[UgaBYTES] Fwd: ICT Update, issue 53 : Farmer services

Tue Mar 16 03:58:41 EDT 2010

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ICT Update is a bimonthly web magazine (http://ictupdate.cta.int) with an
accompanying printed bulletin and an email newsletter. It is published by
the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) ACP-EU,
P.O. Box 380, 6700 AJ Wageningen, the Netherlands.

Perspectives<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#perspectives>|
Articles<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#articles>|
Q&A<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#q&a>|
Documents<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#documents>|
Web
Resources<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#webresources>|
Projects<http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/53/newsletter_ICT_Update_53_en.html#projects>

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*INTRODUCTION
TO THIS ISSUE*<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/editorial/%28issue%29/53>

To build a stable business, farmers need information on a wide range of
subjects. But farmers don´t want all the information; they only want what´s
relevant to their specific needs. To meet this demand, a few services are
now providing agricultural information tailored to fit the working
conditions of individual farmers.
*Read more*: http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/editorial/(issue)/53<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/editorial/%28issue%29/53>

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PERSPECTIVES*<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/perspectives/%28issue%29/53>

"We need to develop large, integrated networks that will connect diverse
sources of information to each other, and to farmers, through ICTs." Dr.
Monty Jones, executive director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in
Africa.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/perspectives/(issue)/53<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/perspectives/%28issue%29/53>

[image: http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/images/cube_button.gif]*ARTICLES
* <http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/feature_articles/%28issue%29/53>

A network of community knowledge workers (CKWs) in Uganda uses a suite of
mobile applications to give farmers a broad range of information. The CKWs
can provide farming advice, market data, pest- and disease-control training,
plus weather forecasts.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/Direct_data_on_demand

The Seeing is Believing project uses very high resolution satellite imagery
to give farmers in West Africa information on soil fertility and accurate
land size.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/The_view_from_above

In Chile, the Mobile Information Project takes advantage of the growing
ubiquity of mobile phones to deliver agricultural information from the web
directly to farmers.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/From_the_web_to_the_phone/a><http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/From_the_web_to_the_phone>

Nokia Life Tools delivers customized information to farmers in India and
Indonesia based on their location, language and crops. The company hopes to
expand the service to Africa in 2010.
 <http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/From_the_web_to_the_phone>
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/Customized_information

There are several services which farmers can directly access to help them to
maintain their crops and get the best from their products at harvest time.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/techtip/(issue)/53<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/techtip/%28issue%29/53>

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*Q&A*<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/Q-A/%28issue%29/53>

"Farmers are comfortable using their phones to get market, weather and other
information. A phone is easier to use than a computer, cheaper and more
easily accessible." Dr Mucemi Gakuru is a senior lecturer in electrical and
electronic engineering at the University of Nairobi and managing director of
Teknobyte.
http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/Q-A/(issue)/53<http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/regulars/Q-A/%28issue%29/53>

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DOCUMENTS* <http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/documents/%28issue%29/53>

*E-agriculture for Togolese farmers*
A ´Center for Commercial and Agricultural Information´ (PICA) for the
collection and the publication of price lists via the internet has been
launched in Togo to enable farmers and traders to interact over prices and
availability of products by ICT. The centre is equipped with computer and
Internet facilities with a web page www.tradenet.biz with a strong
integration of data and mobile technology. The centre will allow producers
and tradesmen to consult in real time over price lists that are in
conformity with the ECOWAS region.
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/11140

*Radio and video are key to agricultural innovation in Africa*
Radio and video are key forces of agricultural innovation and transformation
in Africa than usually considered, a study revealed. Two-thirds of rural
women creatively applied ideas illustrated by videos demonstrating improved
food processing techniques compared to 20% who attended training workshops.
The study undertaken by the Africa Rice Center and Benin´s University of
Abomey however finds that the power of radio and video programming is not
adequately recognized and accorded due attention by Africa´s policy-makers,
stifling its potential to unleash farmer innovations.
http://www.warda.org/warda/newsrel-videopower-jun09.asp

*Making ICT work for food security in Africa*
Africa faces a difficult challenge in meeting the main target of the first
Millennium Development Goal—to halve the number of people suffering from
malnutrition and hunger by 2015. Bridging the digital divide through the
development and use of ICTs - such as fixed-line and mobile phones and
Internet services—will not directly solve this challenge, but it can make a
significant contribution.
http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/ib/ib27.pdf

*Communicating Agricultural Research in Africa: The New Role of Rural Radio*
This 12-page paper addresses the current role of rural radio in Africa and
explores how researchers can improve communication with farmers via radio.
It also discusses research relationships among civil society where media is
an influential but often underestimated institutional partner.
ftp://ftp.fao.org/UPLOAD/AGRIPPA/600_EN.PDF

[image: http://ictupdate.cta.int/newsletter/images/cube_button.gif] *WEB
RESOURCES * <http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/links/web_resources/%28issue%29/53>

This issue’s list of annotated web resources includes:

*Natural Capital Project*
Government officials, conservation professionals, farmers, and other land
owners make decisions about how to use their land all the time. Yet, never
before have any of these groups had a systematic way to demonstrate the
future costs and benefits of their decisions for people and the environment.
In its most ground-breaking effort, the Natural Capital Project aims to meet
this challenge with InVEST, a new tool that can model and map the delivery,
distribution, and economic value of life-support systems (ecosystem
services), well into the future.
http://www.naturalcapitalproject.org/InVEST.html#How

*Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System*ReSAKSS is an
Africa-wide network established to provide readily available analysis, data,
and tools of the highest quality to promote evidence-based decision-making,
improve awareness of the role of agriculture for development in Africa, fill
knowledge gaps, promote dialogue, and facilitate the benchmarking and review
processes associated with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development
Programme (CAADP) agenda of the New Partnership for Africa´s Development
(NEPAD) and African Union (AU) and other regional agricultural development
initiatives in Africa.
http://www.resakss.org

*E-extension for agriculture and fisheries*
The electronic delivery of extension service is a network of institutions
that provide a more efficient alternative to a traditional extension system
for agriculture, fisheries and natural resources sectors. It maximizes the
use of information and communication technology to attain a modernized
agriculture and fisheries sector. It focuses on creating an electronic and
interactive bridge where farmers, fishers and other stakeholders meet and
transact to enhance productivity, profitability and global competitiveness.
http://www.e-extension.gov.ph

*Winrock International*
TWinrock matches innovative approaches in agriculture, natural resources
management, clean energy, and leadership development with the unique needs
of its partners. By linking local individuals and communities with new ideas
and technology, Winrock is increasing long-term productivity, equity, and
responsible resource management to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the
world. http://www.winrock.org/index.asp

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PROJECTS* <http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/links/projects/%28issue%29/53>

*E-farmer allows farmers to trade produce before making a costly trip to
market*
E-Farmer is the first mobile auction system that allows farmers to trade
produce before making a costly and time-consuming trip to the market as well
as allowing them to seek advice on weather patterns and other agricultural
issues. The second makes use of high-end imaging software to analyse
diseased crops and make suggestions as to how best to combat blight,
especially for the widely cultivated cassava plant, currently afflicted by
disease.
http://farastaff.blogspot.com/2009/07/e-farmer.html

*Low-cost computing devices and initiatives for the developing world*
A short inventory of known projects related to ´low cost ICT user devices
for the developing world´, with special attention to the education sector.
The projects and products included in this idiosyncratic list run the gamut
from small research projects at universities to field-based experiments run
by NGOs to commercial products from small start-ups and large
multinationals. Products are in various stages of development; while most
are still in the prototyping and/or beta-testing stages, some are already in
the market (and some, it should be noted, have been discontinued).
http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.107.html

*Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa*
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help
millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of
poverty and hunger. AGRA programmes develop practical solutions to
significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while
safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its
work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain from
seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education. AGRA´s
Board of Directors is chaired by Kofi A Annan, former Secretary-General of
the United Nations.
http://www.agra-alliance.org

*SixBlue Data provides mobile technology solutions for NGOs*
SixBlue Data offers experienced mobile data information solutions for global
non governmental organizations (NGO) with an emphasis on usability in field
environments. Data collection forms are designed and deployed for multiple
mobile device platforms, such as cellphones and Personal Digital Assistants
(PDA´s), in place of paper survey forms.
http://www.sixbluedata.com/index.html

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