Information Communication Technologies for Agriculture proposals for National ICT R&D Fund Company, Ministry of Information Technology.

1. ICT in
Agriculture
2nd November 2015
Azeem Sajjad

2. ICT
 Information and Communications Technology – or
technologies (ICT) is an umbrella term that includes all
technologies for the manipulation and communication
of information.
 ICT in fact encompasses any medium to record
information (magnetic disk/tape, optical disks CD/DVD,
flash memory etc.); technology for broadcasting
information – radio, television; and technology for
communicating through voice and sound or images –
microphone, camera, loudspeaker, telephone to cellular
phones.

3. Role of ICT in Agriculture
 The role of ICT in agriculture was identified as
a key Action Line during the World Summit on
Information Society (WSIS) held in 2003 and
2005.

4. CIARD
Coherence in Information for Agriculture
Research for Development (http://www.ciard.net)
 CIARD is working to make agricultural
research information and knowledge publicly
accessible to everyone.

5. IMARK
 The Information Management resource Kit
(http://www.imarkgroup.org)
 IMARK is a partnership-based e-learning initiative
targeting the effective management of information
to address the information needs of people who
are not in the classroom milieu. IMARK consists of
a suite of distance learning resources, tools and
communities on information management.

6. AGORA
http://www.aginternetwork.org/en/
 Setup by FAO to access Digital Library in field of
Food, Agriculture, Environmental Science and
related social sciences.
 AGORA is designed to enhance the scholarship of
the many thousands of students, faculty members
and researchers in agriculture and life sciences in
the developing world.

7. PRODUCTIVITY
Research: Mobenzi, eRails
Input Supply: E-Vouchers,
Kilimo Salama
Production: Crop Calendar,
iCow
ICTs in Agriculture
M&E
 iFormBuilder,
EpiSurveyor,
FEWSNet
MARKETING
Retail: M-Farm,
CellBazaar
Wholesale: ECX, KACE
Traceability:
SourceTrace, ScoringAg
Agricultural
Value Chain

8. Radio
 Investing/implementing appropriate technologies is of
paramount importance.
 Radio can be used for mass communication because of
its portability, inexpensiveness, accessibility, extensive
reach and longevity.
 Radio can help to promote indigenous knowledge and
raise awareness of such arts perpetuity. This is critical
for survival in face of changing times and extremes of
weather brought about by climate change – knowledge
of food preservation and crop varieties during times of
drought, knowledge of medicinal plants, pest-repellent
plants and planting and harvesting times.

9. Big Data for Agriculture
 Intel outlines the implication of Big Data for
Agriculture
 Analyzing Rainfall data over a period of 50 year
or Pest vector could give valuable insights into
important issues such as climate change,
weather patterns and disease and pest
infestation patterns.

10. Precision farming, GIS and
Remote Sensing
 These are most promising interventions for
ICT in agriculture.
 This can be used to establish an agro-
infrastructure throughout a whole country for
fostering better agricultural development.

11. Precision Agriculture
 A web-based GIS system in rural Malaysia is helping farmers with paddy lot
cultivation with more access to printable maps and data on fertilizer application,
according to Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association publication (Che'Ya et al.,
2009).
 Nitrogen management is reducing costs and enviornmental damanges as a result of
a pilot test in Mexico's Yaqui Valley organized by the International Maize and Wheat
Improvement Center (CIMMYT 2005).
 Satellite technology has helped to identify weed infestations and water stress in
areas where crop pest levels are high, according to a study on behalf of the
International Development Research Centre (Munya 2007).
 PoiMapper is a mobile application being tested in Kenya that could possibly collect
information about entire routes and systems such as water and irrigation. Here is a
more in-depth evaluation of the application (Pu 2011).
 The London Knowledge Lab produced a scholary paper on designing wireless
sensing networks and highlights several novel design mechanisms around the world
(Kabashi et al. 2008).

12. Farming Life Cycle
 FARMING STEPS
 Crop Selection
 Land Preparation
 Seed Selection
 Seed Sowing
 Irrigation
 Crop Growth
 Fertilizing
 Harvesting

13. Information Required by Farmers
Crop Selection
 Comparative pricing of different crops.
 Market demand and sale potential of the crop.
 Budget required for the cultivation of each crop.
 Feasibility of the crop considering climate and
quality of land.
 Crop productivity compared with other
alternatives.

14. Information Required by Farmers
Land Preparation
 Effects of any disease from the previous cultivation and
steps needed to minimize this impact.
 Fertilizers needed to bring land to its normal fertility
depending upon the previous crops and fertilizer used.
 Layout and design of the field with respect to crop for
efficient irrigation.
 Latest techniques for leveling the fields and their cost.

15. Information Required by Farmers
Seed Selection
 Price and quantity needed per acre
 Average yield and sprout to sown ratio.
 Suitability to particular area and climate.
 Water requirement.
 Resistance to diseases.
 Location of distribution offices for the seed.

16. Information Required by Farmers
Seed Sowing
 Appropriate time to sow the seed.
 Optimal weather conditions at sowing time.
 Best method for the sowing of seeds.
 Seed sowing depth.

17. Information Required by Farmers
Irrigation
 Critical time for irrigation.
 Amount of water to be given to the plants.
 Frequency of irrigation.

18. Information Required by Farmers
Crop Growth
 Number of plants per unit of area.
 Average growth rate of the crop in normal conditions.
 Comparison of crop growth rate, leaf size, crop color etc. with expected
growth for given conditions and input.
 Interventions needed to maintain expected growth.
 Frequency, quantity and method for fertilization.
 Proper time, frequency and method for plowing.
 Proper time, frequency and method for weeding.
 Expected pest and virus attacks, symptoms of such attacks, precautionary
measure that can be taken in advance to avoid these attacks, immediate
actions including pesticide to be used to kill pests and viruses, quantity of
pesticide to be used per acre, most effective method for pesticide spray,
avoid health issues related to pesticide spray.

19. Information Required by Farmers
Harvesting
 Proper time and method for harvesting.
 Comparative market rates.
 Proper crop storage.
 Cost of transportation.

20. Source of Information
 Farmers typically rely on following sources of
information:
 Agriculture department of provincial
government
 Fellow farmers
 Field agents of seed, pesticide and fertilizer
companies.
 TV and radio programs
 Newspapers

21. Challenges and Roadblocks
Farmers typically face following challenges in receiving timely
and personalized information:
 Farmer has to travel to offices of agricultural department
for information.
 Radio or TV programs are broadcast at a predefined
schedule which may or may not be convenient for the
farmer.
 Most of the information broadcast may not be specific to a
farmer’s needs.
 Fellow farmers do not have the best or most up to date
knowledge.
 Field agents of pesticide or seed companies are unable to
pay frequent and timely visits to all farmers.

22. So what is the issue!
 A huge number of people throughout South Asia are
involved in agriculture, however many are not
benefiting from it in the ways that they could.
 In India for example, around 35% of its agricultural
produce is wasted due to supply chain issues.
 And, whilst nearly half of Pakistan’s population is
employed in agriculture, it is still a net importer of food.
 The same is true in Bangladesh where most farmers
grind out a subsistence living, unable to make the
transition to a more commercialized way of farming
which would ultimately lift them out of poverty.

23.  45% of South Asians now have a home PC and internet
access is available in some villages.
 However, despite best efforts, the technology is still
poorly understood and used infrequently.
 So, critical data on weather patterns and the latest
market prices are still not reaching those who really
need it and as a result, smallholder farmers are losing
out.

24.  The main phases of the agriculture industry
include crop cultivation, water management,
fertilizer application, fertigation, pest
management, harvesting, post-harvest
handling, transport of food products,
packaging, food preservation, food
processing/value addition, quality
management, food safety, food storage, and
food marketing.

25. Challenges
 Poor literacy level.
 Lack of reliable connectivity in rural areas.
 The sheer lack of purchasing power in the rural.
 The need to have high usage of graphics and voice-overs
in contents.
 Farmers benefit more from simple technology, which
communicates information, which is relevant and easy to
understand.
 Door delivery of information is limited by the fact that there
are a very large number of farm households and many
families may not own radios or television sets and may
not have access to a daily newspaper.

26. Agriculture sector in Pakistan is facing
significant challenges. Some of these
challenges are:
 Communication gap between farmers and
agriculture information providers including
agricultural advisories and product sellers
 Shortage of water, power and capital

27.  The number of cell phone subscriptions has
been increasing tremendously over the last
few years to the point where mobile phone
access has become ubiquitous in almost all
countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific
region.

28. Mobile telephony solution
 Information can be sent as text message or a
recorded voice message. Both these
channels have their own advantages.

29. NOKIA LIFE
 Nokia proposed to introduce a system in
Rural India, using mobiles for dissemination of
personalized agricultural information
pertaining to market prices of nearest mandis,
local news, important information on schemes
and subsidies, comprehensive and localized
crop and advisory on a regular basis. Twenty
four hour weather alerts/forecasts are also
provided.

30. mAgriculture experience
 Well informed about the market rates of their produce.
 Reduce the dependency on agents.
 Time and money saved from not having to make
multiple trips to market place to obtain latest rates.
 Benefits are having advanced information about local
news, schemes and subsidies, crop advisory from
experts, including information about probable diseases,
and weather-based advisory and tips for more
successful harvest.
 Farmers could plan labour, sowing, harvesting and
more profitable retail of products, and with more
predictable results.

31. VERON
 FAO has extensive experience in use of ICT to
improve communication and enhance interaction
among agriculture research, extension, farmers
and other stakeholders in agricultural innovations
and rural development.
 The Virtual Extension, Research and
Communication Network (VERON) is a conceptual
model developed by FAO. Any country can use and
adapt it to strengthen the linkages among extension,
research, farmers and other stakeholders of
agricultural and rural development systems.

32. e-Agriculture
 The e-Agriculture community (http://www.e-
agriculture.org) is a global community of
practice in which people worldwide exchange
information, ideas and resources related to
the use of ICT for sustainable agriculture and
rural development.

33. Mind map for ICT in Agriculture
Crop cultivation
and harvesting
Input management
Water management
Fertilization
Pest management
Post harvest
Transportation
Food processing
Marketing
Sowing
Pre-cultivation
Crop selection
Calendar definition
Access to credit
Land preparation
Packaging
Land selection
DSS, GIS, Remote sensing,
e/m-consulting, KMS,
sampling devices connected
to networking tools
KMS, e/m-consulting, e/m-
learning, DSS, GIS
Networking tools (mobile
phones, radios, wireless
networks), Management
Information System (MIS), e-
commerce and mobile
commerce
Decision Support System
(DSS), modeling software,
e/m-learning, e/m-consulting,
Knowledge Management
Systems (KMS)
KMS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, GPS, GIS, computer controlled devices,
machine2machine communication and sensor networks
GPS, GIS, e/m-learning, e/m-consulting, computer controlled devices, m2m
communication, sensor networks
DSS, MIS, GPS/GIS, e/m-learning
Networking tools (mobile
phones, lo-fi technologies)
for broadcast
GPS, GIS, MIS, DBMS,
tracing devices, m2m
communication
Tracing devices, KMS, e/m-
learning, e/m-consulting,
GPS, GIS
Farm to fork tracing tools –
GPS, RFID, GIS,
DBMS, MIS, KMS, e/m-
learning, e/m-consulting,
machine2machine
communication
DSS, GIS, MIS, sensor networks, m2m communication
DSS, GIS, MIS, sensor networks, m2m communication
DSS, GIS, management information system, sensor networks, m2m
communication

34. Thank you!