ICT IN AGRICULTURE

ICT IN AGRICULTURE PRESENTATION BY: KENNY LOWELL NGAOSI

FIRST WE NEED TO RECALL ABOUT SOME FACTS RELATING TO OUR COUNTRY • THE PHILIPPINES IS BLESSED WITH AGRICULTURAL LANDS, MINERAL RICH EARTH, TROPICAL RAINFORESTS, AND SURROUNDED BY BODIES OF WATERS. • OUR PRIMARY EXPORTS INCLUDE SEMICONDUCTORS AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT, GARMENTS, COPPER PRODUCTS, PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, COCONUT OIL, AND FRUITS.

FIRST WE NEED TO RECALL ABOUT SOME FACTS RELATING TO OUR COUNTRY • THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR EMPLOYS CLOSE TO 32% -ABOUT 14% OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT(GDP). • THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR EMPLOYS 14%-30% GDP • THE SERVICE SECTOR EMPLOYS 47%-56% GDP • UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT ARE STILL AT LARGE IN THE COUNTRY

FIRST WE NEED TO RECALL ABOUT SOME FACTS RELATING TO OUR COUNTRY • POVERTY IS STILL RAMPANT IN THE COUNTRY • A LOT ARE HOMELESS, BEGGARS, VAGRANTS • A LOT OF US CAN’T AFFORD EDUCATION AND MEDICAL NEEDS • OUR COUNTRY IS FREQEUNTED WITH TYPHOONS AND EARTHQUAKES

Why did I chose Agriculture as a topic to relate with ICT? • OUR COUNTRY IS AN AGRICULTURAL LAND IN A TROPICAL MARITIME REGION • THOUGH AGRICULTURE COMPOSE OF A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE, IT DOES NOT GENERALLY PRODUCE MUCH INCOME LOCALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY (EXPORT) • BAGUIO-BENGUET AREA IS KNOWN FOR ITS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE • I AM A JUNIOR FARMER AND AN I.T. STUDENT

WHAT COMMONLY ARE THE PROBLEMS IN AGRICULTURE? • PESTS • WEATHER CHANGES OR SEASONAL SHIFTS • BAD MARKETING AND TRADE • IRRIGATION PROBLEMS • LACK OF FUNDS • LACK OF MATERIALS • LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT FARMING

Conversations with local farmers FelisaPaulino (Vegetable Farmer) • Interviewer: Auntie, sinodikanayon ay imulmulayo? (Auntie, what do you usually plant?) • Mrs. Paulino: Carrots, repolyo, patatas, ya din wombok. (Carrots, cabbage, potato, and Chinese cabbage.) • Interviewer: Sino dadinkanayon ay kailanganyo nu manmulmula kayo? (What mostly do you need when planting?) • Mrs. Paulino:Abuno met lang, din tae din manok. Asidananmalakuanadi ay imula. Patibaw din pan-spray. (Fertilizer, the chicken dung. And also the seedlings. It would also include the spray(insecticide).) • Interviewer: Kasanu din panangilakoyongen? (How is the trade?) • Mrs. Paulino: Nu ed trading post adiyanpila-pilaasinalaka pang-ala daisunga ka-ideretsokamied Baguio tanangatngato ala da. Nu ipasaabeyanlugi nu mamingsan tan wada din manlakosi 1php per kilo. Bumaba-ngumatodipresyoisungatsinambaan. Din presyoyanmaamuan mi sin radio nu aga et itextda pay adi. (pause) Napadasak pay ay naseyeped trading post kadan din nan-pile-an mi silakotapanseseedan mi sin mailako ay udomya din manlako. (At trading post, there is a long queue and they buy them at a lower price that is why we bring them directly to Baguio because they offer a higher price. If we pass them to an agent, there is quite a large loss sometimes because some will buy the vegetables for 1php per kilo. There is a rise and fall of prices that is why it depends on luck. We are made aware of the price via the radio or some will send a text message. (pause) I experience sleeping at trading post at the grounds where we pile our products while waiting for other products to be sold and for the buyers.) • Interviewer: Watsidoydisaludsudko Auntie. Salamat en dakayo. (That is all the question I have, Auntie. Thank you very much.)

Conversations with local farmers Roselyn W. Dimatulac (Farmer/housewife) • Interviewer: Sino diimulmulayo ay kanayonediliyo? (What do you usually plant at your place?) • Mrs. Dimatulac: Et din kanayon ay mula mi pay adiyanrepolyo, wombok, beans yapatatas. (We usually plant cabbage, Chinese cabbage, beans, and potatoes.) • Interviewer: Sino ngendikaman pan-gastusanyo nu manmula kayo? (What are mostly the expenses when you plant?) • Mrs. Dimatulac: Din abuno, insecticide, danan workers. (It would be fertilizer, insecticide, the workers.) • Interviewer: Sino dikamanproblemayo nu mangargarden kayo pay? (What are your problems when gardening?) • Mrs. Dimatulac: Din danum, dananpeste. Nu napigsaabe ay pirmi din udanyanmadadaeldadinmula. Nu summberabeyanmabalin ay matdokluta nu magadipansibog. (The water, the pests. Heavy rains can also cause damage to the plants. During summer, the land might become arid if there is no water supply.) • Interviewer: Nu inkayo man-ilakoyan sinodipadasyoisdi? (During selling, what are your experiences?) • Mrs. Dimatulac: Nu inkami man-ilakoyantsinambaan din presyo tan bigla ay ngato o babadi. Bassitlangdimakatsamba sin nguminaandinateng. Pila-pilaadied trading post asiwadadi alley-alley ay pan-ideliveram. Nu din udomwadadi contact da ay ahente. (If we are going to sell, it is base on luck as prices might immediately go down or up. Only few get chances to sell their products at high price. There is a long queue at trading post and there are alleys where you can deliver. Others have contacts with agents.) • Interviewer: Sino diiyatyo ay mancontact sin pan-ilakuanyongen? (How do you contact your customer?) • Mrs. Dimatulac: wada met din cellphone ay pancontact sin ahente. (We use the cellphone to contact the agent.) • Interviewer: May salasalamatgarudmanang sin orasyo. (Thank you very much for your time.)

HOW CAN I.T. ASSIST IN THE RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEMS • THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT), INFORMATION DISSEMINATION CAN BE FACILITATED • ASSIST IN THE FUNCTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL ELECTRONIC TOOLS • ICT CAN HELP ASSIST IN INFORMATION EXCHANGES BETWEEN INVOLVED PARTIES

E-AGRICULTURE • STARTED FROM THE GLOBAL SURVEY IN 2006 • FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) OF THE UN • AN EMERGING FIELD FOCUSED ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF AGRICULTURALAND RURAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH IMPROVED INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION PROCESSES.

ADVANTAGES • FASTER INFORMATION DISSEMINATION • INCREASE PRODUCTION AND DECREASE WASTAGE • ASSIST IN MARKETING IN TRADE • EASIER ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHES • WEATHER UPDATES • FASTER EXCHANGE IN INFORMATION • ASSIST IN FASTER FINANCIAL PROCESSES

DISADVANTAGES • SOME HAVE NO ACCESS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY • SOME LACK EDUCATION TO BE PART OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT • ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION-UNDERSTANDING NOT ASSURED • EXPERTS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE • PERSONAL TRAINING IS STILL NECESSARY • NOT ALL WILL AGREE TO IT

COMPROMISE • KEY PERSONS • EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT E-AGRICULTURE • GO’S AND NGO’S TO ASSIST WITH THE PROJECT • BOTTOM-LEVEL WRITING OF INFORMATION

SOME APPLICATIONS OF E-AGRICULTURE IN OTHER COUNTRIES • UGANDA VILLAGES USED MOBILE PHONES TO COMMUNICATE SIGNS OF DROUGHT TO THE RESEARCHERS • UGANDA, TANZANIA, AND OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS USES SMARTMONEY • “AGRI-FIN MOBILE” ("AGRICULTURE" PLUS "FINANCIAL" SERVICES),A “BUNDLED” MOBILE SERVICE, IS HELPING RURAL FARMERS IN INDONESIA, UGANDA AND ZIMBABWE • INDIA-WEATHER FORECAST SENT TO PHONES OR INTERNET ACCOUNTS

THAT’S ALL FOLKSTHANK YOU VERY MUCH

ICT IN AGRICULTURE