Adoption of Information and Communications Technologies in Agricultural Research for Development

1. Ajit Maru and Valeria Pesce GFAR Secretariat Rome, Italy Adoption of Information and Communications Technologies in Agricultural Research for Development

2. Outline • ICTs in Agricultural Development • ICTs in Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) • Role of ICTs in ARD • Framework to assess ICT adoption in ARD • Adoption • Infrastructure • Information Systems • Integration • Effective Use • Issues in ICT adoption for ARD • Conclusions

3. Knowledge and Agriculture • Agriculture is becoming knowledge intensive because of: • the need to participate in globally competitive markets • increasing barriers and constraints in accessing agricultural inputs • the need to use natural resources sustainably • To cope with growing risks from wide climatic fluctuations, • New knowledge is now recognised as the most critical resource for agricultural development.

4. ICT and ICM for ARD Information and Communications Management and use of appropriate ICTs in ARD Institutions Improves agricultural research through sharing and exchange of information and managing research Rapidly improve agriculture Benefits Farmers

5. Useful ICTs for ARD • Radio: • Community Radio • Television • Cable TV • Digital Audio and Videography • Telephony and Cellular Telephony • Computer Technology • Internet

6. ICT Adoption “success of efforts made towards effective use of ICT (telephone, facsimile/fax, computers, computer networks, Internet, cellular telephony, digital audio and video devices) in ARD”

7. ICT Adoption ICT adoption for ARD occurs as a product of several interacting factors such as: • Policy related to the use of ICT at global, national and Institutional levels for development, • Strategy in ICT implementation, status of ICT infrastructure, especially in rural areas, where most ARD Institutes and Laboratories are located,

8. ICT Adoption • Investment both financial and in human skills in ICT use in ARD organizations, accessibility and availability of technology, • Ability to implement ICTs in information systems and effectively generate, manage and use information for agricultural development and progress.

9. Role of ICTs in ARD Scientific and Technical Information Research Data, Analytical Tools and Applications Research Management Information Farm Advisory & Agricultural Extension Information Agricultural Education and Learning Agricultural Markets Related (Farm Input and Products) Information Communications in Research Systems

10. Scientific and Technical Information For managing and accessing scientific literature, documents, bibliographies, abstracts, catalogues, indexes and lists

11. Research Data

12. Research Management • Research Project Management • Research assets management • Priority setting and Needs Assessment

13. Farm Advisory and Extension • Enables provision of customized,relevant, useful information in time at low cost to widely distributed agricultural communities • Can help aggregate small producers virtually for market participation • Helps link researchers and innovators with producers and consumers

14. Agricultural Education • Formal, on-campus education • Distance, continued and life long learning for agricultural professionals • Enabling learning in agricultural communities

15. Agricultural Markets • Enables small holders to participate more equitably in markets by providing price, quality, quantity, availability, supply and regulatory information • Enables planning through forecasts • Enables linking innovation to agricultural production through sharing information along market chains

16. NARS Communication • Vital for virtually collating NARIs into NARS • Enables efficient use of scientific and technical manpower • Improves research resource use

17. ICM in ARD Indicators Scientific and Technical Information Institute and System Wide ICT Enabled STI Services, OAI, Common Ontology Research Data, Analytical Tools and Applications Common Research Databases, Use in Modelling, GIS, KBS Research Management Information Established RMIS used in Priority Setting and Research Resource Allocation Farm Advisory & Agricultural Extension Information Q&A based Farm Advisory Services Pest and Disease Diagnostic Services Agricultural Education and Learning Learning Objects Repositories, Online Learning Communities Agricultural Markets Related (Farm Input and Products) Information Market Price Information Farmer/Producer/Processor/Consumer Advisory Services Traceability Systems Communications in Research Systems Intranets, Tele and Video Conferencing, EDMS

18. Phases in ICT adoption and ICM in ARD Focus on Operational Issues such As Systems Design, Organizational Structures Focus on Infrastructure Such as Rural Connectivity, Content, Capacity Focus on Management And Control Issues Including Intellectual Property Rights Focus on Strategic Use Issues Cost Cost of ICT Implementation Information Systems Infrastructure Coordination Effective Use Time

19. Infrastructure Indicators Hardware Software Skills (Basic Computing, Network Management and ICM) Connectivity

20. Information Systems Indicators Networked Information Sharing in Institute/Organization Institute/Organization level ICM Policy, Strategy, Standards, Rules, Norms Intranets Internet Website and E-Mail Domain

21. Integration (Systems Control) Indicators ARD System Wide Policies and Strategy Centralized ICM Coordination Unit at System Level Adoption of International /Global Standards Common Information and Information System Security and Intellectual Property Rights Adoption

22. Effective Use Indicators Information Systems based on Client Needs Use of Interactive Tools and Applications in Information Systems Established Learning Communities to use ICT enabled Information Systems

23. Framework to evaluate ICT adoption and ICM in ARD Scientific and Technical Information Focus on Operational Issues such As Systems Design, Organizational Structures Focus on Infrastructure Such as Rural Connectivity, Content, Capacity Focus on Management And Control Issues Including Intellectual Property Rights Focus on Strategic Use Issues Research Data, Analytical Tools and Applications Research Management Information Farm Advisory & Agricultural Extension Information Agricultural Education and Learning Indicators Cost of ICT Implementation Agricultural Markets Related (Farm Input and Products) Information Communications I n Research Systems

24. Status of ICT Adoption in ARD • Immense heterogeneity in ICT adoption in national ARD systems across regions and globally come to the fore: • Asia : Japan, Taiwan vs. Cambodia, Myanmar • Latin America and Caribbean: Brazil, Mexico • Africa: Egypt, South Africa vs. Mali • Central Asia and Caucuses: All countries

25. Status of ICT Adoption in ARD • Computers now ubiquitous, but efficient use still a problem due to hardware, software, skills and connectivity issue • Effective and Efficient Institute/ Organizational and National System level networked not established in many countries • Internet connectivity is poor and costly and with low bandwidths reducing capacity to access globally available information • Retaining ICT expertise a major problem

26. Status of ICT Adoption in ARD • ICM systems in most countries still focused on STI information followed by Research Management Information • ICT enabled Extension Information Systems are emerging • Websites still not well developed

27. Status of ICT Adoption in ARD • Information systems coordination in ARD Systems is a daunting task as this area has not yet evolved into a “discipline” • ARD information systems development is nascent • Effective use of Information from ICT enabled Information Systems a major concern

28. Key Issues in ICT Adoption for ARD • Key Issues to be addressed: • Connectivity • Content • Communication • Capacity and Competence • Community Participation • Capital Investment • Collaboration • Culture of Organizations

29. Key Issues in ICT Adoption for ARD • There is a need for National policies and strategies to be in place for ICT use in agricultural development for effective ICT adoption in ARD systems. • Significant increases and improvement in investment, both financial and in human capacities, is required in ICT enabled information systems for ARD • Lack of relevant and useful content is a major constraint to ICT adoption for agricultural development. Investment in ARD systems can lead to generation of this content. In developing countries this investment has to be through the public sector and government as agricultural information is largely a public good.

30. Key Issues in ICT Adoption for ARD • There is a severe shortage of appropriate capacities to plan and use ICTs effectively for ARD and agricultural development. • There is significant lack of integration and coherence in information systems at organization/Institute, National, Regional and Global levels and across agricultural themes, disciplines and commodity related information that enables successful ICT adoption to benefit agricultural development.

31. Key Issues in ICT Adoption for ARD • There is inadequate institutional response, especially by agricultural research and extension agencies, in governing the flow of information to benefit agricultural communities especially in developing countries. This is illustrated by the lack of donor support for improving agricultural information and communications management at global and national levels, lack of national policies and investment in improving the state of agricultural information access and use and inadequate global, regional and national institutions related to information and knowledge availability, access and use for agricultural development.

32. Areas for Research for ImprovingAgricultural Information Systems

33. GFAR’s Interventions • Strengthen the capacity of NARS leaders to advocate, articulate appropriate policies and strategies, attract more resources and greater investment for further development of ICT enabled NAIS and lead further development of agricultural information systems (AIS) • Develop capacity, in terms of infrastructure, institutions and human skills, among stakeholders to ARD to create, manage, share, exchange and use scientific and technical information, technology related information, research and research management information, extension, outreach and market information etc. for agricultural innovation and development;

34. GFAR’s Interventions • Bring about greater integration of national and regional agricultural information systems and easier access to them, especially websites, through an ARD Web Ring and cohesive activities for improved management and more seamless sharing and exchange of information, experience and knowledge in agricultural information management through a Knowledge Network • Establish appropriate governance structures such as task forces and steering committees for global, regional and sub-regional AIS of GFAR, Regional and Sub-regional Forums to promote and support more equitable access, sharing and exchange of agricultural information through ICT enabled AIS. 

35. Thank You