Options for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

within Agricultural Extension Services

Andrea Bohn University of Illinois at

Urbana ChampaignMEAS Project

October 2, 2014MEAS RELASER Institute

Communication TOOLS such as - voice/sound, text, images, videos

On DEVICES such as:- radio, - screens, projectors, television …- cell phones, - computers which allow access

to the internet (PCs, laptops, tablets, smart phones)

Various communication tools, various devices

Various communication tools, various devices

Examples of COMMUNICATION Tools

1. Text – brochures, fact sheets, posters, on the internet, SMS, …

2. Voice - Cell phone (automated or in person), Radio (one way or interactive), Talking Books, …

3. Photo

4. Video - on TV, DVD, Smartphone, Internet, Projector…

Ejemplos del grupo – Radio

• Emisores locales (Costa Rica)• AMARC – Entrevistas• CC Nicaragua – avisos,

dramas, entrevistas• Dramas sobre “Super Q”

(Quinoa) (Peru)• INTA Peru: radio y programa

TV• Charlas technicos en café

(Honduras)• Radio TGW – MF Tecnica

Extension (Guatemala)• Radio El Espectator• Radio San Gabriel (Bolivia)• Radio communitarias – Sur

de Mexico• Nuevos Horizontes (Illinois)

Ejemplos del grupo – Moviles

• Precios, mercados, mensajes tecnologia

• Monitoreo de las etapas Fenologias de los cultivos, plagas y enfermedadas y proviosticos de Losecha (Guatemala)

• Alerza para control de Tizon en Papa (INIA) segun condiciones de T y H

• Servicios info climaticos

• Celo Agronet (Colombia)

Ejemplos del grupo – VideoPeru• INIA• Facultad AgronomiaCosta Rica• Agroactivo TVNicaragua• Funiagro TV (tambien a YouTube)Colombia• TV AGRO• El Professor Yaromo• Boletin del ConsumidorBolivia• Video (Café), AspagroRepublica Dominicana• Departamento de Informacion y

Communicaticion del Min.de Agricultura Mexico• INCA SAGRAPA • para productores, sujetos de attencion

Ejemplos del grupo – Internet

Colombia• www.siembra.gov.co• www.agronet.gov.co• Youth developing apps for smartphones

Peru• INIA Biblioteca virtual

Bolivia• INIAF cursa distancia

Mexico• SIV – INCA – SAGARPA formación,

seguirimento y video conferencias, evaluación, curso de formación a Distancia

Ejemplos del grupo – Internet

Colombia• www.siembra.gov.co• www.agronet.gov.co

Ecuador: • SEAL (?)• www.siragro.gob.ec (?)

Costa Rica• Infoagro, Platicar

Guatemala• Google Groups

Republica DominicanaFacebook Grupo del Depto. de Extension

USA: • http://foodmarketmaker.com• http://www.farmdoc.illinois.edu

Challenges:- Connectivty, countrywide, good

access to internet- Equipos- Difficult to use by uneducated

people- Design so to obtain feedback

from users- Make sure the content is

accurate, good quality, up to date.

Communication – In what direction?

1. “Push” – Radio or TV show, SMS / automated voice message – Price, weather, treatment recommendations, pest alerts, …

2. “Pull” - Voice, video, text- Access information via internet, phone- Internet platforms, repositories, knowledge banks

3. Interactive, participatory- Radio! - Video (in making, in showing)- Social media (facebook, twitter, - eXtension (USA, Philippines, …), Market Maker- blogs, community of practice, e-discussions, webinar

Types of Information to be Communicated:

Types of Information to be Communicated:

From most simple to very complex:• data (information, e.g., market prices,

weather reports, pest outbreak alerts)

• knowledge (simple skills)

• training (advanced skills and techniques)

• education (where use of information requires critical thinking)

www.meas-extension.org/resources/ictCan be accessed at:

Examples of ApplicationsExamples of Applications

ICT4D, ICT4Ag, ICT for Extension

ICT for Develop-ment

ICT for Agriculture

ICT for Extension

Options for ICT? Functions of Extension!

Options for ICT? Functions of Extension!

• provide mass advisories

• raise general awareness of opportunities

• link farmers to markets, market oriented advice

• provide technical information, demonstrate or train

• diagnose problems and recommend solutions

• respond to questions raised by clients

• assist with business planning

• facilitate access to credit and inputs

• conduct surveys, enumeration, M&E

Bell, Payne and Bohn (2011)

“There is an App for that!”

ICT Options in Relation to Extension Functions

Extension Function Radio Videos and TV Mobile Phones (text, voice)

Smart Devices and Apps Computer, Internet tools

Link farmers to markets

Price reports Access to price information (call in, subscriptions)

Can bring potential buyers and producers together; access price information

Can bring potential buyers and producers together; price info.

Raise (general) awareness of opportunities

Very good Visuals are usually very helpful as “seeing is believing”

Good option for intermediaries to seek information

Good option for intermediaries to seek information

Provide technical information; demonstrate, or train

Some potential – but limited information delivered

Visuals are usually very helpful as “seeing is believing”

Some potential if farmers can call or text in and sufficient expertise is available

Additional potential to a simple cell phone as it enables web access and plays videos well.

Good option for intermediaries to seek information

Diagnose problems and recommend solution

Some potential if dealing with general problems

Some potential if farmers can call or text in and sufficient expertise is available

Additional potential to a simple cell phone as it enables web access. Special diagnostics “apps” are already available.

Good, comprehensive tools are available

Respond to follow up questions raised by clients

Good if producers can call or text in and sufficient expertise is available

Some potential if farmers can call or text in and sufficient expertise is available

Good option for intermediaries to seek information (if optimized for smart devices)

Good option for intermediaries to seek information

Provide mass advisories

Excellent option Excellent option Is an option if users are registered to receive such messages (SMS)

Is an option if users are registered to receive such messages (SMS, email)

Is an option if users are registered to receive such messages (email)

Facilitate access to credit and inputs

Mobile banking; negotiate directly with input suppliers

Mobile/Online banking Online banking

Assist with business planning

Simple farm management “apps”; record keeping

Farm management tools; record keeping

Conduct surveys, M&E, enumerations

Some options exist Many new tools and options, incl. GPS tracking

Information and Communication Technology, Devices and Tools

Source: Adapted from Mark Bell, Andrea Bohn and Judith Payne, 2011

Source: http://www.metronetiq.com/archives/2008/06/putting_the_car.html

Temptation to put the cart in front of the horse …

- Committing to a tool or application before under-standing the needs and abilities of the audience/users (farmers, intermediaries) and contributors

- Filling the “cart” with content before knowingwhere the journey is going to

- In-house technology and content development vs. collaboration and building on what is already there

- A solution in search of a problem?

It is easy to get very excited about certain ICT applications (the cart and its content) but on its own (and in front of the cart) this will go nowhere.

ICT Strategy, Design, Implementation

1. What is the need or problem ICT is supposed to help solve?

2. Who is the primary audience: farmer or extension staff (i.e., intermediaries)?

3. How is the audience accessing information now?

4. What are trusted sources of information?

Build on existing resources and

pathways!

The information provided must be

RELEVANT, TRUSTWORTHY, RELIABLE, ACTIONABLE, LOCALIZED

1. Audience and Needs

2. Solution(s)

3. Core message(Technology)

4. Message form and delivery

5. Evaluation

© 2009 Mark Bell and Paul Marcotte

Who is doing what already? In the future?

Extension Flow Diagram

1. Who is doing what? • Map out the existing ICT ecosystem and options to integrate

ICT components in the process. • Need to be aware of and leverage other service providers /

projects / organizations active in the area. • Know who is doing what both in-house and in the project

area. • What are the existing ICT facilities like? How can other actors

be engaged? Opportunities for public-private-partnerships?

ICT Strategy, Design, Implementation

We conducted background research and held stakeholder workshop in early December 2012 along with field visits in Jessore region

(Report available at http://www.meas-extension.org/meas-offers/country_studies/country-overview/bangladesh

2. Audience and needs. What are the problems, priority needs, interests and opportunities of the clients (e.g., farmers) to be addressed via ICT?

Project implementers still struggling with answering that question!

MEAS conducted, through Access Agriculture, participatory video and script writing trainings Eye opening experience!

ICT Strategy, Design, Implementation

Understanding the Need (Demand Analysis)

Farmer

Awareness and Willingness

Social Behavior, Gender, Crops, Environment, Priorities, etc.

Incentives & Business Model

Technical Status and Readiness

Trust, Acceptability

and Credibility

Information Flows and Institutes

3. Solutions. • Need to focus on content, specially the credibility issues. • Network with other organizations, companies, projects.

• Where is the credible relevant information to meet these needs? • What information has been tested and validated? • What needs to be tested and validated (and how will this be done?).

Project implementers still struggling with this!

A real challenge in any country/context! (see annex on Market Maker)

ICT Strategy, Design, Implementation

Future steps4. Core message. 5. Packaging and delivery. How will information be packaged

and delivered (who will be involved?) considering a blend of traditional and new approaches and a range of players? What are the existing ICT facilities / providers / channels doing to deliver services.? Also engage public & other extension service providers in this process. Complement ICT with traditional methods to show case the successes (like demonstration) in the beginning to start with and build confidence at ground level. Take into account: literacy, gender, access, …

6. Evaluation. How will all steps of the process be evaluated for improvement of both the message and the delivery mechanisms?

ICT Strategy, Design, Implementation

Strategy: Audience CentricStrategy: Audience CentricWHO is the audience? • Extension agents and/or farmers or other actors in the value chain?• What types of farmers?

Truly understand the audience’ NEEDS• How are those needs met now?• Prioritization AND Can you provide the needed information?• And note: information may be necessary but not sufficient

Assess the audience’s CHARACTERISTICS and design accordingly• Education, literacy level, language• Existing knowledge and skill level• Gender aspects• Ability and willingness to pay (for devices, electricity, fees, putting into

action)How well integrated with MARKETS is the audience?• And does it matter? implications for business model

Understanding the Need (Demand Analysis)

Farmer

Awareness and Willingness

Social Behavior, Gender, Crops, Environment, Priorities, etc.

Incentives & Business Model

Technical Status and Readiness

Trust, Acceptability

and Credibility

Information Flows and Institutes

By Shahid Akbar, BIID

Analyzing Existing ICT & Extension And Expected Future Scenario (Supply Analysis)

Mapping existing services, providers & roles

Understand the success factors & causes of failure

Identify the incentives (Business Case)

Capacity of extension dept. & research institutes

Quality and validation of content

• Need based & trust worthy quality content • Packaging (Tool, low cost, access & availability)• Market driven and branded services• Policy and environment friendliness

Expected Future

Scenario

Service Recipients (audiences) • Farmers: Access, Awareness, Benefits/Results, Skills• Extension agents (public, private): Access to technology,

Awareness, Skills, Marketing, Demonstration, Incentives

Service Providers (senders)

• Institutional: Policy & Resources of Government, Research organizations, NGO’s, Private Sectors to adopt new technology

• HR: Awareness, Willingness and Understanding

Policy And Regulatory Environment

Assessing the Capacity

Localization and customization

Validation of content and quality

Update mechanism and incentives

User-friendliness of service delivery (cost & technology)

Demonstration of impact and sharing success cases

Feedback mechanism and development

Service Development and Delivery

Will ICT replace extension staff?

Will ICTs replace Extension Staff?

Will ICTs replace Extension Staff?

Unlikely!

- Through ICT farmers can access information extension staff typically don’t even have (prices, weather)

- Will free up extension staff to focus on role of facilitation, advocacy,

- Will enable intermediaries (extension staff) more easily / quickly access information and respond to farmers’ questions

- Aim for integration of ICT into a holistic approach that includes face:face interaction (e.g., Digital Green/India, Community Knowledge Workers/Uganda)

- There are ICT tools that can be used for continued staff training

- Huge potential for improving INTERNAL processes (communication, performance management, reporting, etc. )

ICT – Improving Communication to help staff be more efficient, effective, productive – EXAMPLES

1. Email

2. Instant messaging, Google hang out, Facebook

3. Low cost calls, group calls, text messaging : Skype, Viber, Gmail, Facebook

4. Virtual meetings: Go-To-Meeting, Adobe Connect, Google groups

5. E-Discussions, Webinars: e.g., Adobe …

6. Online training

7. File sharing: Dropbox, Google Docs

8. Information and Data management (via Cloud)

9. Task coordination (e.g., Wunderlist)

“Information and communication tools such as cell phones, the internet, radio, and television can dramatically improve farmers’ and intermediaries’ access to information relevant for rural households, production agriculture, and agribusinesses.

The tools can be used to raise awareness or to provide specific information in response to questions about agricultural technologies, markets, prices, etc. As such these tools are just a part of the extension process and are most effective if combined with established good extension practice.

Key Statement about ICT in Extension

For extension in general and for ICT in particular to be effective, the service has to be client focused and needs driven, providing credible content and a relevant as well as actionable message through a trusted messenger.

Furthermore, access to information is just part of the formula for success. Farmers have to see sufficient evidence that they are convinced to turn the new information received into 1) a willingness to test the approach, and then 2) if the test is successful, adopt.

Success of an IC tool or approach therefore also depends on availability of required inputs, sufficient knowledge to test and use those inputs appropriately, and access to markets for farmers to profitably sell their products.”

Mark Bell, 2012

Key Statement about ICT in Extension

Information is not enough

Many factors contribute to adoption of improved practices, which is what we are ultimately interested in!

Business Model -Some thoughts on costs

Business Model -Some thoughts on costs

- Fixed vs. variable costs, development of each over time- Consider low cost and open source tools (good can be good

enough)- Cost of obtaining/generating the information

- The kind of information needed may not be as readily available in the public domain as expected

- Sharing costs, resources and learning- Avoid creating the technology from scratch.

- From scratch is expensive, may repeat mistakes, may not be using best practices

- Build on what is there - But coming up with something entirely new is also valuable

- Allocate budget for marketing / promotion

Business ModelBusiness ModelRevenue stream - Not sustainable if project driven and donor

dependent - Audience may or may not be the ones paying for the

service- Due to public goods nature of some of the services

and the kind of clients being served sustained public funding is justified

Lots of failed pilots?!- Due to project funded nature of the service?- Not every start up is successful- Competition is good for business and innovation

ScalabilityScalabilityAre there economies of scale and scope?

What scale (defined as number of users, area covered, share of all potential users, …) is necessary to make the business viable in the long term?

Design for scalability

Scalability is limited by:• Extend to which information needs to be localized and

customized and whether that can be automated (e.g., easy for weather, difficult for diagnostics)

• degree of segmentation of the audience / size of the ‘homogenous’ population,

• IT Infrastructure • Need for integration with other services (e.g., face:face

interaction, demonstrations, …)

Following slides: learning from

E-Krishok (BIID)

E-Afghan Ag (UC Davis, USDA funded)

Market Maker (University of Illinois Cooperative Extension, implemented in growing number of States)

Annex

The 80:20 Rule

Success in ICT depends to 20 % on technological factors, to 80% it depends on social factors/ social interaction.

Source: Darlene Knipe and Richard Warner, University of Illinois, 2013 (personal communication)

E-Afghan Ag• “Provide credible, relevant information to those helping farmers in Afghanistan.”

www.eafghanag.ucdavis.edu

Keys to success

Be demand-driven (clarity of audience and needs)

Provide credible information - draw on a range of credible knowledgeable sources

Draw on contributions from all partners/stakeholders

Link to trusted delivery agents

Collect feedback

Acknowledge sources and contributors

Lessons learned from e-Afghan Ag

Lessons learned in radio and ICT in extension advisory services have contributed to reforms like:

• through the introduction of SMS alerts that we used in the radio campaigns to remind farmers about the incoming broadcast and also use the same to re-inforce messages as SMS tips; the mobile phone companies have embraced that and soon AIRTEL is about to launch large scale farmer tips for sale.

• through our radio campaigns approach, we have influenced radio stations to embrace participatory processes in ensuring that the audience directs the content-the demand driven approach unlike the broadcasters being the 'master' of delivering the message which the audience may not want

• through our feedback mechanisms, radio stations have started investing in research to know the reach and impact of their broadcasts unlike in the past when they were only concerned about the airing of broadcasts but now they are thinking more of impact since that is what will bring business to them through advertisers

• the value chain approach we have pioneered in radio extension services is proving to be a very good business model because unlike delivering extension as a public good, other actors in the business sector are able to advertise and invest in quality message delivery since that affects their businesses

• for the 1st time in 2012, PANNAR seed company decided to invest in message delivery about hybrid seeds beyond just marketing adverts because they understood from our model that increased knowledge about adoption of hybrid maize was only good enough if supported by good agronomic practices. “

Rex Chapota, October 2013

Lessons learned for Radio (Example: Farm Radio Malawi)

The Five Conditions of Collective ImpactBackbone Support * Creating and managing collective impact requires a separate organization(s) with staff and a specific set of skills to serve as the backbone for the entire initiative and coordinate participating organizations and agencies.

Common Agenda All participants have a shared vision for change including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions.

Shared Measurement Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all participants ensures efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable.

Mutually Reinforcing Activities Participant activities must be differentiated while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action.

Continuous Communication Consistent and open communication is needed across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and create common motivation.

Richard Warner, University of Illinois for MEAS Summer Institute, on May 31, 2013

Lessons learned from Market Maker, www.foodmarketmaker.com

1) Providing overall strategic direction;

2) Facilitating dialogue between partners;

3) Managing data collection and analysis;

4) Handling communications;

5) Coordinating community outreach; and

6) Mobilizing funding.

Lessons learned from Market Maker, www.foodmarketmaker.com

Subsequent research by University of Illinois’ Market Maker has confirmed that backbone organizations serve six essential functions:

Richard Warner, University of Illinois for MEAS Summer Institute, on May 31, 2013

e-Krishok: An initiative of BIID

Innovation, Strategy and Business Model (Envisioning the future market of ICT in Agriculture)

Inclusive Business Concept(Service & technology adoption, Scaling up)

Mobilizing and awareness building

Problem specific consultation

BPs

- Recognition of info-

centers as

source of info

and advice

- Trial of services

by membe

r farmers

- A critical mass of benefite

d farmers

Backend support services like content, promotion, marketing

BIID has been facilitating proper usage of the first and only (as of now) private sector driven provision info bank (www.ekrishok.com) of agriculture related information and knowledge.

Based on the experiences of piloting in 10 locations in 2008, BIID is now expanding the service as ‘e-Krishok’ nationwide to induce trial of agricultural extension and market linkage service.

BIID now introduced short code 16250 to offer voice & SMS service

e-Krishok: An ICT enabled service

BP = Business Promoters

MEAS • www.measict.weebly.com • www.meas-extension.org/resources/ict

ICT in Agriculture: www.ictinagriculture.org/ictinag/Sponsored by the Agricultural and Rural Development unit of the World Bank

ICT for Ag Online Community: https://communities.usaidallnet.gov/ictforag

The e-Agriculture Community: www.e-agriculture.orge-Agriculture is a global Community of Practice, where people from all over the world exchange information, ideas, and resources related to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable agriculture and rural development.

ICT Update by CTA: http://ictupdate.cta.int/enLook into the many archived issues (come out on a bi-monthly basis) at http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Issues/(issue)/69

USAID: www.ICTforAG.org

Resources on ICT for Agriculture and Extension

Terms of Use: Terms of Use:

© A. Bohn and MEAS project. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Users are free:• to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work• to Remix — to adapt the work

Under the following conditions:• Attribution — Users must attribute the work to the author(s)/institution

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Disclaimer:Disclaimer:

This presentation was made possible by the generous support of

the American people through the United States Agency for

International Development, USAID. The contents are the

responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the

views of USAID or the United States Government.

www.meas-extension.org

Communication: Directionality and Frequency

Communication: Directionality and Frequency

• a one-time message? or • a series of messages?

• one way? or• back and forth between sender and receiver?

• planned for the receiver? or • with the receiver (participatory)

from the get-go?

StrategyStrategy

Clear objectives! Where is the journey going? Ultimately: Improved decision making and action

Feedback loops, continuous learning and adaptation, let audience participate

Information must RELEVANT, LOCALIZED, RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY, ACTIONABLE

How will the audience begin to trust the message?Who is the (perceived) messenger? Is there need for integration with other services?

The Communications Process:

Sender Message Channel Audience Effect

The 1-way “hypodermic needle” model of Communications

How many times have you heard someone say: “we’ve got to launch a communications campaign

to get our message out”?

The Communications Process:

Sender Message Channel Audience Effect

The 1-way “hypodermic needle” model of Communications

Our farmer audiences are no different.

In order for our Extension communications efforts to be successful, we need to turn this around and be more “audience-centric.”

We know this is true, but often don’t practice it.

The Communications Process – Major Lessons Learned:

• Always put audiences (farmers) first– Listen to them. They are smart people. Discover what they want to do

and what they want to learn.

– Discover what gaps exist in their current knowledge.

– Discover their preferred methods of communications

– Discover whom they trust

• Base all plans and actions as an information provider from the point of view of being a helpful, respectful partner in a 2-way communications process.

• Farmer audiences will sense the difference and respond accordingly.