ICTs for Agricultural Extension: Global Experiments, Innovations and Experiences

ICTs for Agricultural Extension:

Global Experiments, Innovations and Experiences

Edited by R. Saravanan

Integration of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are rapidly transforming the agricultural extension. The ICT enabled extension systems are acting as a key agent for changing agrarian situation and farmers’ lives by improving access to information and sharing knowledge. ICT based agricultural extension brings incredible opportunities and has the potential of enabling the empowerment of farming communities. Extension practitioners are excited to experiment innovative ICT initiatives. Experiences on “ICTs for Agricultural Extension” initiatives are showing encouraging results and also complementing conventional extension communication methods. At the same time, it is also a challenge to place rural ICT infrastructure, developing appropriate content, ensuring sustainability and scaling-up.

This book is an attempt to document the National Policy on ICTs in agricultural extension, ICT infrastructure scenario and related issues, case studies on innovative ICTs for agricultural extension initiatives (Village knowledge centres, information kiosks, mobile ICT units, web portals, digital data base and networks, rural tele-centres, farmer call centres, mobile telephony, video-conference, offline multimedia CDs, decision support systems, expert systems, innovative community radio and television programmes, open distance learning etc.,), lessons and way forward in the countries such as Bangladesh, Caribbean Nations (Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St.kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago), Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi), Sudan, Trinidad & Tobago and Zimbabwe.

The agricultural extension students, academicians, scientists, practitioners, administrators and policy makers will find this compilation of the “ICTs for Agricultural Extension: Global Experiments, Innovations and Experiences” from twenty eight countries relevant to providing a framework for the design and implementation of sustainable ICT-enabled extension services for the agricultural development.

General Outline of the Chapter Contents

1. Overview of National agriculture scenario, National extension systems-scope and importance

2. Need of ICTs in agricultural extension/ Rationale for experimenting/proposing e-agriculture/ cyber extension

3. Brief account of IT scenario in the country during last two decades and IT penetration in rural areas

4. National policy on IT in agricultural extension

5. Case studies / review of information on “Best (ICT) practices” of e-agriculture/ cyber extension (or) “Innovations” in ICTs for agricultural extension

• Information village projects/ Village knowledge centre/ Information Kiosk/ Touch screen kiosk/ Mobile telephony etc.

• Mobile ICT units for agricultural extension

• Web portals/ data base/ digital networks for agricultural extension services provision

• Web based discussion forums/ video-conference/ net meeting etc.

• Offline multimedia CDs, Decision support systems/ expert systems etc.

• Innovative Radio – community radio/ TV programmes/ initiatives

• Online farm magazines/ news papers/ farm advisory publications etc.

• Open Distance Learning (ODL) projects for agricultural technology transfer

• Any other ICT initiatives and innovations

6. Issues related to ICTs application for agricultural extension

(Infrastructure, connectivity, content, capacity building, community participation, management, co-ordination, policy support, scaling-up and sustainability etc.)

7. Government, private, NGO, individual research project initiatives, public-private partnership models, business/ entrepreneurship models

8. Impact of ICTs in agricultural technology/ information dissemination, technology adoption, agricultural production

9. Lessons/experiences

10. The way forward/ policy implications/conclusions & recommendations

Country Chapters	Contributors
Bangladesh	Ms. Rubaiya Ahmad
Caribbean Nations	Dr. Wayne G. Ganpat Mrs. Claudette de Freitas
Greece	Dr. Anastasios Michailidis
India	Dr. R. Saravanan
Iran	Dr. H. Shabanali Fami Mrs. Malihe Falaki Mr. Javad Ghasemi
Ireland	Dr. Pádraig Wims
Israel	Dr. E. Gelb Dr. B. Gal Mr. D. Wolfson
Japan	Mr. Masami Yamada
Jordan	Dr. Esmat AlKaradsheh Er. Asmahan Farred Hattar Mr. Ashraf Saber Alhawamdeh Dr. Samia Nadim Akroush
Nigeria	Dr. Olufemi Martins Adesope Dr. Moses okwusi Dr. Ike Nwachukwu
Rwanda	Dr. Charles Karemangingo Mr. Edward Mutandwa Mr. Nathan Taremwa Kanuma Mr. Frank Mugisha
Sri Lanka	Dr. Rohan Wijekoon Mr. M.F.M. Rizwan
Sub Saharan Africa	Dr. Kristin Elizabeth Davis Mr. Benjamin K Addom
Sudan	Ms. Rafaa Ashamallah Ghobrial
Trinidad & Tobago	Dr. Edwin Joseph
Zimbabwe	Mr. Christopher Tafara Gadzirayi Mr. Eliada Gudza Mr. Godfrey SibandaTitle Mr. Justin Mupinda

Communication address of the editor of the book

Dr. R. Saravanan, Associate Professor (Communication) and In-charge, School of Social Sciences, College of Post Graduate Studies, Central Agricultural University, Barapani – 793 103, Meghalaya, India. e-Mail ID: saravananraj@hotmail.com; saravanacau@gmail.com

URL: www.saravananraj.net

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