News Stories
ICT key for agricultural research and development
by Seniorl Anzu (19/12/09)
The use of new Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the management and sharing of information is crucial for rural development, according to Dr Ajit Maru of the Global Forum in Agricultural Research (GFAR), Italy. Dr Maru, a senior agricultural scientist and an international expert in agricultural ICT said the effective use of ICT in agricultural research can change a lot of issues and challenges faced by resource-poor farmers of the world.
He said this in his welcome address of a week-long global consultation on agricultural Information and Communication Management (ICM) which was held at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad, India, during December 7-11, 2009.
The meeting, titled “International Consultation on Agricultural Research for Development and Innovation: Addressing emerging challenges and exploiting opportunities through Information and Communication Technologies”, was jointly organized by ICRISAT, GFAR, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Association of Asia-Pacific Agricultural Research Institutes. Over 50 participants from 28 countries representing the seven continents attended the workshop. The Pacific region was represented by NARI and Fiji’s Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
Dr Maru, who was the principle moderator in the consultation, also stressed that ICT in agricultural research for development should be accorded prominence by treating it as a cutting edge technology with sufficient investment on par with biotechnology and nano technology. He challenged the participants to raise the level of advocacy for investment in ICT and ICM in agricultural institutions.
ICRISAT Deputy Director General, Dr Dave Hoisington, said ICT is an important tool for information, knowledge and data management and therefore should be well understood by research scientists to create impact at farmer level.
“It is a technology to use to make better decisions and to win the battle against hunger and poverty,” he said.
Dr Maru said some 10 years ago, many strongly believed that computers would play an important role in rural development, including helping farmers.
“This was now the case and the next challenge is to convert research information into development using ICT.
“And the workshop was important to sensitize the significance of ICT in agricultural research for development and look at available information within research institute’s and how they can be shared with the large variety of stakeholders in light of the emerging opportunities”.
