How Can Agricultural Extension Best Harness ICTs to Improve Rural Livelihoods in Developing Countries

From the Introduction: "Various forces are at work to change agricultural extension from a process of technology transfer (research institution to farmer) to a process of facilitating a wide range of communication, information, and advocacy services (demand-driven, pluralistic and decentralized extension). The focus of this change is on the improvement of overall rural livelihoods versus a specific focus on agriculture. In the midst of this change, extensionists are grappling with the question of how best to harness information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve rural livelihoods."

The article points out that extension systems are involved with "new actors" who are seeking to provide rural communities with a variety of information and services that include health, education, product marketing, the environment, and telecommunications. Extension services may have a role in addressing the constraints of those involved in agriculture, particularly the rural economically poor, as ICT opportunities and infrastructure evolve in rural locations. The article lists key strengths and weaknesses of the potential of rural applications of ICT. It lists trends in rural ICT development, but suggests tempering enthusiasm with a check into the degree of connectivity accessible in rural areas. In making decisions about the direction and investment in ICT infrastructure in less developed areas, the author points to the “sustainable rural livelihoods” approach as a "valuable conceptual tool.

The concept of sustainable rural livelihoods requires that farm families at the basic level:

• Have the capability to perform basic functions to cope with stresses and shocks (financial, natural, health, etc.) and the ability to find and make use of livelihood opportunities; and
  
• Have livelihoods and the assets on which their livelihoods depend."
  

The author recommends planning with attention to measurable outcomes, such as increased farm family income, increased farm family savings, improved family health, reduced vulnerability, greater access to education and training, reduced rural out-migration, and sustainable use of natural resources evidenced by the implementation of land ownership policies and procedures, among others.

As a result of his analysis of the fit between the sustainable rural livelihoods approach to determine specific ICT project themes, he lists 7 appropriate project themes for improving rural livelihoods:

1. "Improving Universal Access telecommunication policies and programs by empowering rural and agricultural stakeholder organizations so that they can participate in ICT and telecommunication advocacy efforts on behalf of rural people.
2. Rural credit and rural financial services - improvements in access, reach and flexibility through ICTs.
3. “Louder” rural and agricultural stakeholder voices using ICTs to yield improved access to decision makers to influence policies, regulations and procedures that directly impact rural livelihoods.
   
4. More informed rural people and farmers who can use information to make relevant decisions about livelihood strategies, thereby reducing disaster impact (flood, disease, drought warning and mitigation), and increasing income diversification.
5. Improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of rural service delivery through strategic and multi-stakeholder ICT initiatives that cross the domains of health, education, agricultural extension, training and knowledge resources.
   
6. Improved ICT planning capacities among civil society organizations - to plan, implement and integrate ICTs into their overall services.
   
7. Application of ICTs in land surveys and registration systems to more efficiently record land titles, and register and transfer land holdings."

The document concludes that because the economically poor in rural areas are the primary source of agricultural production, a full range of rural livelihood assets and strategies should be examined to better understand the relationships between ICTs, agriculture, and poverty reduction. "A variety of fairly straightforward rural ICT interventions may have greater impact on agricultural production and post-harvest activities then those that are strictly focused on agriculture. This is especially true of ICT interventions focused on extension of various financial services, provision of basic telephone access, and improved multi-stakeholder dialogue and louder rural/agricultural voices in the national policy and program context."