By Susmita Das given at the 2015 MEAS Symposium

1. email – susmitabarc@gmail.com 4 June 2015 MEAS Symposium , Washigton DC
The Evolving Role of Information and
Communication Technology in Extension
Advisory Services in Bangladesh
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC
& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

2. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD
Fellow University of Dhaka
Total population:
158.6 m
Three major river
systems: Ganges,
Brahmaputra &
Meghna
Coastal
vulnerable
zone
Mostly
flood
plain
Arsenic in
groundwater
Hills
about
10 %
Alluvial plain
-80 %

3. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD
Fellow University of Dhaka
 Total farm holding: 1,47,16,000
 Cultivable land: 8 m h
 19 % of the country’s GDP from Agriculture
 average growth rate of agricultural GDP 2.7 %
Export value 12% from Agriculture
GDP Growth rate- 6.03%
Annual food production: 35m MT
 Iirrigated land 61%
 Cropping Intensity 191%
Rice, wheat, Maize, Potato, vegetables, fisheries, poultry are
Major farming
 Average farm size: 0.6 ha
Flood, cyclones, drought as major threats
 in the country
Agriculture

4. Issues and Challenges
 Rapid increase of 1.5% population and 1% shrinkage of
agricultural land
 Climate change and natural hazards
 Inadequacy of technology dissemination
 Inadequate value addition / food processing
 Indiscriminant use of agro-chemicals, insecticides and
pesticide
 Absence of efficient & effective farmers' organizations
 Declining water table and soil degradation
 Over dependence on rice as food security (75% crop land)
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD
Fellow University of Dhaka

5. Farm –Holdings in Bangladesh
DOMINANCE OF SMALL & MERGINAL
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
Marginal
Holdings
39%
Small Farm
Holdings
50%
Medium
Farm
Holdings
10%
Large Farm
Holdings
1%

6. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
Issues addressed in ICT Policy 2009
Social equity
Productivity
Integrity
Education and research
Employment
Strengthening exports
Healthcare
Universal access
Environment, climate and disaster management
Support to ICTs

7. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
Market driven,
risk reduction
production
system
Farmers still in
lack of
information
access to
Information/
tech
Govt. & private
ICT initiatives
to enhance
productivity &
Income
ICT Perspectives

8. Farmers’ Benefits of e-’Agriculture
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
Enhancing Production
• Dissemination of newer
information knowledge
• Pest and disease control
& fertilizer
management
• Early warning systems
• Quality seed, soil health
• Localized production
plan
Improving Markets
Access
• Production & price
information, inputs and
consumer trends,
commodity exchange,
• Forecasting market
intelligence
• Post harvest & value
chain management
Building Capacities
• Information & new
technologies
• Awareness & trainings
• Open up new business
opportunities
• Support employment &
future competitiveness

9. Contribution of ICT in Agriculture
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
contributing to empowering capacity &
right decisions on farming
contributing to
agricultural production
Urea Super Granule
(USG)
Photo courtesy :PKSP
IPM
Farmer getting technology
by mobile
Woman farmers using ICT for
solving agricultural problems

10. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
ICT based rural information centers
Mobile based services
Web-based services
Radio programs
Television programs
Agriculture call centres
Existing Agricultural Information Delivery Services

11. Government
• Union Information and Service Centres
(UISC)
• Agricultural Information &Communication
Centre (AICC)
• Farmers Information and Advice Centres
(FIAC)
• TV P prog. Mati O Manush (Soil & Man)&
Banglar Krishi
• Community Agriculture Radio
• www.ais.gov.bd
• Agricultural Call Centre (16123)
• 30 GIS Based Crop Zoning Map (BARC )
• Web based Rice Knowledge Bank
• BARI mobile apps
• National E- Information hub
• E-book (AIS)
• SMS for Sugarcane Farmers – Purji (BSRI)
• Online Fertilizer Guide (SRDI)
Private
• TV program
• Radio Program (Green Hour )
• Community Information Centers (CIC)
• Mobile based problem&
• www.ruralinfobd.com
• InfoLady
• Cell Bazaar (Market
• knowledge bazaars in Bangladesh
• Practical Action’s Bengali knowledge
website
• Bathighor, Farmbook (BIID)
• Community Radio
• Fair Price International
• Farmer query System –mobile based/web
based tool (mPower initiatives)
• Miaki call centre
• Plant doctor (Susilon NGO)
E-Agriculture Activities
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University
of Dhaka

12. Farmers database & Inputs Support Card to
18 Million farmers through Bank account
Farmer friendly agricultural credit policy
Agricultural rehabilitation grants to victims of
natural calamities
Support for accelerated mechanization of
agriculture
Surface water irrigation thru prepaid meter
system
Some recent interventions of
Government
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

13. Union Information and Service Centres
(UISC)
Agricultural Information &
Communication Centre (AICC)
Farmer’s Information and Advice Centres
(FIAC)
Agriculture Community Radio
Case Studies
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer,
BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

14. Methodology
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
Population size (farmers respondents ): 1990
ICT farmers: farmers from UISC,AICC, FIAC,CR
Non ICT farmers: Farmers not associated with ICT
service areas
Agro ecological Zone : 30
District : 45
Division : 7

15.  e-government information
service intervention since 2010
 One stop service outlet at 4501
Union Parishad ,Consists with 15-20
villages, the lowest tire Local Govt.
System
 About 9002 self-employed
entrepreneurs, women 50%
 Unique as public-private
partnership
 Citizen services: government
and commercial
Union Information and Service Centres (UISC)
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer,
BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

16. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
UISC
Some ICT based Innovations In Bangladesh

17. Contribution of ICT in Agriculture
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka
Indirectly contribute to empowering
capacity & right decisions on farming
Directly contribute to
agricultural production
Urea Super Granule
(USG)
Photo courtesy : PKSP
IPM
Photo courtesy : PKSP
Union Information and Service Centre (UISC)

18.  e-government information
service intervention since 2010
 One stop service outlet at 4501
Union Parishads
 About 9002 self-employed
entrepreneurs, 50 percent are
women
 Unique as public-private
partnership
 Offer three types of services:
govt. information and
commercial
Union Information and Service Centre (UISC)

19. Location Details of UISC Main Observations
Union Parishad-
Consists with 15-20
villages, the lowest
tire Local Govt.
System
Year of Est. 2010 • provide agri information
through krishibangla.com
& different websites
• provide printed
agricultural information
with small fee
• Good for citizen services
• UISC entrepreneur- lack
of agri-knowledge
• no instant agricultural
services
• No direct communication
with expert
• Tend to be commercial
Sponsor
BD Govt.
Entrepreneu
r
2
Male 1
Female 1
Internet
Speed
20 kbps
ICT tools- desktop,
computer, scanner,
digital camera, color
printer , modem
UISC at a Glance
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer,
BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

20. Innovator AIS, Ministry of Agriculture
Aims to increase farmers’ access to
demand-led timely information
245 AICCs in all over the country
Ultimate target for 87,362 AICCs by 2021
Agriculture problem based solution
by documentary films
Computer training, compose, printing
Internet service, enquiry answers
Video conference through Skype
Expert opinion by phone calls
Model flow pattern- local point
Village (LAICC) to union (UnAICC,) sub district
(TAICC) district DAICC, in region RAICC and
finally at national
level NAICC
Agricultural Information & Communication Centre
(AICC)
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer,
BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

21. Details of AICC Main observations
Year of Est. 2007 • Run by female members
• equipped with ICT tools and well trained
• exploring different websites for information
• Communicate with AIS personnel through mobile
• Skype for consulting farming problems
• Use e-shop for selling agri-products
• Provide services like e-mailing, composing,
printing,
• Acquire agricultural machineries for rent
• Organize regular meeting,
• maintain cash register & other official
procedures.
• Participate different trainings on agriculture &
computer
• Collect monthly subscription
• Accumulate a good figure of fund
• Generate co-operative idea
• Lend money to members & other farmers with
minimum interest
* $1=77 taka
Sponsor AIS, MoA
Member 35
Female 35
Subs/month 20 taka(Local
currency)
Total Fund 4,20,000 taka
(Local Currency)
ICT facilities-Desktop , Laptop
projector, TV, Mobile, Printer ,
Modem , Internet Speed-64 kbps
One Female Operated AICC (Comilla)

22. An enterprise of MoA by NATP
Funded by World Bank in 2008
732 FIACs at Union Parishad Complexes
100 operated by computer
Equipments like seed moisture meter, water
testing kit, vaccination kit, foot pumps and
learning tools like seed museum and pest museum
One- stop-service centre with DAE, DLS and DoF
3 SAAO, 1 CEAL for livestock and 1 LEAF for
Fisheries
Technical services on farming practices & agro-
business on crops, livestock & fisheries
Co-ordinated services for 15-54 farmers by turns
15 CIG trainings on technologies & solution-
advices
Farmers Information and Advice Centre (FIAC)

23. Details of FIAC Main observations
Year of Est. 2011  Manual prescribed services
 Computers for only official work
 Hand-on trainings
 Display board for quick info,
 pest museum, seed museum
 Spot advice to farmers daily
 No ICT based services
 No application of e-agriculture
 No financial benefit for SAAO
 No digital agricultural device
 Conflicts between FIAC & UISC
Initiated
by
(NATP) MoA
Member SAAO-3
LEAF-1
CEAL-1
Male 2
Female 1
ICT facilities-Desktop .Modem, Internet Speed20
kbps
Farmer’s Information and Advice Centre's (FIAC

24.  Community Radio movement has
started in 1998 in Bangladesh. Now
32 Community Radio got Govt’s
approval among them 16
Community Radio Stations are on-
air in the country
 They are broadcasting altogether
120 hours programs per day on
information, education, agriculture
,local entertainment and
development motivation activities
 Around 536 Young Women &
Youth are now working with those
stations throughout the country as
rural broadcasters.
Community Radio in Bangladesh

25. Details of Main observations
Year of Est. 2011 Slogan - Amar Radio, Amar
Kotha Bole (My Radio, My Voice)
 Irregular volunteers ( as they
are being unpaid )
Daily 4-6 hours of load shedding
Lack of skilled manpower
Trainings on operating special
radio equipments with program
producing & trouble shooting
and equip. maintenance
 Broadcast news, agriculture &
recreation program
 32 listener clubs of 600
farmers
 Lack of local content
Initiated by AIS,MoA, FAO CR Radio Project,
Staff 6
Male 5
Female 1
Airing time 9 am - 11am & 3pm - 5 pm
ICT Facilities- 3 Desktop computer, 1 laptop ,Modem,
Internet Speed-10 kbps-
Community Rural Radio (Agricultural Radio: 98.8)
( Amtoli -Borguna, southern part)

26. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
Agricultural Call
Centre -16123
Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock experts
•Validated huge content
•Only Govt. owned.

27. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
An e-Purjee is a SMS- based Purchase order that sugar mills
all over the country send to sugar cane growers during crushing
season.
Approximately 2,00,000 sugarcane farmers around the
country are benefiting from this service.
E-purji in Bangladesh

28. High trend of internet penetration
**Mobile internet: 43167000 *BTRC, March 2015
Year wise internet users in Bangladesh
Year User
1990 0
1995 600
2000 92000
2005 340000
2010 55,00000
2014 44625000

29. Low literacy hampers ICT works
Fluctuation of electricity power
No monitoring and interactive activities after project being
over
Habituated to submitting irregular subscription
Unsustainable funding for ICT operation
Lack of simplicity & accessibility of technology
No timely deliver of practical solutions for farming
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC
Major Observations from
Case studies

30. Lack of well trained members in operating ICT tools
Low internet speed & network coverage
No maintenance support
Limited follow up of services
Creating a degree of trust and sense of co-operation
Introducing income generating activities
Duplication of information delivery services in same place
(cont.)
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC
Major Observations from
Case studies

31. Characteristics from Case studies
Category of ICT based initiatives
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
HighlyDeveloped
aware of modern
technology
using different
websites, Krishi call
centre
video call through
Skype for problem
consulting with AIS
Strong committee
huge fund, sound
subscription
ModeratelyDeveloped
less internet
explore
video documentary
films
consult with Local
extension agent
weak committee
irregular
subscription
poor fund
Lessdeveloped
obtaining
agricultural
information from
TV & Local agent
no use of
computer and
multimedia
no subscription
& fund
Based on field survey on
2014 & 2015

32. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
*17 AICC surveyed in
the different AEZ and
different region (2013-
2015)

33. Purpose of using phone
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
Family
communica
tion
50%Agricultural
information
40%
Entertainm
ent
6%
Others
4%
•30 AEZs and 45 districts
With 1990 population
(Survey data 2013-2015)

34. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC
•30 AEZs and 45 districts
With 1990 population
(Survey data 2013-2015)

35. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
1080
260
1130
200
730
265
730
90
News Movies Agricultural
Programmes
Others
Farmers' favorable TV Programmes
Service Area ICT Service Area Non ICT
•30 AEZs and 45 districts
With 1990 population
(Survey data 2013-2015)

36. Use of Mobile Phone
User/Non-user Service Area Total
ICT Non
ICT
Mobile phone
user
1160 595 1755
Mobile phone
non user
10 225 235
Farmers 1170 820 1990
•30 AEZs and 45 districts
With 1990 population
(Survey data 2013-2015)
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka

37. Susmita Das, Senior Documentation
Officer, BARC
* Analysis from
research data (2013-
2015)

38. Cross-Cutting Issues in E- agriculture
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow University of Dhaka
email-susmitabarc@gmail.com
E-
agriculture
ICT Awareness
and Capacity
Building
building
Build
partnership
Policy
advocacy
ICT
Infrastructure
and Power
supply
Pertinent
Contents
Young farmers
involvement
Women
participation
Institutional
capacity
building

39.  Interruption of power supply
 Poor ICT infrastructure & equipment
 No direct interaction with the experts concerned
 Irregular monitoring of ICT based services
 Inadequate farmer friendly ICT applications
 Insufficient ICT knowledge of farmers
 Lack of public private collaboration
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka

40.  Lack of easily understandable contents for farmers
 Less awareness among rural people
 Lack of relevant real-time information
 Lack of region & farmer specific information
 Service available only at prescribed time
 Lack of information of direct marketing channel for
farm product
 Less ICT research & Training on agriculture
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka

41.  Building partnership ICT & agriculture focused
organization
 Promote 3G internet connection in rural areas
 Make farmer database software
 Establishing Media Academy
 Bridge Rural-Urban Divide
 Farmer friendly smart phone at minimum price
 Prepare user friendly interface
 Connect higher GB bandwidth optical fiber
 Expansion of Crop Zoning map
 Develop market chain
 Expansion of Agriculture Call centre ( Divisional ,
Regional)
 Make Agriculture Apps in mobile phone (ex.
FRG,BRKB )

42.  Develop farmer friendly & location specific contents
 Agriculture newspaper, newsletter, journal etc.
 Farmer convenient timing of broadcasting agri-programs
 Organizing young farmers group as energetic ICT adopter
 Organizing female progressive farmer groups
 Increase female extension worker for services to woman
 Upgrading ICT skill of extension service provider
 Strengthen Research-Extension linkage
 Develop institutional structures for implementing ICT policy
 Separate agricultural radio & TV channel
 ICT platform for Farmers
 Building SAARC partnership
Way forward-2
Susmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC& PhD Fellow
University of Dhaka

43. THANK YOUSusmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC
Information services at Farmers level

44. THANK YOUSusmita Das, Senior Documentation Officer, BARC