The document discusses the role of ICT in agricultural transformation through the experience of the Biovision Farmer Communication Programme in Kenya. It describes how ICT can enhance agricultural production through providing information on pest control, new varieties, and production optimization. ICT also improves markets by enabling access to up-to-date market data on prices and trends. Additionally, ICT builds farmer capacities by strengthening representation and social connections. The Biovision Programme has integrated ICT into its projects through a website, radio show, learning centers, mobile services, and call center to provide agricultural information to farmers.

1. The role of Information Communication
Technologies (ICTs) in Agricultural Transformation:
Experience of Biovision Farmer Communication Programme in
Kenya
Mr. Shiraku, Hudson Wereh
Project Assist; Biovision Farmer Communication Programme
National Stakeholders’ Workshop on EOA in Nigeria
19-20 JUNE, 2012. University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

2. What is ICT?
ICT (Information & Communication
Technology /Technologies) is an
umbrella term that includes any
communication device or
application, encompassing: radio,
television, mobile phones,
computer and network hardware
and software, satellite systems
and etc, as well as the various
services and applications
associated with them, such as
videoconferencing and distance
learning/eLearning.

3. ……ICT continued
A simpler way to think about ICT is to
consider all the uses of digital technology
that already exist to help individuals,
businesses and organizations use
information. -ICT covers any product that
will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or
receive information electronically in a digital
form.

4. The power of ICT
Over the last 10 - 15 years, ICT has
changed the way the world works, plays,
communicates, shops, does politics
and even dates. Many of these changes
are seen the world over, some are
restricted to more advanced countries.
These changes are so pervasive and
widespread that it is hard to remember
what the world was like without them.

5. ….continued
Education and Health :
ICTs are being used to spread locally generated and locally relevant
educational and health information; eleaning and diagnosis of diseases
Entrepreneurship and Job Search
The use of ICTs has reduced the cost of running a business and, in some
cases, it is even enabling users to start one.
Social Capital and Social Cohesion:
The use of ICTs has enable people to act together more efficiently to
pursue shared objectives by promoting cooperation among social
networks – e.g. in the cases of N. African and Middle East political turmoil

6. ICT in Agriculture
The Nairobi declaration on agricultural
extension & advisory services, Nov 2011
The need for enhanced use of ICT both old and
new, and engagement of the media in
expanding the reach and impact of extension
and advisory services.

7. Entry points for ICT in Agriculture
•Enhancing Agricultural Production
•Improving Markets
•Building Farmer Capacities
•Engaging the youth in agriculture

8. Enhancing Agricultural Production
• Intervention; Increasing efficiency,
productivity and sustainability of small scale
farms.
• How; information about pest and disease
control, especially early warning systems, new
varieties, new ways to optimize production
and regulations for quality control

9. Improving Markets
• Intervention; better of markets resulting from
informed decisions about future crops and
commodities and best time and place to sell
and buy goods
• up-to-date market information on; prices for
commodities, inputs and consumer trends

10. Capacity Building
• Strengthen capacities and better representation
of their constituencies when negotiating input
and output prices, land claims, resource rights
and infrastructure projects.
• Reduce social isolation, widen the perspective of
local communities in terms of national or global
developments, open up new business
opportunities and allow easier contact with
friends and relatives

11. Impacts of ICT interventions in Agriculture

12. ICT in the context of FCP
• The Biovision Farmer Communication
Programme (FCP) has already embraced and
integrated the use of ICT in its projects.
• FCP is supported by Biovision Africa Trust,
International Centre for Insect Physiology and
Ecology (ICIPE) and Biovision Foundation of
Switzerland

13. Infonet-Biovision
www.infonet-biovision.org

14. Print: The Organic Farmer (TOF) Magazine

15. Radio: TOF Radio
Started in 2008, TOF radio is a
weekly radio show broadcasted on
the national Kenya Broadcasting
Corporation
(KBC) Kiswahili… Service (every
Thursday from 8.15 to 8.30 pm)
Radio Milele (every Tuesday
from 8.30 to 8.45 pm).

16. Farmer learning resource centres /
i-TOF Centres:
This consists of rural based
centres managed by
Community Information
Rural telecenter operators are trained Workers equipped with
to use the platform, which includes facilitation skills to train farmers
information on farming technology, and also to enable… them to
new varieties, disease prevention, access information through
input information, and best practices. multimedia equipment,
particularly desktop computers
and OLPC (One Laptop Per
Child) and other ICTs.

17. Interfaces to mobile phones and call
centres – ASK TOF
A service that enables farmers, extension service providers and others
in need of our information to ask and get their questions answered

18. Conditions for a conducive
enabling environment
• Consideration of people’s needs and
conditions
• Need for relevant agricultural Information
as per the people’s needs.
• Timely information in relevant formats –
language, print, softcopy etc
• Institution and human capacity to link
rural communities to information sources
and support institutions
• Connectivity (Internet)

19. Conclusion
ICT is a critical catalyst to accelerated
agricultural development.
There is currently a revolution in the ICT
industry that is dramatically changing the
way people understand and use ICT tools
across different sectors.
It is going to be an entire paradigm shift.

20. In view of the huge potential exhibited by the
above few examples; what can ICT do if
CORRECTLY used in the context of Agriculture,
if not creating WIN:WIN:WIN situation and
opportunities for Farmers, Traders and
Consumers across the Value Chain?
It’s up to us to examine and determine the
relevant entry points for ICT.

21. Thank you
for Listening