1. Youth, ICT, SPC - Land
Agriculture and Resources
Division (LRD)
Rural
Development

2. “The role of SPC in facilitating the use of ICT to
promote agriculture for young people”
• Today, young people tend to choose a field of study that they find sexy,
that creates opportunities in the business sector, that generates money
• Changing the mindset of a young person can be quite tricky when they
have to choose agriculture over pharmacy, medicine or any other popular
field of expertise
• The question is, why should young people be interested in agriculture?
And how can ICTs play a significant role in making agriculture an
attractive field to young people?
• It is unusual to find young people to choose agriculture as a career and
there are many reasons behind it. We are proud to say that our SPC –
Land Resources Division has young agriculture field officers and
technicians that chose agriculture as their field of study.

3. Voices of young aspiring leaders
Miri, a talented young colleague who is currently an agriculture and forestry policy network
administrator (PAFPnet) said that she was always interested to learn more about the extension
officers in the field. She chose agriculture as a degree because it was something she enjoyed in
high school. She also commented “Agriculture study was offered in Samoa at the University of
the South Pacific Alafua campus and being away from home, having an independent life intrigued
her interests in the field of agriculture”. She uses ICT to reach out to other young professionals in
the field of agriculture. She currently manages the PAFPNet Pacific youth and agriculture
facebook page and the PAFPNet mailing list which generates a lot of interest on youth and ICT
activities

4. Voices of young aspiring leaders
This young
communications expert
in SPC-LRD has an
agriculture background
and he uses Facebook,
Forestry mailing lists,
blog to promote share
information on
agriculture

5. Voices of young aspiring leaders
Colleague in his 20’s described agriculture as a field
which is not imaginary. “Agriculture is based on real life
situation and its application on day to day basis has
always been fruitful”. He wanted to become a vet or a
plant botanist and the agriculture field offered both
plant and animal science which he found very
interesting. In the field of agriculture, there are more
opportunities to get a job or to start your own business.
“I never thought ICT was useful in my work but today
I’m using ICT to promote my work to colleagues in the
Pacific region.

6. Voices of young aspiring leaders
A friend/colleague also mentioned that the field of
agriculture is relevant to his upbringing as an islander in
the rural areas where agriculture is part and parcel of life.
He grew up working for his father in their farm as a young
boy and started liking agriculture. He decided to pursue
his study in the field of agriculture through the University
of the South Pacific and is now the Plant Health Specialist
in SPC-LRD. He rarely uses ICT to promote his work but he
is constantly emailing and using the Plant health mailing
list to network with his stakeholders in the region.

7. Is there an opportunity to regain what we have
lost … ??
I have an ICT background and under my SPC-LRD-ICT
project, I coordinate information and knowledge
management-ICT activities for the Pacific Island Countries
and Territories. I’ve always been interested in agriculture
but never pursued a career --- as a kid I was surrounded by
a family of talented farmers and business/entrepreneurs.
My family owned 480 acres of freehold land (17 miles away
from the old capital of Fiji called Levuka). It was a dairy
farm, vegetable and copra farm. 100 + people worked
every day on the farm and they were from the nearby
islands (my family provided food, shelter and income to
these families)…

8. Pacific Context
• In the Pacific, we are facing challenges like climate change, economic instability, high
incidence of pest and diseases, high cost of production, increased dependency on
imported foods, low exports, high rates or rural-urban migration, high levels of youth
unemployment, connectivity etc…
• Increasing the participation of youth in agriculture could be an important means of
improving food security, youth livelihoods and employment in Pacific Island countries
and territories (PICTs).
• SPC through its LRD -Pacific Agriculture and Forestry Policy Network (PAFPNet) is
examining the role played by different actors in helping young people to participate in
agricultural activities and enterprises – this was emphasized in the Pacific Heads of
Agriculture and Forestry meeting in 2008.

9. Pacific Youth in Agriculture Strategy
Stakeholder
Consultations
in Fiji, Tonga,
Kiribati
ICT,
Education,
Learning,
Training
Mainstreaming
youth issues,
mainstreaming
agriculture in
school
curriculum, Showcasing
Youth success
stories,
entrepreneurs
hip, family
support

10. Youth
consultation
opportunity

11. ‘This award recognises the
potential of the Pacific and
its ability to change global
market requirements to
satisfy market and socially-
Young entrepreurs Mr Gary Tarte from Fiji conscious shoppers,’ said
and Ms Sharmayne Ryan received outstanding the 24-year-old from PNG.
awards for their contribution towards trade
and value adding in agricultural and forestry
products. Facebook and mailing list networks
were used to promote their achievement

12. PAFPNet Essay and Blog Competition
Essay competition
was promoted
• PAFPNet Essay Competition: “Finding solutions to through facebook,
information poverty alongside negative attitude youth ICT networks,
towards agriculture and adapting to climate Universities,
change in the Fiji Islands” PAFPnet mailing
list, LRD mailing list
• Riten Gosai represented the Pacific region at CTA
youth exchange and Web 2.0 training in Ghana ---
This was organised through ARDYIS essay contest.

13. Perception?
• What is the link between agriculture, youth and ICTs? Young people love
exploring innovative ideas and they feel the need to constantly use ICTs.
ICTs can change the perception of our young people and it can also
promote agriculture through programs supported by government
organizations and other partner organizations.
• Majority of our young people are always using the internet but it’s not
always clear as to how they could apply ICT in agriculture to make
agriculture an interesting subject.
In order to do this, organizations such as
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
and the The Technical Centre for Agriculture
and Rural development (CTA) are working
together to empower youth on the use of ICT
in agriculture.

14. ICT for Agriculture in the Pacific
 The Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services meeting agreed to:
(i) Acknowledge that ICT is an important tool that contributes to the
development of the agriculture sector and rural areas;
(ii) Noted the potential of the Framework for Action on ICT for
Development in the Pacific in assisting the agriculture sector; and
(iii) Noted LRD ICT initiatives in agriculture and rural development.

15. SPC-LRD initiatives
 Web 2.0/Social media
 In 2011, SPC in collaboration with CTA conducted
the web 2.0 and social media workshop in Fiji.
SPC invited staff representatives from the
different divisions with SPC to be trained as
trainers on the use of web 2.0 and also Fiji
ministry representatives from the different Majority of the
thematic divisions. participants were under
35 --- some were already
 After the successful 2 week training, SPC will using social media tools
organize another 2 workshops in Fiji --- one for to promote their work
the Ministry of Agriculture staff and the other on agriculture, food
workshop will target youths in the Fiji Ministry, security, reproductive
civil society, NGOs, Universities etc (currently and health
planned for 2012

16. Agriculture is life – a blog created after the web
2.0/social media workshop in Fiji
http://miriamabrown.blogspot.com/

17. Blog site: Improving Youth Livelihoods
through Agriculture
http://youthlivelihoods.blogspot.com/

18. Thoughts on the use of social media/web 2.0
 Web 2.0 can play an important role :
But what’s crucial is:
 What is the right tool to use ?
 Who uses these tools in your organization's name?
 How do you manage your interactions and discussions?
 What’s appropriate and what isn’t appropriate to say?
 Who handles your social media profiles?
 And should you develop a strategy or a guideline?

19. Organisational point of view
 It is important to develop a guideline – LRD
in collaboration with SPC publications section
developed a guideline on the use of web
2.0/social media tools
 Guidelines:
Always keep your
 Purpose
Director/Team
 Background
 The use of web 2.0
Leader and ICT
 Risks on the use of web 2.0 Director/Manager
 Planning/design in the loop
 Complying with Organizational ICT policy
and Acceptable use policy
 Rules of engagement --- how to interact
with your stakeholders and how to
respond to queries
 Implementing guidelines for personnel
use

20. Market Information System (MIS)
• The use of mobile phones in agriculture has proven to be
effective in rural areas. Everywhere you go, you will see more
and more people using mobile phones to communicate with
their family, friends, colleagues etc.
• SPC-LRD has just introduced a pilot project in the Ministry of
Agriculture in Fiji on the use of Market Information Systems
(MIS). This was successfully funded by UNCTAD and ITC.
• The Fiji ministry is currently using this MIS to manage farm data,
marketing of their prices on products and to be in touch with
their clients (exporters, importers, middle man etc).
• We encourage young field officers who are managing this
database system. During the implementation these young
agriculture officers were working with our team as they had
hands-on ICT skills

21. GIS solutions for agriculture
• Through the support of German Forestry programme,
LRD is organising a training workshop for Fiji Ministry
of Agriculture and Forestry staff which “fosters
the learning of geographic information systems (GIS)
and global positioning satellite systems (GPS)…
• We have also requested directors of the divisions to
nominate young field officers who are currently using
technology to improve field mapping, to promote
informed decision making, promote farm planning,
field mapping, soil sampling, variable rate
applications, and yield mapping.
• Part of this project is to promote participation from
young officers who are keen to learn more about the
technology and to be able to act as trainers in their
field of expertise to promote the use of GIS/GPS

22. ICM, Information and Knowledge Management,
Internet Governance opportunities
• SPC in collaboration with FAO facilitated the ICM-IKM workshop in Fiji. The workshop
identified key recommendations. One of the recommendations is to promote the use of ICT –
The workshop was promoting IK management (IKM) for agricultural development --- the
ideas was to move beyond strategies and undertake relevant action-oriented programmes.
• One of the key points highlighted was the lack of youth and ICT for agriculture activities
--- recommendation was to work with other partner organizations to implement
activities for youths
• In collaboration with Diplo Foundation, SPC organised an Internet Governance workshop in
Fiji and Cook islands --- workshop targeted the ministry reps and also youth organisations
that discussed cyber security issues, emerging issues, youth and ICT etc…
• Knowledge awareness seminars --- this is in-house and also targeted towards University and
secondary school students. SPC promotes field visits to allow schools and universities to
meet with technical staff who are experts in the field of agriculture, climate change, gender,
youths etc.
•

23. The use of
web 2.0 in
LRD
Monthly
Newsletter
distributed by
snail mail
Newsletter on
the website

24. Existing LRD
social
networks
Facebook
Twitter

25. Existing
LRD
Social
Networks Wiki
Blog

26. Google
docs,
Google
calendar

27. Innovations vs. Complexity
 Information and Communication Technology:
 Is shaping the way we communicate and collaborate.
 helps us to facilitate interaction and knowledge work
 allows us to become trend-setter to help us connect with other
experts and create a network of experts
 gives us an opportunity to learn about food security, agriculture,
climate change etc
But what about the implications,
impact, advantages and
disadvantages of using ICTs --- do
young people understand the
threats?

28. Use of ICTs as a challenge?
 ICT can play an important role in the field of agriculture:
But what’s crucial is:
 What is the right ICT tool to promote agriculture?
 How useful do you see ICT as a tool to promote or encourage young
people ?
 Is it necessary to develop a strategy or a guideline for the use of ICTs or
social media tools to promote agriculture?
 How do we tackle connectivity issues in rural areas? Who should tackle
this issue? Tonga just won a contract for laying the 827-kilometre
submarine fibre optic cable between Fiji and Tonga has been awarded to
French telecommunications giant Alcatel --- capacity of 320 Gbits

29. How to continue strengthening?
 Role of internet has changed --- it’s now the era of
digital age  Using real scenario case studies ---
Conducting a workshop for a group of
youths in rural sector and use role models
 But today, the radio, television, newspapers, to talk to them about agriculture ,
print-publications are still popular mediums document all this online
for accessing news and information and
activities on agriculture sector
 Promoting activities for youth farmer
 Media plays an important role in creating associations --- Youths to lead this
awareness on areas such as climate change, food
security, agriculture etc. Perhaps we need to
integrate “The role of ICTs and Media to promote  Mentorship --- Agriculture experts to
and strengthen youth opportunities in agriculture” act as mentors to promote interns etc

30. Thoughts/concluding remarks
Are we monitoring and
evaluating the impact ? Is How do we work
this the right way ? How together? How do we
can you learn from the collaborate and use
young farmers? success stories to
implement in other
countries?
ICT is a POSSIBLE tool but not
entirely a solution. When we
think of development, we should
not only relate it to technology,
it should promote a discussion
that is centred on people and
content.
Winning the trust of target
beneficiaries – without trust
youths will not use the
How do we convince the service – how can we
leaders (ministers, demonstrate the benefits of
directors and ourselves) ICTs/services?
....
that ICT plays an
important role?

31. For more information, email
me: anjum@spc.int or you
could always go through our
LRD helpdesk
lrdhelpdesk@spc.int
Website:
http://www.spc.int/lrd