Abebe ChekolICT for Development Expert

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

2013 ICT Observatory : Strengthening e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries

Hotel Hof Wageningen, 24 - 25 April

CTA headquarters, Wageningen, 26 April

State of ICT policy development and linkages with

Agriculture in African countriesUNECA

ECA

Contents

BackgroundDrivers – Regional and International levelsThe NICI frameworkState of ICT policy developmentSectoral e-strategiesLinkages to AgricultureE-agriculture strategies – country casesOpportunities for e-agriculture Conclusion

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Background: - Status ICT policy, access and usage in Africa

ICT – became a national

priority in many

African countries

ICT – became a national

priority in many

African countriesBy 2012, 45 adopted ICT policy

2 in the dev’t process

By 2012, 45 adopted ICT policy2 in the dev’t process

As of Sep 2011, with 620 million subscribers, Africa has overtaken Latin America, making it the 2nd largest mobile market in the World after Asia Pacific

(GSMA and ATKearney 2011))

As of Sep 2011, with 620 million subscribers, Africa has overtaken Latin America, making it the 2nd largest mobile market in the World after Asia Pacific

(GSMA and ATKearney 2011))

# of Internet subscribers grew by > 150 % in 2007 in several sub-Saharan African countries although the continent remains to be one of those with the lowest penetration rate

(9.6 % in 2010)

# of Internet subscribers grew by > 150 % in 2007 in several sub-Saharan African countries although the continent remains to be one of those with the lowest penetration rate

(9.6 % in 2010)

Wireless broadband Internet access is growing faster than the fixed Broadband (in which penetration remains less than 1%) mainly driven by the

growth in mobile phone technologies

Wireless broadband Internet access is growing faster than the fixed Broadband (in which penetration remains less than 1%) mainly driven by the

growth in mobile phone technologies

Between 2009 & 2011, 9 under sea cables landed in the African coasts with a cumulative capacity of 21.36 terabits

Between 2009 & 2011, 9 under sea cables landed in the African coasts with a cumulative capacity of 21.36 terabits

Additional 19.2 terabits expected in 2012-2013

(African Under Sea Cables (2013) http://manypossibilities.net)

Additional 19.2 terabits expected in 2012-2013

(African Under Sea Cables (2013) http://manypossibilities.net)

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Background: - The African ICT landscape as percentage of world total

ICT in Africa - as a percentage of world total, 2010 (unless indicated)

1.2

1.2

0.2

1.5

0.6

1.2

10

4.1

14.8

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

ICT Imports - goods

ICT Imports - services

ICT Exports - goods

ICT Exports - services

International bandwidth, aggregate Mbit/s

Internet subscriptions, fixed (2009)

Mobile subscription

GDP, PPP

Population

Source: ITU, WTO and IMF databanks

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Drivers at regional and international levels

AISI – African Information Society InitiativeAISI – African Information Society InitiativeGuided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996 as Africa’s digital agenda to build inclusive information society in the continent, ECA and

partners supported countries in Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as, NICIs which resulted in over 45 countries adopting their NICIs

by end of 2012 and a further 2 in the process of developing one;

AISI – African Information Society InitiativeAISI – African Information Society InitiativeGuided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996 as Africa’s digital agenda to build inclusive information society in the continent, ECA and

partners supported countries in Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as, NICIs which resulted in over 45 countries adopting their NICIs

by end of 2012 and a further 2 in the process of developing one;

WSIS – World Summit on the Information SocietyWSIS – World Summit on the Information Society

According to the WSIS Plan of Action, “Specific targets for the information society will be established as appropriate, at the national level in the framework of national e-

strategies and in accordance with national development policies, taking into account the different national circumstances. Such targets can serve as useful benchmarks

for action and for the evaluation of the progress made towards the attainment of the overall objectives of the information society”.

Furthermore, the document stresses that national e-strategies should be encouraged by all countries by 2005, based on national priorities.

WSIS – World Summit on the Information SocietyWSIS – World Summit on the Information Society

According to the WSIS Plan of Action, “Specific targets for the information society will be established as appropriate, at the national level in the framework of national e-

strategies and in accordance with national development policies, taking into account the different national circumstances. Such targets can serve as useful benchmarks

for action and for the evaluation of the progress made towards the attainment of the overall objectives of the information society”.

Furthermore, the document stresses that national e-strategies should be encouraged by all countries by 2005, based on national priorities.

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Approaches to ICT policy making in Africa

Countries that followed the AISI, NICI model – the involved development of elaborate policy framework and implementation plan through a consultative process – majority of the countries

(over 30 countries)

Countries that followed the AISI, NICI model – the involved development of elaborate policy framework and implementation plan through a consultative process – majority of the countries

(over 30 countries)

Incremental models yet organic approach with a focus on building blocks such as national delivery through educational capacity, infrastructure, content and public service delivery through ICT (e.g. Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia)

Incremental models yet organic approach with a focus on building blocks such as national delivery through educational capacity, infrastructure, content and public service delivery through ICT (e.g. Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia)

Countries that didn’t develop theirpolicy due to historical and poliical challenges (e.g. Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and

Sao Tome & Pricincipe)

Countries that didn’t develop theirpolicy due to historical and poliical challenges (e.g. Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and

Sao Tome & Pricincipe)

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NICI Development process

Phase 1 – Framework document – thru baseline study which establish benchmarksPhase 2 – Policy document Phase 3 – Plan – an integrated ICT and socio-economic devt planPhase 4 – Implementation of specific programs in the plan

NICI cycleThe NICI development process cycle

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ICT Policy Focus Areas in Africa

As gathered from ICT policies and plans of 33 African countries

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Moving from policy formulation to implementation

Many countries moving towards translating NICI visions and objectives into sectoral strategies;Sectoral strategies are tailor-made for the specific needs of each sector and accord each sector the opportunity to build on its strengths and adapt to its needs;To implement the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development Policy, for examples, sector strategies developed:

e-Commerce and Trade Development Strategy;e-Government and Governance Strategy;Telecommunication and Communications Sector Policy Statement;National ICTs in Education Strategy;National ICTs in Agriculture Strategy;National ICTs in Health Strategy;National Strategy on ICTs and Gender; andNational e-Security Strategy.

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Sectoral e-strategies & e-legislations

√ Adopted » In progress Source: ECA WSIS questionnaire – 2009 and 2011√ Adopted » In progress Source: ECA WSIS questionnaire – 2009 and 2011

Rwanda‘s e-agriculture strategy development is also in progress** Cameroon and Malawi have also agriculture as a pillar in their national policy

Rwanda‘s e-agriculture strategy development is also in progress** Cameroon and Malawi have also agriculture as a pillar in their national policy

Country Sector specific policies and strategies Legislations enacted Agriculture

As one of the key pillars (priorities) in National ICT Policy

e-government ICT for education policies

e-agriculture

e-commerce

e-currency

e-transaction, e-payment, e-contract

Consumer protection and arbitration

Digital signature

Cyber-security laws

Benin √ √ √ Burkina Faso √ √ √ √ √ Burundi √ Congo » Cote d’Ivoire √ » √ √ √ DRC √ √ √ Egypt √ √ √ √ Ethiopia √ » √ Gambia √ √ √ √ Ghana √ √ √ √ √ √ Guinea-Bissau √ √ √ Kenya √ √ Madagascar √ √ √ Mali √ √ √ √ √ Mozambique √ √ √ √ Niger √ √ √ √ √ √ Nigeria √ √ √ √ √ √ Senegal √ √ √ √ √ Sudan √ √ √ √ Togo √ √ √ Uganda √ √ Zambia √

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ICT policy priorities or strategies that support the agriculture / rural development sector

ICT for community development strategies(e.g. Chad, Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda have this as one of

their priority area of focus)

ICT for community development strategies(e.g. Chad, Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda have this as one of

their priority area of focus)

Universal access service strategies(many countries have this strategy to promote

Access to ICTs in rural areas)

Universal access service strategies(many countries have this strategy to promote

Access to ICTs in rural areas)

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Country cases – Burkina Faso

Projects to implement strategy

•Web portal for rural community and the promotion of multimedia products• Information centre and training on ICT solutions adapted to rural areas• E-services platform for rural areas• Fund for centres for community electronic resources for rural areas

Goal

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Country case - MaliGlobal Objective

Strategic pillars

Programmes to implement e-agri strategy

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Rwanda ICT policy evolutionsOut of 16 key country sectors, five identified as priority sectors in the implementation of the NICI-2015

Governance sectorHealth sectorEducation sectorAgriculture sectorFinance sector (also to a large extent include tax, business, trade and tourism)

OpportunitiesOpportunities

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ICT infrastructure - almost all countries are now connected to submarine fibre optic cables

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Only 0.5Tbps of the 18Tbps of the submarine capacity available is currently in use on the continent – more potential for ICT services expansion

Africa

Morocco

WesternSahara

Algeria

Angola

Benin

Botswana

BurkinaFaso

Burundi

Cameroon

CapeVerde

Central AfricanRepublic

ChadDjibouti

Egypt

EquatorialGuinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Gabon

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

MaliMauritania

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Reunion (France)

Rwanda

São Toméand Príncipe

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Somalia

SouthAfrica

Sudan

Swaziland

Tanzania

Togo

Tunisia

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

DR Congo

Congo

Côted'Ivoire

Digital Divide North-South (End 2010)

312 Gbits87 000 000 inhabitants

208 Gbits> 900 000 000 inhabitants

population International bandwidth

9% 60,00%

populationInternational bandwidth

89% 40,00%

Pida Study ICT Sector juin 2011

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The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa program envisages development of the ICT infrastructure as shown in the map to ensure access to all stakeholders with quality, security and high-level of availability by 2020

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ConclusionOpening of ICT market since 1990s thru – liberalisation – separation of posts from telecom – independent regulatory authorities – countries re-aligning their ICT plans with overall national dev’t planLegal and regulatory frameworks being in placeCoordination (institutional framework) – roles, conflicting objectives, domestic resource mobilisation and lessening donor dependence, ownership, etc.HR capacity development still remain a challenge including in specific areas (e.g. e-agri). Three key considerations for success:

Quality of the policy in understanding the context and setting the obj and priorities right;Managing how to mobilise and commit all relevant stakeholders throughout the process; andGathering data to continuously evaluate, monitor to re-align/adjusting policy priorities

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Thank you!