Gender, ICTs and rural livelihoods forum at e-agriculture.org

From 5-16 July 2010, join e-Agriculture in a virtual forum that will explore some of the challenges that people and projects face when implementing projects aimed at empowering women in ICT in relation to rural livelihoods.

Led by e-Agriculture Community members and The Gender, Agriculture and Rural Development in the Information Society (GenARDIS) , the online forum will discuss issues including looking at what has worked, what has not worked, and the ways in which we can learn from good practices. The critical area of capacity building will also be covered during this special event which will attract participants from around the globe. To be part of the discussion, make sure you are registered on the e-Agriculture Platform and just log in on 5 July! Subject Matter Experts will be available during the forum to share their insight.

Join the discussion

Soil information use / user survey

Peter Okoth at CIAT-TSBF in Nairobi seeks information on the following:

Please allow me to take a few of your minutes and assist me get an idea of whether you are a regular user of soil information, soil maps, soil fertility data and management recommendations.

The purpose of this email is to request you to take 10 to 15 minutes to respond to the electronic survey from the link I am providing here below. The objective is to get a feedback from you on whether you use soil information/data and what type of information/data that would be of beneficial use to you.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHVobUQzVzVOeS1ZOTRnbFVmQmQtanc6MQ

Responding to these questions will enable us tailor what we supply in terms of soil information meet your most immediate areas of demand.

This is part of a project by CIAT-TSBF which is a research area of CIAT called “Africa Soil Information service” that is carrying out soil mapping of Sub-Saharan Africa. The map is once completed will be digital and easily accessed through the Internet from the project website http://www.Africasoils.net.


Should you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thanking you most sincerely,

Dr. Peter Okoth
PI AfSIS Objective 5 (Serving End Users, Partnerships and Capacity Building)
UN Avenue, ICRAF-Complex, Gigiri, Nairobi
P.O. Box 30677-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: p.okoth@cgiar.org
Tel: 254-20-7224775

Farming First guide to food security for G8 Summit

In the runup to the next G8 meeting, Farming First - an advocacy group for sustainable agriculture - has launched a guide to the many initiatives working for food security.

Download the guide or learn more by using the interactive food security map.

Information specialists might be interested to see the widespread use of social media tools - blogs, facebook, twitter, RSS, etc - on their website.

Exploring voice-driven web for the developing world

Accessing the Web has become so easy for so many that it's startling to learn that less than a quarter of the global population can connect to the Internet External Link, according to Internet World Stats. Meanwhile, the penetration of mobile phones — especially in developing countries — is much larger.

Which is why IBM Research India in New Dehli has launched what it calls the Spoken Web, a network designed to use phones, not computers, to bring information on the Web to mainly under-served populations that cannot readily experience the Web's benefits.

Read more ...

Mobile devices, telecenters and policy regulation

At the recent IAALD congress, Paul Barera from the Rwanda Telecentre Network described at the CTA workshop on m-agriculture how mobile devices can provide another communications and information channel for rural communities, one that can also support telecentre revenue models.

Koda Traore of CTA, interviewed at the IAALD Congress 2010, takes this further and describes how mobile devices extend the definition of telecentres beyond being simply a geographical point to an "IT service centre". In this concept, mobile phones are a value adding channel for teleservice operators and rural communities, taking information directly into homes. This is well demonstrated in the Grameen Foundation programme, whose positive evaluation was reported earlier in IAALD blog.

Surprisingly, perhaps, there is no mention of policy issues in the Grameen evaluation. Koda Traore's emphasis on the importance of policy regulation to ensure equity in the spread of m-services is echoed by Anju Manjal in talking about the very different geographical context of the Pacific region.

CTA is continuing its m-agriculture research programme and plans a second Observatory on the subject later this year, probably in Southern Africa. For more details contact K.Painting at CTA.

Agrocom – QnA Service meets Rural India

IIT Bombay startup 'Agrocom' is building up a QnA service for rural India - the company has a pool of experts who answer queries from farmers.

The company’s flagship product, aaQUA (stands for Almost All Questions Answered) was started as a student project (networking site for farmers) and saw some initial traction which led the team to focus more on bringing experts to answer these questions (related to agriculture produce, legal issues regarding land titles, crop management and dealing with Pests & insects).

Read more ...

NAIS a vital information tool for agriculture development in Papua New Guinea

The PNG National Agricultural Information System (NAIS) is a vital agricultural information source that can support and enhance agricultural development and growth.

Read more ...

The mobile decade for agriculture?

Wall Street has called the end of an era and the beginning of the next one: The most important technology product no longer sits on your desk but rather fits in your hand." This excited introduction comes from a recent article in the New York Times celebrating the point last month when Apple computers overtook Microsoft as the No 1 technology company by value. From the rural development point of view, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, this has been evident for some time which is why CTA is focusing on researching and sharing experiences on how mobile digital devices can support rural communities.

Antonella Pastore of the CGIAR ICT/KM programme recently blogged a report about the CTA workshop during IAALD Congress 2010. The report includes examples of the stories that participants exchanged on how these devices are impacting communities and summarises the outcomes of the Knowledge Cafe discussions.

CTA also interviewed a number of people at the Congress to get their views about the potential and challenges posed by mobile devices.

Annriette Esterhuysen had engaged the workshop with a story of how mobile phones have enriched a long-standing rural radio project.

Interviewed at the IAALD Congress 2010, Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director of APC (Association of Progressive Communications) reflects on the characteristics of mobile devices, their impact and the need to maintain a balanced view of their potential.

Michael Riggs, of FAO, reminded us that mobiles are in no way a new technology.

Interviewed at the IAALD Congress 2010, Michael Riggs of FAO gives some background to the work of FAO, CTA, IICD and others in developing a new conceptual framework for ICT4D. He also gives a measured view of what he sees as the role and importance of mobile devices.

Story by Pete Cranston

Web conferencing an effective tool to get agricultural knowledge

Knowledge sharing via web conference proved to be an effective tool for rice farmers, extension workers and researchers in obtaining agricultural knowledge from credible sources, according to a study conducted by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture.

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Balita

Business Mirror