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

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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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
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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

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

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

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

15. 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

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

17. Thank you