Presentation By Allah Dad Khan

Former DG Agri Extension KPK

Current Agriculture Scenario in Pakistan

• Large population (over 45%) is employed in agriculture sector of Pakistan so in order to meet the increasing demands of food stuff and to produce more for our economic progress it is of vital importance that while taking advantage of our local knowledge base we must use world proven best practices to build the capacity of their rular areas and use of ICT for social and economic development of societies. Production from agriculture in Pakistan is vulnerable to number of factors. Some of these could be controlled by timely information.

Challenges to Agriculture in Pakistan

1. Insufficient agricultural infrastructure and support facilities, 2. Insufficient institutional capacity to deliver farmers specific services, 3. Lack of awareness regarding suitable agricultural methods among the

farmers, 4. Agricultural content development and its up gradations, 5. Ownership issues of the public and government generated data, 6. Inadequate use of Public-Private Partnerships in Country , 7. Lack of “Common Platforms” for the farmers in Pakistan , 8. Absence of an “Agricultural Think-Tank” in Country, 9. Insufficient use of ICT for agricultural purposes, etc. 10. Lack of Awareness to Farmers about Agriculture11. High cost of Agriculture Inputs 12. Energy Crisis in Agriculture 13. Water crisis

Types of ICT use in agriculture:

eAgricultureThe term eAgriculture describes the delivery of agriculture-related services via information and communication technology (ICT). Using this kind of service requires access to PCs and internet. eAgriculture can also involve the use of techniques like GIS, remote sensing and various wireless devices. mAgriculturemAgriculture is a subset of eAgriculture, referring to the delivery of agriculture-related services via mobile communications technology. Mobile communication Technologym Agriculture includes all kinds of portable devices like basic mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs or tablet devices (e.g. iPad)mAgriculture can also Involve gathering relevant data through mobile technologies like automated weather stations (AWS) or systems and sensors for location-based collection

Types of ICT use in agriculture:teleAgricultureteleAgriculture is another subset of eAgriculture, referring to Agriculture related services delivered with agronomist participation via electronic communications. teleAgriculture overlaps with mAgriculture when Mobile communications technologies are employed in the delivery process. Establish model telecasters to showcase this approach, with e-governmentservices acting as anchor services. Provide incentives for investors to establish services agencies to innovate and localize high-impact servicesMobile 2.0Mobile 2.0 applications offer services beyond simple voice or text Messages these include payments, money transfers and mobile banking.

How ICT can make a difference inagricultural livelihoods

Agriculture is an important sector with the majority of the rural population in developing countries depending on it. The sector faces major challenges of enhancing production in a situation of dwindling natural resources necessary for production. The growing demand for agricultural products, however, also offers opportunities for producers to sustain and improve their livelihoods. Information and communication technologies (ICT) play an important role in addressing these challenges and uplifting the livelihoods of the rural poor.

ICT in Support of Rural Poverty Elimination and Food Security

• In August 2003, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) joined together in a collaborative research project to look at bringing together livelihoods thinking with concepts from information and communication for development, in order to improve understanding of the role and importance of information and communication in support of rural livelihoods.

• The policy recommendations included:• Building on existing systems, while encouraging integration of different technologies and

information sharing• Determining who should pay, through consensus and based on a thorough analysis of the costs• Ensuring equitable access to marginalised groups and those in the agricultural sector• Promoting localised content, with decentralised and locally owned processes• Building capacity, through provision of training packages and maintaining a choice of

information sources• Using realistic technologies, that are suitable within the existing infrastructure• Building knowledge partnerships to ensure that knowledge gaps are filled and a two-way flow

of information allows knowledge to originate from all levels of the network and community.

Role of ICT in Information And Communication Technology For Rural Development

Timely information on weather forecasts and calamities, ICT based Kisan mobile messages. Application of ICT in agricultural extension, Agri Research , Agri University , Livestock and Fisheries . E village for Agriculture and Rural Development , ICT initiatives for agricultural development. Better and spontaneous agricultural practices, through village Knowledge Center /community center. Better marketing exposure and pricing, Linking the farmers with market through web and mobile Reduction of agricultural risks and enhanced incomes, E.Clinic in Agri and Rural Development Better awareness and information, Taking agricultural technologies to the grassroots on wheels. Irrigation and water usage Disease and Insect Information

Role of ICT in Information And Communication Technology For Rural Development contd

. Improved networking and communication, Development of Farmer Data base Facility of online trading and e-commerce, Better representation at various forums, authorities and platform, etc. Effectiveness of interactive multimedia compact disc IMCD in diffusing technologies among farm women in

different ecosystem and promotion of Farm technologies through interactive multimedia: a multi stake holders perspective

Techmode approach for distance learning courses for field Assistant and VA. Useful databases and websites on agroforestry and farm forestry Watershed modelling for development of sustainable livelihood information technology is intensively used in agricultural administration, research and development,

extension, marketing and managing farmers' organizations

E-agriculture (sometimes written eagriculture)

• is a relatively recent term in the field of agriculture and rural development practices. Consistency in the use of this term began to materialize with the dissemination of results from a global survey carried out by the United Nations (UN). This survey conducted in late 2006 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) found that half of those who replied identified “e agriculture” with information dissemination, access and exchange, communication and participation processes improvements around rural development. In contrast, less than a third highlighted the importance of technical hardware and technological tools.

PROSPECTS OF E-AGRICULTURE IN PAKISTAN

In general, the future directions in e-agriculture point to the need to enhance human resources, equipment/facilities, infrastructure,andpolicy support system. The most pressing concerns are the lack of trained personnel on IT; poor network connectivity and network infrastructure in rural areas limiting the use of IT in extension, complex and dynamic nature of agriculture which requires continuous assessment of data fields for decision support systems; limited computer literacy by farmers, making it difficult to convince them of the benefits of e-agriculture; and the lack of policy environment/support for better information network management.

The challenge ahead is for Pakistan is to explore the uncommon opportunities presented by the information technology revolution, to ensure a vibrant responsive, sustainable, and productive agriculture toward the attainment of food security and a broad-based economic growth.

E-Agriculture Opportunities

1. Increasing smallholder productivity and incomes2. Making agricultural markets more efficient and transparent3. Linking poor farmers to urban, regional and global markets4. Improving services and governance for the rural poor5. Promoting – and including smallholders in – agricultural innovation6. Helping farmers manage a range of risks 7. Improving land and natural resource management and addressing environmental

pressures8. Helping poor farmers participate in higher-value agriculture9. Supporting the emergence of a more diverse rural economy, and supporting rural

families‘ decisions about their mix of productive activities

(1) E-AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

1. Timely dissemination of agricultural information through online information services, education and training, monitoring and consultation, and transaction and processing;

2. Farmers' access to agricultural information through databases established by government and farmers' organizations;

3. Facilitation of interaction among researchers, extension workers and farmers;4. Question and answer services where experts respond to queries on specialized subjects for greater

efficiency in delivering services for overall agricultural development; 5. Providing up-to-date information about subjects useful to farmers, such as packages of production

techniques/practices, management skills, market information, weather forecasting, input supplies, credit availability, agricultural statistics, and agricultural policy and programmes;

6. providing early warning signs about crop and livestock disease/pest problems, natural disasters, and mitigation measures.

7. Raises awareness on the role of E –Agri in poverty alleviation8. Ensure low prices for broadband internet in rural areas.9. Foster combined public-private efforts and cost sharing arrangements to ensure sustainability of rural

information centres.10. Support technical innovations for rural connectivity, such as wireless broadband connections or solar

powered systems. Converging of media and tools for communication11. Increased tailor-made, quality agricultural information services.12. Foster the adaptation of information into formats and languages relevant for rural users

(2) E-AGRICULTURAL MARKETING

Efforts should be made to incorporate IT in the following areas to facilitate agricultural marketing: 1. Awareness of up-to-date market information on prices for commodities,2. Set up of Market information system 3. Collection of a large body of marketing information for various

commodities and markets, 4. Enabling the farmers to find the marketing information they need: 5. Use of IT in wholesales markets and distribution centers of farm products6. Services providing information to farmers regarding farm business and

Management 7. Expansion of the use of e-commerce for direct linkages between

producers, traders, retailers, and suppliers.8. Timely information available in appropriate formats

(3) E-FARMERS' ORGANIZATION This can help farmers' organization in re-orienting themselves toward the overall agricultural development of small-scale producers. 1. With the appropriate information, organized small-scale producers can

even have a competitive edge over larger operations. 2. The expanding uses of IT by farmers' organization worldwide are as

follows3. use of It to supply farms with commercial inputs, farm credit,

marketing, and other support services; computerization 4. application of IT in improving the efficiency of these organizations;

dissemination of technical information to members, 5. improving the extension function and information service of these

organizations; and provision of access to computers and the Internet to cooperative members.

(4)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.

(5) Capacity Building and empowermentCommunities and farmer organizations can be helped through the use of ICTs to strengthen their own capacities and better represent their constituencies when negotiating1. input and output prices,2. land claims, 3. resource rights4. infrastructure projects. 5. Rural communities benefit from better access to credit and rural banking facilities.ICT enables rural communities to interact with other stakeholders, thus reducingA. social isolation. B. It widens the perspective of local communities in terms of national or global DevelopmentsC. opens up new business opportunities D. allows easier contact with friends and relatives.E. A role is also played by ICT in making processes more efficientF. and transparent.G. It helps in making laws and land titles moreLinkages and Capacity BuildingH. strengthen the research-extension-farmer linkage and also enable the flow of up to date information among the stakeholders. I. For instance, it will enable extension workers to access and utilize a wide range of knowledgeJ. Through training role of the extension worker would be improved from transferring technology packages to that of transferring

knowledge and information packagesK. The effectiveness of ICT-based agricultural knowledge and information management equally depends on the availability of well

trained human resource in ICT,L. The cost of ICT equipments particularly computers and related ones should be affordable to enable the expansion of ICT-based

agricultural knowledge and information management.

E Village Agri Steps

1.Identification of village 2.Evillage Rabta Committee 3.Preparing to Take off4.Sharing Vision of E Village5.Setting up of Computer Training Center6.Setting Up of Tele FSC7.Putting All together8. Monthly Review of Progress 9.Web Based Services10.Way Forward

Summary ofKey Points of Presentation • 1. There is huge databank of agricultural information in internet and print media in

Pakistan 2. Trustworthiness & reliability of available information needs validation.3. There is need for effective monitoring and evaluation of agricultural information. UAP should take initiative in this regards4. Information should be relevant (e.g. according to ecological zones) 5. Information should be presented in attractive and interesting manner (pictorial, graphics and video-based)6. System of liaison and coordination between information providers should be established , •, There is need to strengthen the collaboration of private & public institution7. Trust of farmers on information provider is very important , Data base of farmers should be arranged so they can be interconnected for sharing the information

Summary of Key Points of Presentation 8. Promotion of the use of ICT tools (mobile phone, internet) with in the local socio-economic and cultural context. 9. Extension staff should be equipped with proper ICT tools10. Establishment of village level community centers and Call centers11. Technologies should be affordable , Information should be need based, site specific & timely available , and shared at right time right place 12. Continuous and dedicated work of extension staff is important13. Markets (and role of middle man) need to be regularized , Efficient use of ICT can eliminate the role of middle man .14. Subject specialist extension workers at the ground level, Specialized extension worker (subject specialists) for different crops should be deployed 15. Promotion of ICT in village festivals and fairs etc.16. Involvement of volunteers (students)d be relevant (e.g. according to ecological zones)