Notes to broadcasters: ICTs in African agriculture

    | September 30, 2013

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    The article on which this story was based, Internet and Communication Technologies Offer Agricultural Advancement, can be read in full at: http://globalpressjournal.com/africa/cameroon/internet-and-communication-technologies-offer-agricultural-advancement-cameroon

    Farm Radio International is one of a few organizations which are actively integrating ICTs with African radio, and working with broadcasters to provide agricultural services to their listeners. Notes to broadcasters on ICT support for small-scale farmers was published in issue #259 (September 2013) and can be read through this link: http://weekly.farmradio.org/2013/09/09/notes-to-broadcasters-ict-support-for-small-scale-farmers/

    Interactive Radio for Agricultural Development Projects: A toolkit for practitioners is a six-part guide for organizations that wish to use interactive radio to augment traditional agricultural extension services. You can access it by going to the ictforag website: http://www.ictforag.org/radio/introduction.html

    The ICT in Agriculture e-Sourcebook is designed to support those who explore, design, implement, and invest in ICT-enabled agricultural programs. You can download individual modules via this link: http://www.ictinagriculture.org/content/ict-agriculture-sourcebook

    Across the continent, many farmers are getting on in age, and yet there is a staggering level of youth unemployment. Emerging voices in agriculture is a booklet which highlights the results of an essay competition run for African youth by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). The competition was designed to raise awareness and strengthen the capacity of young people, helping them to use ICTS to contribute to agriculture and rural development. You can download the booklet at this address: http://publications.cta.int/media/publications/downloads/1703_PDF.pdf

    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations produced a booklet this year, ICT uses for inclusive agricultural value chains. The 87-page document is available on the FAO website at this link: http://www.fao.org/docrep/017/aq078e/aq078e.pdf

    In the conclusion to a recent academic paper from the International Journal of Soft Computing and Engineering, Monica Agu argues that, “Information is essential for facilitating agricultural and rural development and bringing about social and economic change.” You can read the rest of the paper here: http://www.ijsce.org/attachments/File/v2i6/F1093112612.pdf

    Farm Radio International has recorded an Audio Postcard on this subject. You can listen to Ugandan Harriet Adong describe FRI’s work in Audio Postcard: Radio and ICT – a miracle in fighting poverty, at this address: http://www.farmradio.org/ourblog/2013/09/12/audio-postcard-radio-and-ict-a-miracle-in-fighting-poverty/

    If you want to learn how Farm Radio International can offer radio stations and agricultural organizations a way to communicate with small-scale farmers, and support farmers’ efforts to innovate and create change, download Working with you to engage and inform farmers at this link: http://farmradio.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Working-with-FRI-Jan-2012.pdf