63737 OVERVIEW OF FORTHCOMING e-SOURCEBOOK INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRICULTURE Connecting Smallholders to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions M AY 2 0 1 1 ARD AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The ICT for Agriculture e-Sourcebook that will be available at www.ICTinAgriculture.org was made possible by a number of key individuals, donors and partner organizations. It was �nanced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland under the Finland / infoDev / Nokia program on Creating Sustainable Businesses for the Knowledge Economy, whose generous contributions and ideas served as a foundation for its production. The e-Sourcebook was managed by a core team led by Eija Pehu (World Bank) and Tim Kelly (infoDev), which included Cory Belden (World Bank) and Kevin Donovan (infoDev). Acknowledgements are also due to members of the Steering Committee for the Creating Sustainable Businesses Program, who include Pertti Ikonen and Amb. Markku Kauppinen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland), Ilkka Lakaniemi (Nokia), Valerie D’Costa (infoDev) and Janamitra Devan, Ilari Lindy, Philippe Dongier, and Riikka Rajalahti (World Bank). Acknowledgements are also due to the authors of each module, who contributed their expertise and knowledgeable experi- ence. These authors include Henry Bagazonzya, Peter Ballantyne, Michael Barrett, Cory Belden, Regina Birner, Riccardo del Castello, Tuukka Castren, Vikas Choudhary, Grahame Beaumont Richard Dixie, Kevin Donovan, Philip Edge, Tina George, May Hani, Julie Harrod, Pekka Jamsen, Teemu Jantunen, Nithya Jayaraman, Ajit Maru, Suvranil Majumdar, Cristina Manfre, Robin McLaren, Kerry McNamara, Estibalitz Morras, Karin Nichterlein, Eija Pehu, Madhavi Pillai, Enrica Porcari, Luz Berania Diaz Rio, Stephen Rudgard, Soham Sen, Mira Slovova, Lara Srivastava, Victoria Stanley, and Sophie Treinen. The e-Sourcebook was re�ned and improved by a large number of peer reviewers, whose work is gratefully acknowledged. Editorial support was also provided by Kelly Cassaday (Consultant), Mike Donaldson (Consultant), and Gunnar Larson (World Bank). Also worthy of recognition is the website design team: Gravitate, who designed www.ICTinAgriculture.org, along with Ritesh Sanan (World Bank) and Kim Kweder (World Bank), who contributed substantial technical web advice and expertise. The team is also grateful to the organizers of infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship, where the e-Sourcebook was featured and initially launched on 31 May 2011 in Helsinki, Finland. Finally, the e-Sourcebook team would also like to acknowledge Julia Brethenoux (infoDev), Sarian Akibo-Betts (ARD), and Feli Doroteo-Gomez (ARD) who provided administrative assistance. Cover Photo: Neil Palmer, CIAT. (CC BY-SA 2.0.) A Kenyan farmer uses a mobile phone in the �eld. 1 Overview of Forthcoming e-Sourcebook The Information and Communication Technologies for of change is potentially transformative, although its ultimate Agriculture e-Sourcebook is being designed as an e- impacts will be contingent on getting affordable individual publication to maximize its outreach, with the intent of technologies such as mobile telephones into the hands of the maintaining it as a “living� updatable document follow- most important agents. These include smallholder farmers ing its release in Autumn 2011. The e-Sourcebook will and traders, with particular emphasis on women, and a vari- be featured on a website currently being constructed at ety of other agents to whom the technologies provide access www.ICTinAgriculture.org. Given the quickly evolving ICT including entrepreneurs, service providers, and researchers. environment, the World Bank and its partners will build The connectivity offered by new technologies, applications, ongoing collaborations with other organizations, the private and business models is a powerful means of inclusion, mak- sector, and subject matter experts to expand and update the ing smallholders in particular more knowledgeable in their e-Sourcebook—by means of the website—as new knowl- understanding of opportunities, risks and options. edge becomes available. The e-Sourcebook is operational A variety of ICTs are being used to better-inform previously in nature, with practical examples and case studies from all isolated agrarian communities and their service providers. �ve regions where the World Bank works. It aims to provide Rapid development in telecommunications and bandwidth both technical and policy guidance to a diverse group of infrastructure has found many signi�cant applications in development practitioners and decision makers in: agriculture. Mobile phones in particular are a relevant tech- ° Understanding current trends in information and nology for small-scale farmers. Unlike previous technologi- communication technologies (ICTs) as they pertain cal developments, they have moved quickly into developing to agriculture as well as the contributions that ICTs countries. In combination with the Internet and other ICTs can make to enhance agricultural strategies and such as remote sensors, geographical information systems interventions; ° Designing and implementing A handheld GPS device, which is one of the central technologies in appropriate and sustainable a new CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) project on ICT components for agriculture site-speci�c agriculture. projects; ° Building effective partner- ships—public and private—to promote ICT access and innova- tion for agriculture; ° Evaluating the impact of these interventions; and ° Including ICT in policy dialogue and planning with country coun- terparts on agricultural and rural development goals and priorities. Information and communications play a vital role in agricultural development and in rural development more broadly. The role that ICT can play as an instrument Photo: Neil Palmer, CIAT. (CC BY-SA 2.0.) O V E RV I E W O F F O RT HCOMING E - SOURCE BOOK 2 (GIS), meteorological instruments, and satellite imagery, mo- frequency identi�cation (RFID) tags and other wireless bile phones are connecting farmers to institutions, relevant devices are improving livestock management, allowing pro- information, markets, and other farmers faster than any other ducers to monitor animal health and trace animal products technology. through the supply chain. A persistent barrier to sustainable agriculture development, the lack of rural �nance (includ- Given these rapidly unfolding developments and the major ing risk-mitigating instruments like credit), is also lifted by food challenges in the twenty-�rst century, an understand- digital tools. ing of how these technologies can be employed to inform stakeholders— including poor farmers and policy-makers— The Information and Communication Technologies for is critical to improving smallholders’ livelihoods and agricul- Agriculture e-Sourcebook describes a wide variety of ICT tural development. Technologies that serve as information innovations and discusses the potential they carry for “collectors,� “analyzers,� “sharers,� and “disseminators� stakeholders engaged in agricultural development. The are already positively affecting agriculture interventions in overarching challenge for agriculture in the international developing countries. Mobile applications provide linkages development community is to make the sector ful�ll its to previously isolated actors: information on prices, good potential as an engine for a certain kind of economic growth— farming practices, soil fertility, pest or disease outbreaks, poverty-reducing economic growth. The e-Sourcebook and extreme weather has expanded farmers’ opportunities therefore focuses on support to poor smallholder farmers to capitalize on markets, react to unfavorable agricultural and the intermediate institutions that serve them, and within conditions more effectively, and better interact with public this classi�cation of producers, on female farmers in addition service agents. Satellite imagery and aerial photography to women who are otherwise employed in rural nonfarm have increased the capacity of scientists, researchers, economies. The text also considers how these smallholders and even insurance providers to study farm conditions in can be linked to ICT-enabled improvements in larger-scale remote areas and assess damage from climatic challenges farming and agribusiness in developing countries, which like drought. Increasingly affordable technologies like radio can stimulate the rural economy more broadly and provide contracting and labor opportunities for Radio Maria’s Participatory Radio Campaign listening smallholder families. In addition, the groups of women in Kitete village, Tanzania. e-Sourcebook examines a number of new technologies used in OECD countries that may be applied in developing regions in the near future. Each module within the e-Sourcebook also explores the practical challenges and key enablers associated with using ICT in agriculture interventions. Four key enablers found across all modules include demand-driven design and local participation; using the most appropri- ate technology in terms of infrastruc- ture, human capital, and location; the promotion of inclusiveness with a fo- cus on tapping the economic potential of women and youth; and employing good business models for �nancially sustainable interventions. Photo: Farm Radio International. INFORMATION A ND COMMUNIC ATION TECH NOLOGIES FOR A G R IC ULTUR E 3 IMPROVING SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE: PRIORITY TARGETS FOR ICT-ENABLED CHANGE Overall, the ICT in Agriculture Sourcebook discusses ICT in the context of the following themes: 1. Making farmers more productive, innovative, and responsive to changing market and environmental conditions, thereby improving their incomes; 2. Increasing the transparency and effectiveness of the markets and institutions with which farmers interact and on which they depend for a variety of services; 3. Increasing the capacity of farmers to organize, network, advocate, learn, and share; 4. Strengthening the positive linkages between developing-country farmers and changing regional and global agricul- tural value chains and food markets; 5. Promoting innovation in business models and tools to serve the needs of farmers and of the agricultural sector; 6. Promoting cutting-edge, participatory, and locally appropriate agricultural research and extension; 7. Effectively managing agricultural and natural resources, including improved land administration and land markets; 8. Promptly and effectively responding, at both individual and collective levels, to weather and environmental risks; and 9. Creating policy and regulatory environments conducive to agricultural growth and smallholder empowerment. These are the modules featured in the ICT for Agriculture e-Sourcebook. See the abstracts following this page for more detailed information. ° Increasing Livestock, Crop, and Fishery Productivity ° ICT as Enablers of Agriculture Innovation Systems: through ICT Research, Extension, and Advisory Services ° Strengthening Agricultural Marketing with ICT ° ICT Applications for Smallholder Inclusion in Agribusiness ° Broadening Smallholders Access to Financial Services Supply Chains through ICT ° Global Markets, Global Challenges: Improving Food ° Making ICT Infrastructure, Appliances, and Services Safety and Traceability while Empowering Smallholders More Accessible and Affordable in Rural Areas through ICT ° Strengthening Governance, Rural Institutions, and Citizen ° ICT for Land Administration Participation using ICT ° ICT Applications for Agriculture Risk Management ° Anytime, Anywhere: Mobile Devices and Services and ° Farmers’ Organizations Work Better with ICT Their Impact on Agriculture and Rural Development ° Using ICT to Improve Forest Governance O V E RV I E W O F F O RT HCOMING E - SOURCE BOOK 4 Abstracts INCREASING LIVESTOCK, CROP, AND systems, which have often been fraught with challenges in FISHERY PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH ICT construction and maintenance, are also bene�ting through ICTs like LiDAR, aerial photography, and cameras. The �rst Eija Pehu, Cory Belden, Suvranil Majumdar, and Teemu Jantunen two technologies provide accurate land assessment for planning canals and drainage systems; the latter allows Given the increase in food price volatility, rising demand producers to monitor construction and alert policy makers for grains and meat products, more frequent weather- even in remote locations. Two in-depth studies, the Seeing- related disasters, and constrained resources, sustainably is-Believing Project in West Africa and weather forecasting in intensifying yield outputs in male and female small-scale Turkey, provide a more complete outline of investment costs farms is more critical to food security and poverty reduction and impacts. Finally, key enablers and challenges associated than ever before. Recent developments in ICTs have created with ICT for productivity are discussed—this including human new opportunities to achieve these increases. This module capacity, regulatory environments, and timing. discusses these opportunities, beginning with a thematic note on soil and land management. GPS, satellite images, and wireless sensors are improving soil fertility by providing STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURAL accurate measurements of soil carbon and nitrogen, which MARKETING WITH ICT can inform producers on nutrient application, planting Grahame Beaumont Richard Dixie and Nithya Jayaraman time, and other farming practices. This has furthered the This module focuses on the use of ICTs to support market- possibilities associated with precision agriculture, as have ing of inputs and agricultural products more generally. An sensors that monitor pasture health, livestock movement, overview of the use of ICTs in marketing reveals the key and �sh feedings. The second thematic note in this module role of mobile phones, which are being used among other focuses on disaster prevention and early warning systems. things to create networks of contacts that can be tapped for Meteorological technology has provided farmers with micro- immediate information on an “as-and-when� needed basis. climatic information, allowing them to prepare for extreme The phones are also useful in co-coordinating logistics, in conditions like drought. Other ICT-enabled prevention conducting real time market research, and in sourcing inputs. strategies include pest and disease identi�cation and advisory This module provides an account of the role of cell phones in services through mobile phones, video, and radio. Irrigation relation to the emerging role of special ICT applications which have been developed to facilitate more ef�cient marketing. Improvements in communication tools can help in The further development of such applications is a promising increasing rice-farmers productivity. area of future public-private sector partnerships. A number of studies treated in this module quantify the bene�ts of ICTs for farmers’ income, trader margins and on consumer prices. The studies suggest that ICTs are being employed to reduce costs and improve ef�ciency in market chains. They are di- rectly applicable to improving market information: both the immediate information on which farmers base their selling decisions, and the longer-term build-up of market intelligence through which they develop an understanding of consumer demand based on their interaction with traders. Finally the module covers access to inputs, and the role of the cell phone in determining which sources to purchase inputs from. Other technologies can then be employed to deliver digitally-enabled advisory services that can inform farmers Photo: International Rice Research Institute. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.) about when their inputs should best be applied. INFORMATION A ND COMMUNIC ATION TECH NOLOGIES FOR A G R IC ULTUR E 5 BROADENING SMALLHOLDERS ACCESS TO technical approach to ICT access that includes enablers such FINANCIAL SERVICES THROUGH ICT as locally-relevant content, ICT literacy, proximal ICT use and social mechanisms for governance of ICT use. A number Henry Bagazonzya and Soham Sen of current technology trends and policy strategies that are This module identi�es how ICT has been used in various intended to increase rural access to ICTs are examined. The countries to provide �nancial access to rural dwellers in- module focuses on three key areas, namely: the role of public cluding farmers and entrepreneurs. The module speci�cally innovation in achieving universal access to infrastructure and concentrates on informing the reader of innovative �nancial appliances, content creation for mobile agricultural services, mechanisms and technologies that are being used in the rural and �nancial services for agriculture in rural areas. In each environment. The effective provision of �nancial services in of these areas, the module compares key enabling factors the rural sector depends greatly on the underlying infrastruc- surrounding regulation, business models, partnerships, and ture, which makes electronic transactions ef�cient and reli- infrastructure, and draws together lessons that have been able. The module discusses the new delivery channels that learned throughout their development. aid in the provision of �nancial products and services to the rural sector, highlighting the potential that the ICT-enabled channels have to directly provide access to �nance to farm- ers, entrepreneurs and other rural dwellers. Governments Connecting to digital tools through rural can also make use of ICT-enabled delivery channels to over- satellite technologies in the Amazon. see and regulate the agricultural and rural sectors, which is also explored in this module. A diverse number of stakehold- ers that are involved in the provision of access to �nance are, in some cases, in partnership with governments to provide necessary infrastructure and technology to users. Countries like India have taken this approach, where the private sector is in partnership with the public sector to provide ICT-enabled �nancial services. Finally, the module suggests that any pro- posed technology solution should be a self-sustaining model, with a clear revenue generation plan and �nance model. MAKING ICT INFRASTRUCTURE, APPLIANCES, AND SERVICES MORE Photo: Neil Palmer, CIFOR (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE IN RURAL AREAS Mira Slovova and Michael Barrett STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE, RURAL INSTITUTIONS, AND CITIZEN The potential of ICTs to raise incomes in developing coun- PARTICIPATION USING ICT tries has often not been ful�lled in more remote rural areas, Cory Belden and Regina Birner where low population density and the large areas separating communities limit the pro�tability of providing services. In Well-functioning public institutions in rural areas are criti- many places this has made it dif�cult for rural populations cal to agriculture development and sustainability. However, to access and leverage ICTs. Where these dif�culties can these public institutions are often neglected as a result of be overcome, ICTs can increase agricultural productivity under-�nancing, isolation, a lack of technical support, and low and raise rural incomes. The complex challenges of making levels of human capital. This Module focuses on how ICTs ICT infrastructure, appliances and services more accessible can help governments and line departments provide public and affordable in rural areas is the subject of this module. services to the agriculture sector. The proliferation of Internet It begins by de�ning the concepts of access and affordabil- portals, coupled with the spread of bandwidth, has promoted ity and examines challenges that face the service provision e-governance—where Ministries provide policy and program chain on both the demand and supply side using an “Access information, e-services like licensing, taxes, price and agricul- Rainbow� framework. This framework provides a socio- ture information, as well as outlines of regulatory frameworks O V E RV I E W O F F O RT HCOMING E - SOURCE BOOK 6 online. These information portals can be accessed through principles for designing mobile agricultural programs, such kiosks, telecenters, and sometimes cell phones in remote ar- as participatory design, partnerships, and methods for eas. Governments have also bene�ted from internal ICT tools sustainability and accessibility. Next, the module provides like intranets, databases, and electronic data collection soft- case studies of mobile-mediated extension services in ware. E-government interventions result in reduced bureau- Uganda, market information services in India and West cracy and corruption, improved targeting, and more effective Africa, Nokia software that combines agricultural information human resource management. This is true for most public with sporting news and entertainment, and a business in services that use ICTs for agriculture. The module examines Kenya offering crop insurance through mobile money. The digitized systems, satellite imagery, cameras, GPS, biomet- module closes with a brief note on how the speci�c promise rics, and cell phones used in land administration, insurance, for gender equality. agriculture programs, irrigation systems implementation, and market information systems improve government ef�ciency, accountability, and responsiveness. Civil society participation ICT AS ENABLERS OF AGRICULTURE in the provision of e-services is also improving governance. INNOVATION SYSTEMS: RESEARCH, Watch dog functions are greatly facilitated by ICTs, which EXTENSION, AND ADVISORY SERVICES can disseminate information to more citizens at a faster rate. Stephen Rudgard, Peter Ballantyne, Riccardo del Castello, Rural areas are experiencing increases in democratic partici- Philip Edge, May Hani, Ajit Maru, Estibalitz Morras, pation through ICTs. Electronic consultation on policies can Karin Nichterlein, Enrica Porcari, and Sophie Treinen be arranged via cell phone or Internet. Innovative forms of Research, extension and advisory services are some of communication like blogs, citizen report cards, virtual com- the most knowledge-intensive elements of agricultural munities, and Intranet kiosks that allow information sharing innovation systems. They are also among the heaviest between communities also hold potential to improve govern- users of ICTs. The past decade, has seen a massive ment accountability and political and agricultural knowledge increase in ICT use: to power internal systems, processes exchange in the agrarian sector. and services; to enable inter-institutional collaboration, communication and engagement; and to catalyze knowledge ANYTIME, ANYWHERE: MOBILE DEVICES co-creation, sharing and use across a wide spectrum of AND SERVICES AND THEIR IMPACT ON interventions. This module introduces developments in AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT the wider innovation and knowledge systems and some drivers of ICT use in research and advisory systems. The Kevin Donovan research topic note spans the entire research process This module focuses speci�cally on one form of ICT, the from engaging partners and stakeholders, through data mobile phone, and its use in agriculture and rural development. With more than �ve billion global subscribers, the meteoric Farmers can use nitrogen sensors to improve accuracy rise of mobile phones has made them the most widespread in fertilizer applications. ICT in the world. This module posits that as phones increase in sophistication, merging with newer devices like tablet computers, they represent a platform for innovation and service delivery whose promise for agriculture and rural development is already being realized. Drawing on a variety of empirical studies, the various mechanisms through which mobile phones can improve agriculture are outlined. These include enhancing market ef�ciency, lowering the cost of information, increasing income, and substituting for transportation; however, this module emphasizes the challenges and shortcomings of using mobile telephony for rural development, noting speci�cally the need to improve complementary infrastructure – such as roads – and the need to carefully design interventions. Building on a survey of real-world examples, this module also recommends Photo: Ivan Ortiz-Monasterio, CIMMYT. INFORMATION A ND COMMUNIC ATION TECH NOLOGIES FOR A G R IC ULTUR E 7 collection and analysis, collaboration and knowledge access, discuss examples of current practice and identify notewor- publishing and dissemination, to feedback and interactions thy trends. These yield practical lessons for both private and with rural and other end-user communities. In each one of public sector led initiatives that seek to apply ICTs in bringing these areas, ICTs are being used to make research more smallholder farmers into supply chains. Case study evidence effective. The second topic note looks at ways that ICTs are suggests that agribusinesses have the necessary incentives, helping to transform extension organizations—including the capacity, and resources to create and apply technologies that emergence of a new ‘sector’ of public and private innovators support inclusion. Public sector organizations also play an and startups with business models built around ICT-enabled important role in linking smallholders to supply chains, and advisory services. It examines how traditional and new ICTs have facilitated the creation and deployment of a variety of are being used to ‘traditional’ extension roles: reaching rural ICT applications in a range of supply chain activities. communities, enabling the creation and sharing of rural communities’ own knowledge, and supporting connections of rural communities to markets, institutions and other sources GLOBAL MARKETS, GLOBAL CHALLENGES: of information and advice. Innovative practice summaries IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY AND dive deeper into different initiatives and projects—radio in TRACEABILITY WHILE EMPOWERING Africa, participatory video in Asia, e-extension in the USA SMALLHOLDERS THROUGH ICT and the Philippines, web communications across the CGIAR, Tina George, Luz Berania Diaz Rio, and Lara Srivastava mobile phones and SMS services connecting research with Food supply chains today are increasingly globalized. farmers, data and knowledge repositories, and Internet- Modern production, processing and distribution systems enabled knowledge sharing, learning and collaboration are interdependent, commingling food from multiple farms, platforms. regions, and countries. The need to provide food safety assurance and security across global supply chains is driving technological innovations in make food ingredients traceable. ICT APPLICATIONS FOR SMALLHOLDER Traceability is becoming an increasingly common element INCLUSION IN AGRIBUSINESS of public (both regulatory and voluntary) interventions and SUPPLY CHAINS of private systems for monitoring compliance with quality, Soham Sen and Vikas Choudhary environmental, and other standards. Traceability allows The food industry has recently undergone a number of struc- supply chain actors and regulatory authorities to identify the tural changes which have created new opportunities for small- source of a safety or quality problem and initiate procedures holders to raise their incomes if they are able to participate in to remedy the situation. In spite of the bene�ts of traceability commercial supply chains. However, including smallholders in terms of public health, consumer safety, and corporate entails signi�cant challenges—both for agribusinesses and protection against reputational risks and liability – there are for smallholders. For agribusinesses, interacting with a large also concerns that requirements may represent barriers group of smallholders implies high transaction and monitor- to trade for small-scale farmers in developing countries. ing costs to ensure quality, safety, and timely delivery. For Smallholders have faced serious challenges in complying smallholders, participation requires access to the necessary with standards, particularly with tracking requirements inputs and training, and the need to satisfy stringent quality that use paper-based data collection of sophisticated ICTs. requirements exposes them to substantial risk. The linkages The mobile wireless and nanotechnology revolution offers between smallholders and agribusinesses are fragile, and the potential to change all that as remote producers and for trust and mutual con�dence to develop, effective com- smallholders gain access to ICTs. Mobile phones, radio munication and transparent interactions are indispensable. frequency identi�cation (RFID) systems, wireless sensor ICTs have direct application in facilitating the exchanges networks, and global positioning systems (GPS) are some and flows of information between parties all along the sup- technologies that together form the so-called “internet of ply chain, and can be used to manage transactions, arrange things.� These technologies enable compliance with food logistics, and ensure that quality speci�cations are clearly un- safety and traceability standards and make it possible to derstood. This is a particularly critical opportunity for women, monitor environmental and location-based variables and who can participate and integrate into supply-chains more communicate them to databases for analysis. This module effectively through the use of ICT. This module presents examines the effects of food traceability, and identi�es topic notes along with innovative activity summaries which speci�c implementation systems in the developing world. O V E RV I E W O F F O RT HCOMING E - SOURCE BOOK 8 A Maasai woman from northern Tanzania with her more open approaches to Public Sector Information policy calf tagged to show that it has just been immunized and innovative business models are making investments in against East Coast fever. Digital tags are now being ICT more sustainable, recognizes how ICT is an essential used to ease remote tracing and increase reliability. component of good governance, and details how interop- erable ICT approaches to Land Information Infrastructure extend and integrate land administration services into the wider e-government arena. The establishment of land ad- ministration systems is complex and lengthy, but ICT so- lutions using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), high resolution satellite imagery are accelerating data capture and maintenance. Adoption of “crowdsourcing� has the po- tential to further improve coverage. ICT is also having a pro- found impact on the outreach of land administration services and the accessibility and transparency of land information. Support of customary tenure, access via mobile phones and the use of mobile land of�ces are eroding previous barrier for the poor and vulnerable, and building trust with civil so- ciety. ICT trends in open standards, service oriented archi- tectures, and cloud computing are not only allowing Land Information Infrastructures to be built incrementally with a wider range of solutions, but the inherent interoperability is also allowing the integration of land administration ser- vices and wider e-government services. Open Source land administration solutions are now emerging, encouraging local capacity building that leads to increased sustainability through home-grown solutions. ICT APPLICATIONS FOR Photo: Mann, International Livestock Research Institute. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.) AGRICULTURE RISK MANAGEMENT Soham Sen and Vikas Choudhary Examples include seafood safety implementations in Risk and uncertainty are ubiquitous and varied characteristics Vietnam, Thailand, Chile; livestock traceability in Botswana, of the agriculture sector. They stem from uncertain weather, Namibia, South Africa, India, Malaysia, China, and Korea; pests and diseases, volatile market conditions and commod- bulk food tracing in Morocco, Palestine, Colombia; fresh ity prices. Managing agricultural risk is particularly impor- produce traceability in Mali, Chile. tant for small holder farmers because they lack resources to absorb shocks. Risk also inhibits external parties from investing in agriculture. Timely information is essential to ICT FOR LAND ADMINISTRATION managing risk. ICTs have proven to be highly cost effective Robin McLaren and Victoria Stanley instruments for collecting, storing, processing, and dissemi- Good governance and effective public administration recog- nating information about risk. In this module a series of topic nize land as the principal source of wealth and indeed wealth notes and innovative practice summaries describe a variety generation in a society. No country can develop or sustain of strategies for managing agricultural risk. They also identify a civil society or promote economic development within its important trends in current practice and a number of practi- boundaries without internal con�dence and public accep- cal lessons which have been drawn from recent experience. tance in its land rights and its system of land administration. The module focuses in particular on the role of ICTs in dis- This module identi�es how ICT is more effectively support- seminating information for better decision-making by the ing land markets and land reform activities, explores how farmers, for instance the Reuters Market Light in India which INFORMATION A ND COMMUNIC ATION TECH NOLOGIES FOR A G R IC ULTUR E 9 uses mobile phones to send information to farmers. Next, Training and public services are made more while acknowledging the role of ICTs in making possible the accessible through the use of ICT. provision of Index Based Livestock Insurance in Kenya, the module concludes that overall there are still limited applica- tions to transfer weather and price risk to third parties. Finally, in describing cases such as Mobile Transfers in Zambia, which allows funds transfers through mobile telephones to farmers suffering from drought, the module points out that while there have been few applications of ICTs to cope with agricultural shocks. However, those that exist are proving important and potentially transformative. FARMERS’ ORGANIZATIONS WORK BETTER WITH ICT Julie Harrod and Pekka Jamsen Farmer organizations have important roles in overcoming ru- Photo: Nadia Manning, ICT-KM ral poverty through their services to members. This module examines ways in which such organizations can serve their USING ICT TO IMPROVE FOREST members more effectively by using ICTs. Documented ben- GOVERNANCE e�ts of ICTs are grouped into three categories – improved connections to members, better accounting and adminis- Tuukka Castern and Madhavi Pallai tration, and stronger collective voice. These form the basis Good governance in the forest sector is essential to ensuring for three topic notes. A recurring theme is the lack of basic a balance between economic bene�ts, livelihoods and envi- infrastructure in much of the developing world, so the most ronmental sustainability. The recent focus on reducing emis- successful technologies at present are robust and relatively sions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) to simple. Millions of farmers that live in isolated rural areas reduce the impacts of climate change, has given the issue are now connected through mobile phones. Improved con- even greater prominence. This module focuses on how ICT nections to members include sharing market and technical applications can be harnessed to improve governance in the information. Cell phone messaging systems of varying sizes forest sector. This can be achieved through enhancing public and with different funding mechanisms are described and participation and transparency, making enforcement more ef- compared. Examples are also given of digital photography �cient, as well as improving forest management. The module and video clips used to share information within and be- uses the World Bank Framework for Forest Governance to assess the potential of ICT applications to address different tween farmer organizations. Governance is improved in large aspects of governance. The Framework comprises of �ve farmers’ cooperatives with computers that produce manage- main pillars of governance: i) transparency, accountability ment and member information quickly and accurately. Better and public participation, ii) stability of forest institutions and accounting and administration is illustrated by dairy coopera- conflict management, iii) quality of forest administration, iv) tives where computerized record-keeping has transformed coherence of forest legislation and rule of law, and v) eco- ef�ciency. Comparisons are made between a largely private- nomic ef�ciency, equity and incentives. Several examples of sector approach in India and open-source software devel- ICT applications that address the key elements in each pillar oped specially for Kenyan dairy and coffee coops. Farmers’ of governance are discussed. The module focuses on access collective voice is stronger and reaches wider audiences to the technologies by key users. It examines issues of cost, with the help of radio and television. Interactivity is possible and the question of what works under ‘real world’ conditions, through phone-in programs and by sending SMS messages. including the potential for replication and scaling up. Some of Radio and television are also effective tools for agricultural the applications discussed are from other sectors, but can extension. Interactivity through websites is becoming more readily be adapted to the forest sector. The examples dis- important for farmer organizations, but less so for individual cussed include a wide range of technologies – from internet smallholder farmers. social media and mobile phones to remote sensing and GIS. O V E RV I E W O F F O RT HCOMING E - SOURCE BOOK A G R I C U L T U R A L A N D R U R A L D E V E L O P M E N T Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 USA Telephone: 202-477-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org/ard ARD AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT