NARI signs first ICT partnership

 By JAMES LARAKI

MOBILE telephone service pro­­vider, Digicel (PNG) and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) have gone into partnership in an effort to use information communication tech­nology (ICT) to improve communication and awareness on the likely impact of climate change and related stresses on farming communities.

The partnership, formalised last week with the signing of a contract between NARI and Digicel at the NARI headquarters, is the first of its kind for NARI to engage communities in using ICT tools for effective communication. This arrangement signifies a milestone for NARI to use ICT in its efforts to better communicate research and relevant information available to the farming communities. 

Under the arrangement, Digicel will provide and install very small aperture terminal (VSAT) and internet infrastructure in three rural areas that are being targeted for their vulnerability with the changing climate. 

The three sites piloted under an AusAID funded climate change project are: Duke of York (East New Britain), Korefegu (Eastern Highlands) and Gumini (Chimbu). 

The project, “coping with climate change for resilient PNG agricultural communities”, which started in June, 2013, is being implemented with funding support from AusAID and aims to create awareness and capacity to cope with climate change related stresses.

NARI is hoping the establishment VSAT infrastructure and internet access will allow communities to be aware and make efforts to prepare themselves to any climate change-related stresses that may they encounter. The application of such technology is expected to enable the communities to have access useful information from various sources online and allow for effective collaboration with partners. 

NARI deputy director-general, Dr Workneh Ayalew, when signing the contract, said the fast evolving technological innovations had changed the way agricultural information and knowledge were managed and communicated between producers and consumers, and this partnership would see these communities access information online to deal with climate change related stresses.

“The idea is to improve the cap­acity of these communities to respond, the difference is the interaction with communities, it is a new way of meeting community needs,” Ayalew said.

He said NARI was piloting the concept of using ICT and its application to enable fast and real time access of useful information resources from a range of sources online. 

“While the technology will no doubt allow for effective communication, NARI will be learning as it is the first time we are venturing into it. We will be learning as well as those selected communities,” he said. 

While this partnership is a first for NARI, experiences elsewhere indicate improved agricultural production and productivity through the use of ICT. Modern tools such Web2.0 (social media) along with mobile telephony are offering new and innovative approaches of en­hancing dissemination of ag­riculture information in support of conventional extension systems, which is almost non-existent in the country. 

These tools are promising and are seen to play an important role to facilitating interactive knowledge creation and real time information dissemination for improved agriculture development and productivity. Introduction of competition in the mobile telephony sector and access to internet has seen an increase in the use of the ICT tools in the country. 

However, ICT use in agriculture, especially by smallholder farmers scattered across the country, has been limited due to various constraints. The agriculture sector has the potential to empower people and create wealth, and bring greater prosperity to the people and nation. 

But for that to happen new and improved technological innovations, knowledge and information, based on research, science and technology need to be communicated to the farming communities to improve their way of farming and to be aware of what happening around them. 

ICT can play an important role in addressing these challenges and improving the livelihoods of the rural poor; especially in this information age when technology is advancing so fast, supported by cheaper and user friendly devices (smart phones, tablets and laptop computers) and internet-based applications and services, enabling people to collaborate to create, share and publish information anytime anywhere.

While ICT, such as this initiative presents opportunities for improved communication in agriculture, there are a host of issues and constraints hinder any progress in this area. 

Key practical issues includes; lack of skilled manpower in ICT and support services, high cost of equipment and telecommunications, poor infrastructure facilities with unreliable power supply, poor access to telephone networks, and lack of investment  in the sector makes it is more challenging to develop, use and manage ICT initiatives.

This partnership, along with the mobile market information system arrangement between Digicel and Fresh Produce Development Agency, are two of the first cases of ICT use in agriculture in the country where smallholder farmers and rural communities are seen to be participating. 

Their failure or successes will in a long way to determine ICT use in agriculture.