Status, challenges and way forward of e-

agriculture strategies in ACP countries

Ken Lohento, ICT Programme Coordinator, CTA

Geneva 14 May 2013

Technical Centre for Agricultural and rural cooperation (CTA)

• EU – ACP joint institution, 1984, Lome Convention, based in Netherlands

• Mission aims to advance food and nutritional security

increase prosperity

encourage sound natural resource mngmt

via providing access to information and

knowledge,

facilitating policy dialogue and

strengthening the capacity of agricultural and rural development institutions and communities in ACP countries

e-agriculture

Access and delivery of strategic information and

knowledge services (extension services, market information

sytems)

Sophisticated ICT for specific data acquisition

and management (satellite, sensor, GPS, RFID, etc)

Key observations and conclusions of :

- background research on e-agriculture strategies (Nov 2012 - Jan 2013)

- E-discussion (Feb 2013)

- to prepare the ICT Observatory (24 to 26 April 2013)

by CTA - in partnership with FAO and others

• 10 working days; 173 unique contributions (17 countributions per day)

• 40 participants, from ACP, EU countries and beyond (Philippines, Vietnam, India, etc.)

• 6 key questions : identify need and issues,

Africa 62%

Caribbean 12%

Pacific 5%

EU 8%

Non ACP-EU 13%

Regions in the e-discussion

Preparatory e-discussion (Feb 2013)

2013 ICT Observatory meeting

• e-Agriculture activities are flourishing in ACP regions

• Low interest or understanding of the need for e-

Agriculture strategies (few years back only?)

• On e-strategies the agricultural sector lags behind

other sectors such as health, education governance

(ITU, 2010)

• Emerging initiatives on e-agriculture

strategies

Legend

1 = Awareness Creation; 2 = Formulation; 3 = Approval;

4 = Implementation; 5 = Monitoring & Evaluation

Stages of e-agriculture implementation in

selected countries

0

1

2

3

4

5

Stage of e-agriculture strategy implementation

Country Importance of e-

Agriculture

Experience with e-Ag.

strategy

Current status

of e-Ag.

strategy

Leading

agency/agencies

Ghana • ICT4AD policy

document 2003

• E-Agriculture

applications

• 2005 – “Ghana ICTs in

Ag. Implementation

Strategy”

• 2007/08 – Draft Report

Awaiting approval Council for Scientific and

Industrial Research

(CSIR)

Ivory

Coast

• National Information

and Communication

Infrastructure (NICI)

Plan 2000

• 2012 - National Strategy

Document for

e.Agriculture

Awaiting approval Ministry of Post,

Information Technology

and Communication, and

the Ministry of Agriculture

Rwanda • ICT4D policy

document 2000

• NICI I, II, III (2000-

2015)

• On-going consultation

for a Strategic Plan for

Agricultural

Transformation

Formulation Ministry of Agriculture and

Animal Resources

(MINAGRI) in

collaboration with other

sectors

St. Lucia • National ICT Strategy

(2010-2015)

• Regional ICT4D

Strategy (2010)

• None Awareness

creation (needed)

N/A

Fiji • Information

Technology Policy

(2001-2011)

• The 2011 National

Broadband Policy

• None Awareness

creation (needed)

N/A

Country Importance of e-

Agriculture

Experience with

e-Ag. strategy

Current status

of e-Ag.

strategy

Leading

agency/agencies

India • National ICT policy

• Policy to ensure

infrastructure

• Policy to ensure

high-speed Internet

• National

Agricultural

Informatics

Framework

Formulation The National

Informatics Center

(NIC)

Bangladesh • National ICT policy Digital Bangladesh Awareness

creation

Katalyst (private

company) &

Agriculture

Information Service

(public)

Bolivia 2002* - ICT strategy

for the agriculture

sector

Implementation IICD

Issues & Challenges

General lack of interest by

stakeholders

Lack of understanding of the

potential of e-Agriculture

Institutional and political

structures

Regulatory changes in the

absence of formal policies

Poor collaboration between

ministries of ICTs and

Agriculture

Scarcity of electricity supply

Poor ICT infrastructure

Low ICT literacy

Lack of relevant content

Non-integration of services

Lack of advisory services

Issues of localisation of

ICTs

Resource mobilisation

Formulation Implementation

STAKEHOLDERS E-AGRICULTURE STRATEGY PHASES

Formulate Implement Evaluate

Farmers Consulted Responsible Informed, Consulted

Govt. ICT Dept. Co-lead Support Informed

Govt. Agriculture Dept. Lead, Accountable Lead, Accountable Informed

Internat’l Agencies Consulted Informed, Support Informed, Support

Private Sector Consulted Support,

Responsible Informed, Consulted

Academia & Research

Institutes Consulted Support Lead, Responsible

A framework for developing e-agricutlure strategy that emerged in discussions

Key recommendations 1. Policy work needs to take less time; need to be implemented,

evaluated

2. Absence of policy should not stop practical implementation, but e-agric strategies needed as quickly as possible

3. National holistic or sub-sectoral strategies needed

4. More govmt awareness, gov continuity, leadership

5. Important role for mobile phone; radio still needed

6. MSH policies needed - (farmer, youth, PS, different gov bodies)

7. Funding : Key - International but also local

8. ICT infrastructure needed

9. Awareness raising, best-practices & knowledge sharing, capacity building needed

Ken Lohento

lohento@cta.int

http://ict-observatory.cta.int