Agricultural extension has been the main source of information for small scale farmers but it has been faced with setbacks mainly due to past top down extension approaches and lack of adequate resources for field extension agents at the ground level. The extension system does not have updated and a modern mechanism to acquire and deliver information to farmers before it becomes obsolete.
So, Is it possible to integrate ICT in agricultural extension to enable producers, extension providers and other stakeholders to access updated information and become competitive.
Definitely,it is possible but it needs a refined restructuring so that bottlenecks mentioned and few more are adequately addressed with suitable and time framed manners.
However these kind of exercises need timely evaluation so that identified issues are genuinely resolved to benefit farmers community
ICT has great role not only in India but also all over the world to enable farmers to access to market.
ICT is obviosly intrumental in the growth of agricultural markets and ensuring that farmers get a fair reward/share of the market.
However from experience,the challenge for everyone will be on:-
1.Who finances the ICT?,The farmer?,the Government?,Private sector?.How sustainable is the funding?
2.What are those ICT techologies that are appropriate for resource poor/rural farmers?
ICT is becoming a very strong instrument to control the price mechanism of agricultural products. Though supply chain and value chain are also part and parcels for enhancing the agricultural products markets. Therefore, agricultural extension workers will be more helpful for linking with farmers and markets through applying different types of ICT tools.
It may be pioneer role for government and farmers all over the world.
Studies from all over the world have acknowledge the potential of ICT in agricultural extension work. However, as already mentioned by others, the use of ICT should be context specific.What works in the USA may not work in other context and vice versa.
It is possible when integrated with other methods of sharing agricultural information
We are working with a panel database of Bangladeshi farmers. Our draft analysis show that use of mobile phone in marketing significantly contributes in efficiency. There is another interesting paper about mobile money transfer in Kenya.
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