This document discusses ICT policy development and linkages to agriculture in African countries. It provides background on growing ICT access and usage in Africa. Countries developed ICT policies following two main approaches: the AISI/NICI model or more incremental models. Most countries have translated policies into sectoral e-strategies, including for e-agriculture. Country cases from Burkina Faso and Mali showcase their e-agriculture strategies and programs. Opportunities exist to expand ICT services through increased use of available submarine cable capacity. Successful ICT policy requires quality policy design, stakeholder engagement, and ongoing evaluation.

1. Abebe Chekol
ICT for Development Expert
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
2013 ICT Observatory : Strengthening e-agriculture strategies in ACP
countries
Hotel Hof Wageningen, 24 - 25 April
CTA headquarters, Wageningen, 26 April
Stateof ICT policy development and
linkageswith
Agriculturein African countriesUNECA

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Contents
Background
Drivers – Regional and International levels
The NICI framework
State of ICT policy development
Sectoral e-strategies
Linkages to Agriculture
E-agriculture strategies – country cases
Opportunities for e-agriculture
Conclusion

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Background: - Status ICT policy, access and usage in Africa
ICT – became a national
priority in many
African countries
ICT – became a national
priority in many
African countries
By 2012, 45 adopted ICT policy
2 in the dev’t process
By 2012, 45 adopted ICT policy
2 in the dev’t process
As of Sep 2011, with 620 million subscribers, Africa has overtaken Latin America,
making it the 2nd
largest mobile market in the World after Asia Pacific
(GSMA and ATKearney 2011))
As of Sep 2011, with 620 million subscribers, Africa has overtaken Latin America,
making it the 2nd
largest mobile market in the World after Asia Pacific
(GSMA and ATKearney 2011))
# of Internet subscribers grew by > 150 % in 2007 in several sub-Saharan African countries
although the continent remains to be one of those with the lowest penetration rate
(9.6 % in 2010)
# of Internet subscribers grew by > 150 % in 2007 in several sub-Saharan African countries
although the continent remains to be one of those with the lowest penetration rate
(9.6 % in 2010)
Wireless broadband Internet access is growing faster than the fixed
Broadband (in which penetration remains less than 1%) mainly driven by the
growth in mobile phone technologies
Wireless broadband Internet access is growing faster than the fixed
Broadband (in which penetration remains less than 1%) mainly driven by the
growth in mobile phone technologies
Between 2009 & 2011, 9 under sea cables landed in the African coasts
with a cumulative capacity of 21.36 terabits
Between 2009 & 2011, 9 under sea cables landed in the African coasts
with a cumulative capacity of 21.36 terabits
Additional 19.2 terabits expected in 2012-2013
(African Under Sea Cables (2013) http://manypossibilities.net)
Additional 19.2 terabits expected in 2012-2013
(African Under Sea Cables (2013) http://manypossibilities.net)

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Background: - The African ICT landscape as percentage
of world total
ICT in Africa - as a percentage of world total, 2010 (unless indicated)
1.2
1.2
0.2
1.5
0.6
1.2
10
4.1
14.8
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
ICT Imports - goods
ICT Imports - services
ICT Exports - goods
ICT Exports - services
International bandwidth, aggregate Mbit/s
Internet subscriptions, fixed (2009)
Mobile subscription
GDP, PPP
Population
Source: ITU, WTO and IMF databanks

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Drivers at regional and international
levels
AISI – African Information Society InitiativeAISI – African Information Society Initiative
Guided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996 as Africa’s digital agenda to
build inclusive information society in the continent, ECA and partners supported countries in
Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as, NICIs which resulted in
over 45 countries adopting their NICIs by end of 2012 and a further 2 in the process of
developing one;
AISI – African Information Society InitiativeAISI – African Information Society Initiative
Guided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996 as Africa’s digital agenda to
build inclusive information society in the continent, ECA and partners supported countries in
Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as, NICIs which resulted in
over 45 countries adopting their NICIs by end of 2012 and a further 2 in the process of
developing one;
WSIS – World Summit on the Information SocietyWSIS – World Summit on the Information Society
According to the WSIS Plan of Action, “Specific targets for the information society will be
established as appropriate, at the national level in the framework of national e-strategies and in
accordance with national development policies, taking into account the different national
circumstances. Such targets can serve as useful benchmarks for action and for the evaluation of
the progress made towards the attainment of the overall objectives of the information society”.
Furthermore, the document stresses that national e-strategies should be encouraged by all
countries by 2005, based on national priorities.
WSIS – World Summit on the Information SocietyWSIS – World Summit on the Information Society
According to the WSIS Plan of Action, “Specific targets for the information society will be
established as appropriate, at the national level in the framework of national e-strategies and in
accordance with national development policies, taking into account the different national
circumstances. Such targets can serve as useful benchmarks for action and for the evaluation of
the progress made towards the attainment of the overall objectives of the information society”.
Furthermore, the document stresses that national e-strategies should be encouraged by all
countries by 2005, based on national priorities.

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Approaches to ICT policy making in
Africa
Countries that followed the AISI, NICI model – the involved
development of elaborate policy framework and implementation
plan through a consultative process – majority of the countries
(over 30 countries)
Countries that followed the AISI, NICI model – the involved
development of elaborate policy framework and implementation
plan through a consultative process – majority of the countries
(over 30 countries)
Incremental models yet organic approach with a focus on building
blocks such as national delivery through educational capacity,
infrastructure, content and public service delivery through ICT
(e.g. Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia)
Incremental models yet organic approach with a focus on building
blocks such as national delivery through educational capacity,
infrastructure, content and public service delivery through ICT
(e.g. Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia)
Countries that didn’t develop theirpolicy due to historical and poliical
challenges (e.g. Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and
Sao Tome & Pricincipe)
Countries that didn’t develop theirpolicy due to historical and poliical
challenges (e.g. Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and
Sao Tome & Pricincipe)

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NICI Development process
Phase 1 – Framework
document – thru baseline
study which establish
benchmarks
Phase 2 – Policy
document
Phase 3 – Plan – an
integrated ICT and socio-
economic devt plan
Phase 4 – Implementation
of specific programs in the
plan
NICI cycle
The NICI development process
cycle

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ICT Policy Focus Areas in Africa
As gathered from ICT policies and plans of 33 African
countries

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Moving from policy formulation to
implementation
Many countries moving towards translating NICI visions and objectives into
sectoral strategies;
Sectoral strategies are tailor-made for the specific needs of each sector and
accord each sector the opportunity to build on its strengths and adapt to its
needs;
To implement the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development Policy, for
examples, sector strategies developed:
e-Commerce and Trade Development Strategy;
e-Government and Governance Strategy;
Telecommunication and Communications Sector Policy Statement;
National ICTs in Education Strategy;
National ICTs in Agriculture Strategy;
National ICTs in Health Strategy;
National Strategy on ICTs and Gender; and
National e-Security Strategy.

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Sectoral e-strategies & e-
legislations
√ Adopted » In progress
Source: ECA WSIS questionnaire – 2009 and 2011
Rwanda‘se-agriculturestrategy development isalso in progress
** Cameroon and Malawi havealso agricultureasapillar in their national policy
Country Sector specific policies and strategies Legislations enacted Agriculture
As one of the
key pillars
(priorities) in
National ICT
Policy
e-government ICT for education
policies
e-
agriculture
e-
commerce
e-
currency
e-transaction, e-
payment, e-
contract
Consumer
protection and
arbitration
Digital
signature
Cyber-security
laws
Benin √ √ √
Burkina Faso √ √ √ √ √
Burundi √
Congo »
Cote d’Ivoire √ » √ √ √
DRC √ √ √
Egypt √ √ √ √
Ethiopia √ » √
Gambia √ √ √ √
Ghana √ √ √ √ √ √
Guinea-Bissau √ √ √
Kenya √ √
Madagascar √ √ √
Mali √ √ √ √ √
Mozambique √ √ √ √
Niger √ √ √ √ √ √
Nigeria √ √ √ √ √ √
Senegal √ √ √ √ √
Sudan √ √ √ √
Togo √ √ √
Uganda √ √
Zambia √

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ICT policy priorities or strategies that support
the agriculture / rural development sector
ICTforcommunity development strategie
(e.g. Chad, Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda have this as one of
their priority area of focus)
ICTforcommunity development strategie
(e.g. Chad, Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda have this as one of
their priority area of focus)
Universal access service strategies
(many countries have this strategy to promote
Access to ICTs in rural areas)
Universal access service strategies
(many countries have this strategy to promote
Access to ICTs in rural areas)

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Country cases – Burkina Faso
Projectsto implement strategy
•Web portal for rural community and
thepromotion of multimediaproducts
• Information centreand training on ICT
solutionsadapted to rural areas
• E-servicesplatform for rural areas
• Fund for centresfor community electron
resourcesfor rural areas
Goal

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Country case - Mali
Global Objective
Strategic pillars
Programmes to implement e-agri strategy

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Rwanda ICT policy evolutions
Out of 16 key country
sectors, five identified
as priority sectors in
the implementation of
the NICI-2015
Governance sector
Health sector
Education sector
Agriculture
sector
Finance sector (also
to a large extent
include tax,
business, trade and
tourism)

15. OpportunitiesOpportunities

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ICT infrastructure - almost all countries are
now connected to submarine fibre optic cables

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Only 0.5Tbps of the 18Tbps of the submarine capacity
available is currently in use on the continent – more potential
for ICT services expansion

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The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa program envisages
development of the ICT infrastructure as shown in the map to ensure access to
all stakeholders with quality, security and high-level of availability by 2020

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Conclusion
Opening of ICT market since 1990s thru – liberalisation – separation of posts
from telecom – independent regulatory authorities – countries re-aligning their
ICT plans with overall national dev’t plan
Legal and regulatory frameworks being in place
Coordination (institutional framework) – roles, conflicting objectives, domestic
resource mobilisation and lessening donor dependence, ownership, etc.
HR capacity development still remain a challenge including in specific areas
(e.g. e-agri).
Three key considerations for success:
Quality of the policy in understanding the context and setting the obj and
priorities right;
Managing how to mobilise and commit all relevant stakeholders throughout
the process; and
Gathering data to continuously evaluate, monitor to re-align/adjusting policy
priorities

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Thank you!