Forum global sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (Forum FSN)

Wisdom agriculture has made great progress in China. And quite a few projects have been set in some provinces, such as Shandong province, Henan province and Sichuan province.

The county of Henan Shangshui proposed the method for poverty reduction through "internet+wisdom agriculture". On the food security premise, the leader group made a deep thought on how to overcome poverty in 2018. Based on the traditional agriculture big county, the county determined the basic thought through precision poverty reduction: change and update the traditional agriculture using "internet+ agriculture", develop wisdom agriculture. Meanwhile, introduce the handicraft and help the poor women get a job at home, so that they can both take care of the farmland and help reduce poverty.

In Chengdu city of Sichuan province, it proposed "develop wisdom agriculture, push transition and update" in Xieyuan town, it's pushing new town and country build.

In Shandong Zibo city, a wisdom agriculture centre was built, hierarchical platforms were created in every county. Greenhouse vegetable high-standard building is developing quickly, and it has become one light spot in the agricultural development history of Zibo. Wisdom agriculture is the necessary phase from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, and it will provide good practise and experience.

First of all, I think 'IOT' (internet of things) should be the key issue of the wisdom agricultue. Internet application example could be mentioned and the prospects of application of IOT's technology in agriculture as well as the role in promoting scientific and technological progress and industrial development.

It’s great to be back after a two-year hiatus. I agree with most of the previous contributors (David Michael, Themba Phiri, Lal Manavado) on the critical role that ICT plays in reducing the transaction cost associated with accessing strategic information, which may, in turn help to boost productivity and efficiency of resource use.

I, however, wanted to delve on the monitoring and evaluation of ICT projects particularly focusing on project attribution. To illustrate my point, I will randomly pick on two in Sub-Saharan Africa: There are a number of interesting projects that have been developed over the years in East and Southern Africa. In Rwanda, for instance, they have a project called E-Soko, run under the auspices of Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) and provides market-based information on prices of various agricultural products. This helps farmers to make informed decisions when selling and buying. Down in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe’s Econet has also developed an initiative called “Eco farmer” and it is a platform that seeks to provide a wide array of agricultural information on the farmers’ phones. While the impact of such kind of initiatives cannot be denied, there is a possibility of “under/over-estimating” benefits. For example, when a farmer receives information about weather patterns or new crop varieties, it is typical for them to share with other farmers in the community who may have phones but not necessarily participating in such projects. Moreover, they can also share information with others who may not even have phones at all. This implies that if we were to compare “participants” and “non-participants” (i.e. the with and without comparison), we are essentially observing groups of farmers that have been interacting to an extent that the control group now has experienced “information gains” because rural communities tend to be closely knit societies.

This brings me to the question that I would like to pose to other members: what techniques can we use to properly measure the benefits emanating from ICTs?

Dear UNEP/GFFSN FAO Family Members,

Greetings From Hasinipur Village, Bhadrak, India!

We have collectively worked and invented the method of “Go back to village” in order to support our traditional people’s wisdom in terms of agriculture and village development. Please go through our report, share your views and learn the best innovations. If possible, please support our village and our development activities.

With Best Regards

Bibhu Santosh Behera

Independent People's Scientist

(Climate Smart Extension Education)

Chief Mentor and Patron: "Go back to village" campaign to stop migration and support traditional wisdom

Abstract of the Program

In order to stop migration and to love our traditional wisdom and development of village with villagers this program has been started in Hasinipur Village with a great effort by Bibhu Santosh, a 27 year Young People’s Scientist who is presently a PhD Research Fellow of OUAT, Bhubaneswar and working as an Independent Scientist(Climate Smart Extension Education) for establishing climate smart and agriculture smart villages through extension education approaches by making awareness, campaign, village meetings, road show and street play methods.

The problem we face is not the difficulties we have to overcome if we are going to use information technology as just a tool in agriculture, but the consequences of doing so unless we adapt a holistic approach. The reason for this is quite obvious. Agriculture is an important part of a larger system, and it would be imprudent to improve just a part of a system, hoping that the rest would take care of itself. Therefore, I have made a change in the title of my comments, which however embodies the questions posed in first call for contributions.

Just to emphasise my point, I think we all agree that agriculture is the sub-system at the very top of a food system. But, a food system is a tool devised by man in order to satisfy his nutritional needs. Unless one could do this, the question of other needs becomes academic. Further, its use enables one to produce enough food reserves to provide one certain degree of food security. Hence, justifiable use of appropriate food systems is the key to adequate global nutrition and food security.

Moreover, hunger and certain types of malnutrition are definite indicators of poverty, and according to the FAO, around 2 billion people are believed to be so affected. So, I think what we need to carefully ascertain here, is how we may use information technology through out food systems with a view to improve global nutrition and enhance food security. Otherwise, our efforts will not be categorically different from making plans to improve transport by trying to get an air bus to use a landing strip meant for a DC-3, the famous Dakota.

Thus, it is possible to identify some principles of usage, before we proceed.

1. Make certain information technology used in different sub-systems of a food system is qualitatively and quantitatively compatible.
2. Ensure that there are a sufficient number of technicians, programmers, maintenance workers, etc., are available at each sub-system.
3. Ensure that the technology in use is the most suitable to perform the specific tasks you have planned to assign to it.
4. Make sure the technology is robust, proven and above all, easy to repair and maintain with the resources at your disposal. Remember that robustness ought to be ascertained not only with respect to durability, but durability under your own local climatic and environmental conditions.
5. Recall the primary purpose of the exercise, viz., better nutrition and food security. Food systems are getting more and more commercialised, hence, tend to adopt automation and other labour-saving methods to increase profits. This entails that fewer will be employed in food systems. You will often find it difficult to reconcile use of these capital-intensive types of food systems with better nutrition and food security, especially if your country has a high rural unemployment rate and migration of youth into urban centra is a serious social issue.
6. So, carefully consider the context and what do you intend to achieve. I do not reject humane and sensible use of information technology in food systems. It is already in use most countries, at least in one or two sub-systems of a food system. For instance, retail shops and restaurants often have an electronic cash register.
7. UHF links needed to wireless WWW and land-lines used for the same purpose require a reliable power supply, skilled technicians for maintenance and spare parts. Moreover, establishment of such a system from the scratch is immensely expensive. If your access to financial resources is limited, investment in railways/roads/canals, food storage facilities, etc., may prove far more effective tools in fighting hunger, providing employment and securing some food security.
8. Do not hesitate to put information technology to the acid test. After all, it is just a tool, and it is you who use it, and not the reverse. If it does not give the result you want, but only a bit of prestige, decide quickly whether you want many of your people to go hungry with prestige, or you want them to be adequately nourished.
9. Do not be mislead by hyperbole in which every new technology is packed. For instance, you may hear that illiterate youth ‘can click on icons and get information!’ Then, ask exactly how? Is the illiterate youth informed by the appearance of more icons? If so, how can icons express ideas and facts? Beg for an example, and let me know if you hear one! By short videos on ‘smart phone’ screen? What sort of bandwidth one might need to communicate with 100 illiterate youth by this marvel, especially in a country where there is crying need for basic education? Does not reason demand investment in education here, rather than in IT infra-structure?
10. After all, if you decide to introduce or expand the use of information technology in food systems, do please make certain---

• Employees will not be made redundant
• Changes are introduced gradually.
• Food wastage is cut down.
• Food producers and end-users get a fair deal, and the number of middlemen is reduced to shorten the cost-chain.
• Information technology is not used for speculation in food prices (commodity futures).

Through the past centuries, we have embraced diverse technologies in the name of a nebulous notion, progress, which very successfully hid the real reason for our using technology, viz., making unlimited gain. And now, even the champions of technology are willing to do something about the environmental disasters resulting from the uncritical and inappropriate use of technology in the past. Certainly, information technology cannot harm our environment directly, but it can indeed harm our cognitive abilities making us prone to mind manipulation and loss of critical faculty. Therefore, let us not just remember the past errors, but not make them with this new tool, because the consequences of its misuse could be horrific.

English translation below

Доброго и Благоприятного времени суток!

Конечно же я очень рад, что обращаете такое внимание на данную тематику. Я просто поделюсь своими мнениями по указанным Вами пунктам.

1. В какой степени информационные технологии в сельском хозяйстве могут способствовать снижению масштабов нищеты и повышению продовольственной безопасности, учитывая их все более широкое распространение? Умение использования информационных технологий имеет значение для тех, кто реально нацелен достичь чего-либо использованием в своей деятельности. На самом деле информационные технологии очень мало используются в сельском хозяйстве, потому что мало кто обучает специалистов сельского хозяйства эффективному использованию этих технологий. Если считать, что эти технологии призваны быть индикаторами или регистраторами получаемых объёмов плодов, урожая и всего другого, то это лишь часть использования.
2. Какие специфические проблемы и сдерживающие факторы стоят на пути полной реализации Wisdom Agriculture в странах-участницах АТЭС? Как создать благоприятные условия для политики? Благоприятные условия возможно создавать через разработку стратегических планов по внедрению и расширению использования информационных технологий в сельском хозяйстве.
3. Имеются ли примеры эффективного применения ИКТ в сельскохозяйственном секторе экономики вашей страны за последнее десятилетие, которые оказали положительное влияние на продовольственную безопасность и экономическое положение населения сельских районов? Каков статус использования технологий, таких как «Интернет вещей» и сельскохозяйственные роботы, в вашей стране? В нашей стране всё это в этапе зарождения. Но, я видел как по настоящему вся ИКТ работает в сельском хозяйстве, когда проживал в Японии, в Южной Кореи, в Канаде, в ряде Европейских странах. Главное не перемудрить этим, ибо каждое использование ИКТ должно являться комплексным решением, но никак не частное применение.
4. Какую пользу могут извлечь мелкие фермерские хозяйства от использования сельскохозяйственных систем отслеживания продукции? Фермерские хозяйства должны понять единственную вещь: - продукция приносит реально большую эффективность тогда, когда эта продукция является самой востребаванной на рынке. Значить, применение ИКТ должно основываться на навыках и достижениях знаний по ИКТ в экономике не только своей страны, но и на других рынках мировой экономики.

Good whatever time of day it is where you are, 

Of course I’m very glad, that you call so much attention to this topic. I would like to share my opinion on the stated questions.

1. With information technologies becoming more common in agriculture, to what extent can they contribute to poverty reduction and increased food security? The ability to use information technologies is important for those who really aims to achieve some results using ICTs in their activities. In fact, information technologies are little used in agriculture, because not many agricultural experts are trained to use these technologies in an efficient way. If we assume, that these technologies are intended to indicate or detect the produced volumes of fruit, crops etc., then it is only one part of its use.   
2. What are the specific challenges and bottlenecks for the full realization of Wisdom Agriculture in APEC Economies? How can a conducive policy environment be created? A conducive policy environment can be created though development of strategic plans for introduction and promoting the wide use of information technologies in agriculture. 
3. Are there any examples of effective applications of ICTs in the agriculture of your economy during the last decade that have had a positive impact on food security and rural livelihoods? What is the status of the use of technologies in your economy, such as the internet of things and agricultural robots? In our country it is still in its infancy. But I saw the real performance of ICTs in agriculture, when I was living in Japan, South Korea, Canada and in a number of European countries. The main thing is not to go too far, since the use of ICT should be an integrated solution, but not a customized application.
4. How can smallholder farmers benefit from agricultural product traceability systems? Smallholder farmers need to understand one thing: product brings actual high efficiency when it is the most popular in the market. Hence, the use of ICTs should be based on skills and achievements in the field on ICT in the economy not only of their country, but also in other markets of the world.

I did my research in one of the area in Tanzania let share with you the following;The main aim of the study was to determine the impact of mobile communication on performance of agriculture based SMEs in Kilombero district. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaire. Random sampling was employed to select 120 agriculture based SMEs. This was accomplished by SPSS version 16.0 computer software programme.

The study revealed that majority of SMEs (98.3 %) acknowledged to use innovatively mobile phone beeping, (93.3 %) loudspeaker, (88.3 %) voice recording and (80.8 %) camera with the intention of minimizing communication costs. The research found (99.2 %) of beeping originated from friend and relatives, (92.5 %) from customers and (76.7 %) from suppliers. In addition, 91.4 % reported that, mobile telephone usage had contributed to increased customers’ satisfaction and (90.5 %) gross profit.

The regression results suggests that, the increased number of customers, operating capital, number of years in business, uses of mobile phone and number of years of using mobile telephone in business can increase agriculture based SMEs output and hence increase businesses profit level with its resultant effects towards poverty reduction. The electricity was major constraint for mobile phone recharging and poor phone batteries were major problems facing owners of SMEs in the study area. Based on the findings of the present study, improvement on access and reliable electricity to rural areas by strengthening of the existing TANESCO and Rural Energy Authority (REA), provision of network coverage to the rural areas and reduction of the airtime to reduce the costs of making calls.

Imagining about the Wisdom Farm

I'm just a student and would like to take advange of my version. Supposing we could live in a wisdom Farm. By combining advanced agricultural technology with a traditional farming ethic, a new rural fringe economy can be created, this can bring some advantages:

• maintaining the open green space of the city edge, if we construct farms around city.
• informing current and future generations on global food productivity issues.
• continuation of traditional productive use of land.
• creating income and local employment from tending market gardens, ‘green food’ sales, indoor cafes and outdoor tent bbq and function catering, together with tourism income from visitors.

In my opinion, the smart agriculture is very important for the poverty reduction. Because when we master the technology, we can improve the production efficiency and reduce the farmers‘ cost. Like the US, the farmers' income are very high, and they needn't input too much energy. So as a farmer in the US, the life is very comfortable. But in China, on the contrary, our farmers have to work all days, and the income is very low. The main reason is that technology lag behind. Therefore, the technology is helpful to reduce poverty.

Colleagues

Information technology is the strongest tool in offsetting poverty and food and nutrition security. Zimbabwe and Mali in the past had made numerous strides in communicating farmer messages through the radio, and this led to Zimbabwe becoming one of the food baskets of Africa from the 1970s to the early 1980s, this was exacerbated by the fact that, farmer radio listening groups used extension messages to double their yields and produce the best livestock in Mali and Zimbabwe.

There is need to take a cue from these two countries and introduce new technologies especially in Africa, where we can even give farmers iPads so that they can be able to calculate yields, income and google pests and disease incidences this will make farming more easier and information technology more accessible.Organisations and governments should set out satellite stations or experimental projects that will set up internet networks in the rural areas, which will be used by farmers and these would be termed technology innovation centers of excellence, which will offset all the challenges that are being faced by farmers now, climate change challenges, can only be tackled by providing rural and urban farmers with access to internet. Internet service providers such as MTN, Vodacom and other international networks should plough back to the communities by engaging farmers in technology advancement where they have access to internet at affordable rates, but at the same time benefiting and this will cut even the current challenges faced by departments of extension where farmer ratios to extension officers are a great challenge.

Regards

Themba Phiri

Livelihoods Consultant