Emerging Opportunities for ICT Applications in Agriculture A presentation at DA-IICT Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat On 30th October 2004 by Ajit Maru

Discussion points Major Streams of ICT Applications Opportunities Automation Decision Support Opportunities Constraints Conclusions

Using ICTs in Agriculture ICTs used for Information, Knowledge and Skills Transfer, Learning, Decision Support And Negotiation for Productivity Improvement Throughput Input Output Market Seed Soil Water Labor Nutrient Disease Management Cultivation Agricultural Commodity Profit ICTs embedded in innovations that transform and/or automate Agricultural Input, Throughput, Output or Markets To Improve Productivity

New Actors Input suppliers Service Providers Banks and Financial Institutions Farmers and Farmer Organizations NGOs and Community Based Organizations Government Organizations Private-for-Profit Organizations Regulatory Authorities Agricultural Innovation System Markets Consumer Bodies

Opportunities Main Categories Providing and Managing Rural Information and Knowledge Services Information based Entrepreneurship Rural ICT Applications Development and Implementation ICT Innovation and Research

A Generic Framework to enable ICT use for Small Farmers Information And Knowledge Intermediaries Capacity development to access and use Information and knowledge Advocacy and New Technologies for enabling access to information In Agricultural and Rural Communities Radio TV Cellular Telephones Websites E-Mail lists Clients And User Communities Information “Bus” Information Platform Capacity development to enable learning in communities ARD “Information” Organization “Integrating” ICM and ICT in work and Business process of ARD organizations through appropriate policies, strategies, resources allocation, capacity development, organizational structures and processes

Providing and Managing Rural Information and Knowledge Services “Information” Organizations Managing Information Processes Capacity Development “Information” Platforms Developing and Managing Information platforms Community Radio and Television Web Sites Offline Multimedia Cellular Telephony Mixed Media

Providing and Managing Rural Information and Knowledge Services Information Bus Infrastructure Support to Interfacing rural users to ICT Information and Knowledge Intermediaries Information Processing and Communication Capacity Development Community Mobilization Supporting User Communities Developing and Managing Rural Information Networks and Centers Networks of Agri-clinics Networks of Rural Information Kiosks and Access Points Rural Services Call Centers and Help Desks

Information based Entrepreneurship Information Organizations Rural Information Content Providers Market Information Outreach/Extension Information Agricultural Technology Information Agricultural Services Yellow Pages Information Platforms Development and Services Information Bus Rural Internet/Communications Services Providers and Support Information and Knowledge Intermediaries Agricultural and Agricultural Engineering Consultancy especially around niche commodities Capacity Development

Information based Entrepreneurship User Community Value added Information Kiosks Value added Marketing Services Input Suppliers Commodity Marketing Multi-Stakeholder Representative Farm Automation Consultants Capacity Development Enabling Community Mobilization and Multi-Stakeholder Negotiations as consultant/actor

Rural ICT Applications Development and Implementation Information Organization Developing, Implementing and Maintaining Information Systems Scientific and Technical Information Systems Management Information Systems for Agricultural Organization Decision Support Systems for Agricultural Organizations Market Information Systems Farm Management Information Systems GIS, Crop and Agricultural Systems Models, Knowledge Based Systems Information Platforms Developing and Maintaining Information Platforms related to agricultural and rural development Community Radio and TV Websites Cellular Telephony Directories, Catalogues and Indexes Yellow Pages for Technologies, Institutions, Experts Databases and Information repositories

Rural ICT Applications Development and Implementation User Community Shared Information Spaces Application Software Messaging Community of Practices Knowledge Bases

ICT Innovation and Research Systems Research ICT Application in Agriculture and Rural Development GIS Models Knowledge Based Systems Precision Agriculture Farm Automation

ICT Innovation and Research Sociological Research Rural Communications and Extension Community Mobilization Rural Information Systems Audit and Impact Assessment

Constraints The Rural ICT Hype Cycle Peak of Inflated Expectations Technology Trigger Peak of Inflated Expectations Trough of Disillusionment Slope of Enlightenment Plateau of Productivity Maturity The Rural ICT Hype Cycle Visibility

Conclusions Opportunities exist Need for building: Awareness among Actors Competence Innovativeness Greater self confidence Entrepreneurship

Thank you