding or interest on the part of many stakeholders.
These various facts and observations suggest at least that the question of e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries are discussed and ways to address them are considered.
2. Presentation of the e-discussion
The e-discussion will help to gather the opinions and recommendations from the wide audience of global ICT and agriculture stakeholders and identify additional initiatives and issues that could be discussed.
Even though in most ACP countries there are no specific ICT for agriculture strategies, the background report commissioned by CTA, prior to the workshop, informs that e-agriculture strategy initiatives have been or are being put in place in a few countries such as Ghana, Mali, Ivory Coast, Rwanda. Moreover, in most ICT policies developed with the support of organizations such as the UNECA, IICD, UNDP etc., there are provisions on sectoral strategies for agriculture. The report also illustrates that there is a lack of understanding or a lack of interest, and different approaches on that issue.
Definition of e-agriculture
“e-Agriculture” is an emerging field in the intersection of agricultural informatics, agricultural development and entrepreneurship, referring to agricultural services, technology dissemination, and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies. More specifically, it involves the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation and application of new (innovative) ways to use existing or emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs). E-Agriculture goes beyond technology, to promote the integration of technology with multimedia, knowledge and culture, with the aim of improving communication and learning processes between various actors in agriculture locally, regionally and worldwide. (…). There are several types of activity related to e-agriculture applications that are widely recognized around the world today. The delivery of agricultural information and knowledge services (i.e. market prices, extension services, etc) using the Internet and related technologies falls under the definition of e-Agriculture. More advanced applications of e-agriculture in farming exist in the use of sophisticated ICTs such as satellite systems, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), advanced computers and electronic systems to improve the quantity and quality of production.” (FAO).
Definition of e-agriculture strategy
By “e-agriculture strategy”, we mean a national holistic ICT strategy that is/can be designed to respond to the agricultural sector development issues and challenges, and which are developed by the government in collaboration with stakeholders from the civil society or the private sector. It has been observed that these kinds of strategy documents are also called “cyber-strategies” for agriculture, “ICT for agriculture strategies”, etc.
Preparatory discussion 25 February – 08 March 2013
These activities are organized by CTA in collaboration with the FAO, the World Bank, the East African Farmers’ Federation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (Rwanda), The Ministry of Communication (Ghana), the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), the NEPAD Agency and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA/ISTD).
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This discussion will gather opinions and recommendations from a wide audience of global ICT and agriculture stakeholders and identify additional initiatives and issues that could be discussed.
Even though in most ACP countries there are no specific ICT for agriculture strategies, the background report commissioned by CTA, prior to the workshop, informs that e-agriculture strategy initiatives have been or are being put in place in a few countries such as Ghana, Mali, Ivory Coast, Rwanda. Moreover, in most ICT policies developed with the support of organizations such as the UNECA, IICD, UNDP etc., there are provisions on sectoral strategies for agriculture. The report also illustrates that there is a lack of understanding or a lack of interest, and different approaches on that issue.
The specific questions to be addressed during the debate are:
Week 1: The concept, need and state of adoption of e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries and beyond
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?
2. 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”)?
3. What are the key target areas and value chain segments for these e-agriculture strategies? And Why?
Week 2: Stakeholders, challenges and lessons learned for formulating and implementing inclusive e-agriculture strategies
4. What are the key challenges faced in formulating and implementing these strategies/policies and what lessons learned from on-going or past processes?
5. Stakeholder roles: What are the roles of ICT and agricultural stakeholders in e-agriculture strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation? How can we ensure the full participation of farmers and other non-governmental stakeholders ? What are the role(s) of the Ministry in charge of ICT and the one in charge of Agriculture? What role(s) for international stakeholders?
6. What key policy recommendations can be made to support the implementation of effective e-agriculture strategies or policies?
Subject Matter Experts from various organizations will contribute to the discussions. A synthesis will be prepared following the debate and a policy brief, which will take into account key initiatives, recommendations and conclusions, will be prepared following the organization of the ICT Observatory meeting.
Subject Matter Experts:
• Benjamin Addom, consultant, ICT for Agriculture
• Justin Chisenga, Regional Office for Africa, FAO
• Aparajita Goyal, Economist, Agricultural and Environment Services, World Bank
• Stella Kamuyu Wanjau, East African Farmer Federation (EAFF)
• Ken Lohento, ICT4D Programme Coordinator, CTA
• Anju Mangal, ICT4D Officer, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
• Mary Rucibigango, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Rwanda
• Issah Yahaya, Director, Policy Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, Ministry of Communications, Ghana
• Representative of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA/ISTD)