Sci-GaIA Forum and Conference (An Adaptable e-Service Communication Model for Rural Agricultural Extension) Dr. Olutayo Ajayi and Mr. Oluwaseyi Babarinde, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Agricultural extension finds itself at a time of crisis Agricultural extension finds itself at a time of crisis. Many of today’s agricultural extension services are suffering under bureaucratic centralized management structures. Squeezed by decentralization policies, diminishing public funds and the privatization of public services, they are urgently in need of change. To what extent can ICTs help shake off the yoke of training & visit (T&V) programmes and help to reinvent agricultural extension? Will ICTs alter the kind of information that is being disseminated to farmers? CTA, Wageningen, the Netherlands

Introduction What is ICT? Any device, tool or application that permits the exchange or collection of data through interaction and transmission. It entails electronic devices by which the gathering, deposition, processing, retrieval, display, dissemination and exchange of information can be facilitated. Specific examples in this regard ranged from simple ICT such as radio, television, video and audio recorder/player, telephony, camera complex devices as computer, internet, telex/fax, Geographic Position System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), remote sensing and satellite etc.

Introduction However, emerging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its integration in agriculture, as observed in the Asian countries, has revolutionised agricultural extension practices, making its delivery efficient and cost-effective. According to the World Bank (2011), ICT refers to any device, tool or application that permits the exchange or collection of data through interaction and transmission. It entails electronic devices by which the gathering, deposition, processing, retrieval, display, dissemination and exchange of information can be facilitated (FAO, 1993; Warren, 2002; Lawal-Adebowale, 2009).

ICT in Agriculture Based on dynamism of ICT functionalities, it has wide application in agricultural system In Research Development Extension service delivery Agro-marketing etc.

ICT in Agricultural Extension Practice, why the need? Accelerate Agricultural growth Expand Agricultural knowledge-based resources Facilitate timely information access Establishment of strong and functional institutional linkages

ICT in Agricultural Extension Practice, why the need? Ensure cost-effective extension service delivery Develop responsive extension services Empowerment of smallholder farmers for increased productivity

ICT Applications in Agricultural Extension Practice ICT integration in agricultural extension practice is known to have achieved a great deal of success in a number of developing countries, with outstanding experiences in India, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania etc. Applications of ICT in agricultural extension practice have largely taken two dimensions, namely internet and telephony dimension, as highlighted below. A careful consideration the experiences could thus paved way for development of ICT-driven extension service delivery in the Nigerian context.

Service Oriented Applications almost All QUestions Answered (aAQUA): is an internet-based question and answer query system that functions as a multilingual, multimedia Agricultural Portal for disseminating information from and to the grassroots of the Indian Agricultural Community. Source: Ramamritham et al, (2005)

Service Oriented Applications Flow of information in aAQUA system

Service Oriented Applications Lifeline: is an information exchange system that mainly depends on telephony (fixed or mobile phone) application. In this wise, farmers rather call-in by phone to lay bare their queries or related agricultural questions for solution (Toyama, 2011). e-Sagu (e-cultivation): is an information technology-based personalised agro-advisory system by which agricultural experts’ advice is timely delivers to individual farmers. The e-Sagu aims to improve farm productivity by delivering high quality personalized (farm-specific) agro-expert advice in a timely manner to each farm, and are extended to improve the performance of agricultural extension services (Reddy, 2006).

Service Oriented Applications Virtual extension and research communication network (VERCON): is an interconnectivity-based ICT established by the Egyptian Government, with the support of FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), with aim of addressing particular needs of small-scale Egyptian farmers through the exchange of information between agricultural research and extension, and indirectly the farmers themselves.

Service Oriented Applications AppLab: is a telephone-based application put in place by Grameen Foundation to help the poor break the cycle of poverty through accessibility to, and utilisation of life-changing information. As indicated by Grameen Foundation (2012), AppLab integration in Ugandan agriculture provides the rural farmers accurate, timely and relevant information for best agricultural practices and improvement of their living condition.

Service Oriented Applications Farm Radio initiative: refers to radio broadcast that is specifically designed for meeting the needs of the farm families through the broadcast of agricultural and other rural issues. Although radio has been an excellent medium of information communication to a wider range of people, it has the limitation of interaction between the presenters and listeners not on till the revolution of modern ICTs such as internet and mobile phones which have certainly remove this shortcoming of radio broadcast.

Service Oriented Applications Video Integration: video is an electronic device that allows for recording of field events and with the aid of editing suite, the recorded events are packaged into a viewing format. With this, the video could be playback for educational or training purposes. An initiative on the use of video as information dissemination tool by the Digital Green is the production of agro-based video whereby the one-to-one extension teaching of the farmers and the farmers’ actual demonstration of the learnt agricultural practice are recorded and latter on packaged for viewing (Toyama, 2011).

Potential Applications of ICT in the Agricultural extension practice Based on the experiences of ICT application in agricultural extension practice in the Asian country and African countries, and coupled with emerging ICTs in the Nigerian context, it suggests that the attendant issues underlining the weak extension service delivery in Nigeria can be drastically minimised, if not eliminated, through the exploration of ICT potentials for application in the country’s agricultural extension practice (Lawal, 2013).

Potential e-Services Applications In Nigeria for instance, the commonly ICT devices within the reach of the rural dwellers are largely radio transistors and mobile telephones; and to some extent television, audio and video cassette or CD/DVD players. In view of this, it becomes essential to explore these electronic communication devices for the benefit of the rural dwellers. Potentials of the broadcast media for extension message delivery: Appropriate use of the radio and television broadcast is essential to attaining rural and agricultural transformation in Nigeria.

Potential e-Services Applications Potentials of video and audio playing devices for extension service delivery: Available to the rural dwellers are audio and video playing devices that could be explored for meeting and satisfying the information needs of the rural farmers. Potentials of mobile video and audio playing devices: in view of the emerging mobile ICT, mobile video and audio devices have become a vital tool of information documentation and dissemination in extension service delivery.

Potential e-Services Applications Potentials of internet-based mobile phone for extension service delivery: Although internet usage has no place the Nigerian rural communities due to lack of internet facilities and competent hands for its operation among the rural dwellers, the technological device is crucial to providing ample and valuable information on agricultural issues to the rural farmers. Given the robustness of the internet engine, it serves as a repository of vast information on subject matter of different disciplines and tool of prompt information exchange between two or more ends.In view of this, it becomes essential to explore internet component of the mobile phone services, which by virtue of the radial coverage of the telephony network is available to some of the rural communities in Nigeria.

Potential e-Services Applications Potentials of modem and laptop convergence for extension message delivery: Alternative to the mobile phone-powered internet service is the use of modem and laptop convergence for exploration of the internet for agro-information sourcing. The modem functions on installation of a SIM (Subscriber’s Identification Module) card of a particular mobile phone network service in a modem for laptop connection. With dependence of a laptop on chargeable battery and durability of the battery for a minimum of 3hours suggests that internet service could be explored by or for the farmers, depending on their operational competence of the device.

Potential e-Services Applications Potentials of mobile phone video and audio component for documentation of extension messages: the robustness and dynamism with which the mobile phone functions afforded it a tool of audio and video documentation that could be playback at will. The functionality of the audio and video component of the mobile phone is much more enhanced by external memory cards of varying gigabyte capacity for recording, documentation and playback. In addition, the blue tooth device of the mobile phone makes it possible to have audio and video documentation transmitted from person to person.

Potential e-Services Applications Potentials of mobile phone as text and voice tool for extension message delivery: Utilisation of mobile phones for text and voice communication is a common trend across the rural communities in Nigeria based on availability of wireless telephony network services in the areas. Potentials of ICT convergence for rural community development: Given the potentials of ICT such as broadcast media, internet, video and audio players, and telephone as highlighted above, combined use of the devices is crucial to stimulating interactive social communication among the rural dwellers for transformation of their socioeconomic wellbeing.

Computational and data model

Implementation strategy e-Infrastructures: Futuregateway framework– authentication, authorization of users to e-AgriSERVICOMM to manage users’ activities. gLibrary – cloud storage for repository of research publications OAR (Open Access Repository) – Online storage of media content Ophidia – data mining for early warning, weather, climate information. Federated Accounts

Implementation strategy Technical Specifications – Features: Web, mobile-web & mobile-app Information contribution and sharing Media upload and download Private & instant messaging SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Agent networking Institutional/Organisation support & partnership Knowledge-base, discussion board Third party integration 25

Implementation strategy Technical Specifications – Functionalities: Real-time optimized technology & market-driven info. Recommender System Repository - publications, media Data mining and analysis Decision support system 26

Proposed Communication Model The proposed communication model is explained below, describing the outlay of data information exchange between two ICT services in different locations. 1.There is a Receiving EDR and a “Sending EDR": It is assumed that the Receiving EDR initiated the communication between the two entities by requesting for specific Agro Information. 2.Decision on the medium to be used for message transmission will be made based on available transmission media: internet connectivity or text messaging technology 3.The Requested information is first converted into National eService Delivery Standards (NeSDS) coded message by the sending EDR, before Agro information is sent to the Receiving EDR. 4.On receiving the NeSDS message, the receiving EDR will convert the received message to natural form, and thereafter updates its Local Database with the information received

How the proposed model achieves semantic interoperability A description of how the proposed model meets the pre-stated objective of achieving technical and semantic interoperability amongst EDRs in technology-challenged developing countries such as Nigeria, is stated below: the proposed model rides on the existing e-Service Delivery Standards v1.0 to achieve semantic interoperability between communicating EDRs. With the standard in place, exchanged messages can be duly interpreted inline with the intention of the sender

How the proposed model achieves technical interoperability Technical interoperability is mainly concerned with the functional transmission of data information from a sender to a receiver via a reliable transmission media. Given that internet connectivity is not often readily available in most rural areas in Nigeria, the proposed communication model explores the option of intelligently choosing between available medium for information transmission and reception. Both the receiving and sending EDRs can either make use of the internet media, or the text messaging media, based on availability. As opposed to the traditional internet-reliant data information exchange in developed countries, the proposed model gives room for exchange to be made even when internet connectivity is not available.

Conclusion In view of the emerging ICT and its integration in agriculture on a global scale suggests that the Nigerian agricultural system could be transformed through ICT integration. In view of this, establishment of rural community radio and the harness of other ICT such as internet, mobilephones and other mobile devices become essential for establishment of functional and sustainable interactive linkages between the agricultural researchers, extension agents, farmers and other stake holders in the Nigerian agricultural system. The strength of a particular ICT may though be the capability what it can do, its successful application is however what it can be used to accomplish in any given situation. This also boils down to appropriation of ICT for purposeful accomplishment in extension service delivery. In essence, the widespread and common ICTs in the Nigerian context, especially the wireless devices, needs to be explored for enhanced agricultural extension practice and improved productivity of the rural farmers.