Proceedings International Workshop on ICT

SUMMARY (Key-Points)1. There is huge databank of agricultural information in internet and print media in Pakistan2. Trustworthiness & reliability of available information needs validation.3. There is need for effective monitoring and evaluation of agricultural information. UAF should take initiative in this regards4. Information should be relevant (e.g. according to ecological zones)5. Information should be presented in attractive and interesting manner (pictorial, graphics and video-based)6. System of liaison and coordination between information providers should be established7. Trust of farmers on information provider is very important8. Promotion of the use of ICT tools (mobile phone,internet) with in the local socio-economic and cultural context.9. Extension staff should be equipped with proper ICT tools10. Establishment of village lever community centers and Call centers11. Technologies should be affordable12. Continuous and dedicated work of extension staff is important13. Markets (and role of middle man) need to be regularized14. Subject specialist extension workers at the ground level15. Promotion of ICT in village festivals and fairs etc.16. Involvement of volunteers (students)TENTATIVE LIST OF ISSUES FOR THE NEXT WORKSHOPThe next workshop would be (probably) held in Lahore after Ramadan. Tentative list of issues to be discussed in the next workshop is given below;I. Credibility of information has been highlighted in the UAF workshop. In the next workshop we shall discuss “How can we make information more credible”II. How information can be made according to farmers’ needsIII. How enhance coordination between different extension service providersIn the next workshop, participants from other provinces would also be invitedDetailed ProceedingsThe Workshop on “ICT in Extension and e-Pak Ag” was held at New Senate Hall of UAF on 23-6-2014. Participants of the workshop were from the faculty and students of UAF, Punjab Agriculture Department, extension service providers from public and private sector and NGOs. Director General (Ext. & A.R.), Dr. Anjum Ali Buttar presided over the inaugural session. Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ali, Director Institute of Agri. Extension& Rural Development, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) greeted the participants. Dr. Babar Shahbaz elaborated the objectives of the workshop and told that this workshop would be followed by a series of interconnected workshop regarding the project “e-Pak Ag” which is being supported y USAID and being done in collaboration with UC Davis of USA.Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali delivered his key-note address in which he described several ICT related initiatives being undertaken by the Punjab Agriculture Department. He said that agricultural system of the Punjab faces many challenges such as soil and water degradation, land fragmentation, diversification, reliability of information, farmers’ confidence etc. ICT related activities in the Punjab include, Agricultural Marketing Information System, Website of Punjab Agriculture Department, Mobile messaging, land record, spatial data, AgriSmart, Mapping soil fertility at village level, Radio, TV and FM services, Toll free agri. helplines, Zarai Baithak and Fertilizer calculator etc. He informed that Government of the Punjab is planning to revamp and digitize the agriculture sector and ICT will continue to have greater role in this scenario.Dr. Mark Andrew Bell from UC Davis (USA), in his key-note address stressed the importance of need-based and relevant information in the context of ICT based extension. He explained thet concept of TIGRS for the promotion of ICT based extension i.e. Trust in the message and messenger, Integrated Approach, Good Recommendations and Seeing in believing. He emphasized that the extension message should besimple, clear, concise and compelling.Mr. Rafiq Akhtar, Director (Agricultural Information, Punjab) highlighted the role of Directorate of Agri. Information in the Usage of ICT for the development of agriculture. He said that the Directorate has been utilizing the electronic and print media for agricultural information dissemination. Directorate of Agri. Information, Punjab published literature on production technology of major crops and vegetables, Zirat Nama, Journal of Agricultural Research and Agri. News. Different TV and Radio programs are also produced by the directorate.After the tea technical session was started. Different speaker participated & shared their views.Dr. Khalid Shouq chief editor Veterinary News andViews and representative of Pakissan Pvt. Ltd. andZarari Media told about the e-agriculture. He saidthat there is a flood of information everywhere and the users get confused. Trustworthiness & reliability of information is another issue. System of monitoring is needed to develop to scrutinize the information available available on different resources (such as www, print media etc.). Wrong and/or less-credible information can easily misguide the poor farmers. He emphasized that the government sector should take necessary steps to win the confidence and trust of farmers. He suggested that UAF must take the lead in monitoring and evaluation of agricultural information available in the internet.Lack of liaison and coordination between differentorganizations was also highlighted by Dr. Shouq.He also suggested that UAF should communicate technical information to the media in addition to the coverage of their day-to-day event (seminars, workshops etc.).Mr. Muhammad Hanif, representative of Pakissan Pvt. Ltd. said that their website is the largest agricultural website of Pakistan since 2001. He said that agricultural technologies are easily available in rural areas. Majority of the farmers are illiterate and they cannot make use of sophisticated technology, for instance many farmer can`t easily operate their cell phones; however in some areas of Punjab few farmers are using the latest technology. Mostly developing courtiers take the knowledge from the developed countries & follow them but some countries like India have developed the system of integrating extension system with agricultural universities. Similarly many African farmers are using ICT. Universities in the developed countries don`t grantthe degrees to their students unless they acquire practical experience through outreach and extension activities. He told that Pakissan is goingto initiate the SMS service. Social media can also be used to reach farmers around the globe and its use should be enhanced in Pakistan. The concept of call center is also very useful and extension agents should work on this concept.Dr Khalid Shouq responded to Mr. Muhammad Hanif & said that use of social media is very affective to disseminate the information but there is also social dimension of social media. Our cultural norm & values are changing due to internet. He said that there is no need to blindly follow the information available on different web resources. He also said that intensive use of SMS service by different agencies will diminish its effectiveness because if a farmer is receiving many SMS from different sides then he would consider it wastage of time.Dr. Ghazanfar Ali Khan one of the faculty members from Institute of Agri. Extension & Rural Development UAF said that he did his PhD research on the use of media in agricultural information dissemination. He said that farmer has potential and they are interested to use the ICT. Information is there available but the question is that who will use the information & why he will act upon the advice if he don`t see any worth of that information. We told the farmer about the application of input i.e. fertilizer but the situation is that inputs (fertilizer, seed, and pesticides) are not accessible (affordable) to the small farmers. Marketing problem is also prominent as middlemen exploit the farmers.Mr. Muhammad Hanif responded that number of agricultural articles & news are available every where but there is shortage of research based articles. If the farmers are convinced that some agricultural technology is reliable and of their usethey take lot of interest in the adoption of that technology. People are tend