350 likes | 360 Views
Explore how E-TIC.net engages farmers, herders, and fishermen through new technologies for better product selling and sustainable practices in Mali and Senegal. Learn about local contexts, needs, and tools for citizen participation.
E N D
E-TIC.netLinking people to technology Agriculture, husbandry and fishingNew technologies & citizen engagement: Practices and impacts from country casesWSIS Follow-up Viola Krebs, Executive Director of ICVolunteersITU, 13 May 2010 Involve. Develop. Volunteer.
www.E-TIC.net • About ICV • Objective of E-TIC.net • Context • Needs • Tools
About ICV • International Non-Profit Organization working in communications: • Information and Communication Technologies • Culture and Languages • Conference Support Linking Knowledge with needs • Volunteer Network of volunteers from 180 countries: 11.000 people
About ICV: Projects since creation Offices & Representations Projects implemented since creation
E-TIC.net: Objective • Citizen participation and inclusion of farmers, herders and fishermen for them to be able to better sell their products • Mali and Senegal • In particular Sahel Region
Mali / Senegal: Situation Farmers Herders Fishermen essential pillar of African nations
www.E-TIC.net: Senegal • Literacy rate: 41-46% (total), male: 53.5%, female: 39.6% (2007) Zones in Senegal • Guédé-Chantier : rice, onions, tomatoes, vegetables • Mbam : peanuts, shrimps • Meckhe : husbandry products,peanuts
www.E-TIC.net: Mali • Literacy rate: 46.4% (total), male: 53.5%, female: 39.6% (2003 est.) Zones pilotes au Mali • Tombouctou : animals, fishing and rice • Ségou : different types of cereals, rice, millet, husbandry products, fish • Sikasso : ignames, mangos, patateos, fruits, husbandry products, cotton
E-TIC.net: Partners • Local: Primatures, Ministères de l’Agriculture, de la Jeunesse et des Sports, des Nouvelles Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (NTIC), National Civic Service of Senegal (SCN), presse écrite, radios communautaires, télévisions nationales, organisations d’agriculteurs, Eco-Village Network of Senegal, CRESP/EREV/GENSEN, Communauté Oulad Nagim, Eco-Commune de Guédé-Chantier, Conjedev, Youth and ICT_Mali, Société Nationale d'Aménagement et d'Exploitation des Terres du Delta du Fleuve Sénégal (SAED), Association des Municipalités du Mali (AMM), Manobi • International: Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Mali / Senegal: Situation Many of them: Are illiterate • Do not speak French (but Pulaar, Wolof, Serere, Bambara, Tamasheq, Songhay, Hassaniya, etc.) • Live in areas where electricity is not available • Have never touched a computer
Mali / Senegal: Situation However, they: Know the issues related to agriculture, husbandry and fishing • Can greatly benefit from the information available: • To better sell their products • To improve farming practices • To build a sustainable society (limiting pesticides and too much fertilizer, etc.)
Mali / Senegal: Situation Information available
Availability of the Internet Source: ITU
www.E-TIC.net: Mobile phones • Estimated population of Senegal: 13,7 million inhabitants (2009) • 5,4 million mobile phones (2008), meaning that 2.5 people have a mobile phone • 42.2% of the population is aged under 15 years, the ratio for people older than 15 is almost double • Estimated population for Mali: 13,4 million (2009) • 3,4 million mobile phones (2008), meaning • With 48.3% of the population younger than 15 years, the ratio of people over 15 having a mobile phone is amost double
E-TIC.net: Means • Collect data: Animating the Internet platform www.e-tic.net, management tool for the understanding of the needs of farmers, herders and fishermen, as well as researchers • Dialogue and assess needs: through questionnaire and direct interviews determine expectations and understand the needs • Provide Training: Provide training for connectors (volunteers, community radio journalists, women) at the of the day to train trainers, with multiplier effect
E-TIC.net: Means • Research & Document: Present problems of farmers, fishermen and herders so that they are better understood by policy makers and the general public • Information dissemination: • To provide information needed for community journalists so they can produce radio programs for farmers, herders and fishermen • To work with SMS distribution services (Manobi)
www.E-TIC.net: questionnaire N = 100
www.E-TIC.net: results of study • Specific needs and issues identified: • Availability of water / pollution • Extreme weather • Animal Diseases • Plant parasites • High prices of basic commodities • Sales products • Bank loans • Marketing of products • Locusts and other disasters
www.E-TIC.net: Toolbox • Community Radio Websites • Written Press • Mobile phones • SMS • Talking functions Telecentre
Improve situation of farmers • Given the infrastructure and context a joint package of: • Information hubs • Adapted and meaningful use of mobile technology • Community Radios
Improve situation of farmers • Given the infrastructure and context a joint package of: • Political will and improving government services • Mobile technology solutions and pricing of them – to make them available to people • Linking field with university work • Capacity building
www.E-TIC.net: Issues at hand • Citizen engagement and participation, bottom up • Have people help themselves • Ownership • Contents
www.E-TIC.net: Senegal • Farmers, herders and fishermen represent an important part of the population • Many of them are illiterate • Many of them do not speak French