REPORT BHUTAN TCP/BHU/3004 Virtual Extension and Research Communication Network (VERCON)1 September 19, 2006 – December 18, 2006 MR. JOSELITO A. PAYOT FAO TCDC Consultant Agricultural Research and Extension Linkages and Information Management Thimphu, Bhutan December 2006 1 This mission report is submitted to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Bhutan as part of his consultancy to the project “Virtual Extension and Research Communication Network (VERCON)”. This report may be quoted with due acknowledgement of the Consultant. Please send queries to [email protected]. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Consultant initially worked at the Ministry of Agriculture-Information and Communication Services (MOA-ICS) as VERCON’s TCDC Expert in Agricultural Research and Extension Linkages from 19 June to 18 September 2006. Before his contract ended, Ms. Pema Lhamo, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) and ICS Director, indicated her intention to extend the Consultant’s contract for another three months. The proposed extension was discussed during the FAO-ICS teleconferencing activity last 13 September 2006. After numerous consultations and negotiations between FAO, ICS and the Consultant, the extension was approved for three months effective 19 September to 18 December 2006 with agreed revised terms of reference in Agricultural Research and Extension Linkages and Information Management. The Consultant’s extension started with follow-up assessments and discussions with network stakeholders and the project team composed of NPC, Mr. Karma Dhendup (IT Consultant), and Mr. Sangay Tenzin (Content Manager) related to agricultural information management in Bhutan. The Consultant gathered baseline information on institutions that are actively doing agricultural and rural information systems before the VERCON project began in November 2005. The team then analyzed and reviewed the stakeholders’ information needs, their existing information service providers and the information and communication systems, general problems that are work-related, priority commodities in the region and technology topics, medium to access and disseminate information, ownership of communication equipment, and training needs. The outputs were important in coming-up with system design for VERCON-Bhutan. Based on analysis, the Consultant proposed to design and develop a need-based website and which will be the most visible outcome of the VERCON project. To differentiate it from the MOA website, the project team deliberated the issue with a VERCON-Bhutan Interim Group which endorsed the proposal to develop a distinct website to the National Steering Committee (NSC) for approval. The NSC approved the development of a VERCON-Bhutan website after being clarified of the difference and relevance from the MOA website. The NSC also encouraged the team to ensure that VERCON makes farming more attractive, that is, VERCON should be agriculture information base so that farmers get whatever information they need from the system (through the extension agents), thereby making farming easy and more attractive. Originally, there were 10 systems included out of 17 information needs identified to jumpstart VERCON-Bhutan pilot phase operation. As a start, the website will address the information needs for the 12 commodities, namely: rice, chili, potato, tomato, walnut, pear, dairy (cattle), poultry (chicken), piggery, feed and fodder, bamboo and Pangtse (Symplocus paniculata) – a species preferred by the farmers for its oil seed. The 10 systems, however, were further trimmed down to six systems based on deliberations with the FAO mission of Ms. Sophie Treinen and Mr. Michael Riggs. The six systems will include the following: Agri-Inputs information, Technology information, Directory services, Questions and Answers, Geog profile, and Links. Subsequent changes to the website were also suggested. ii In collaboration with the team, the Consultant provided his technical inputs in the development of functional specification design and architecture. Initially, issues were being deliberated among this Consultant, IT Consultant, and Content Manager after which suggestions were brought to NPCs attention for comments and approval. The NPC also informs the MOA Secretary Dasho Sangay Thinley (NSC Chair) via a copy of project-related communication for kind information and appropriate action. Noting that technology is a major felt need among extension agents and researchers, the Consultant coordinated the holding of a “Workshop on the Preparation of a Package of Technology for Identified Commodities and Geog Information for Web Posting”. The workshop was done at Bajo research centre in collaboration with Bajo researchers, Regional Research and Communication Officers (RRCO), and extension agents from three Geog pilot sites (Limbu, Lobesa, and Gaselo) who expressed the need to come up with technology information materials. The Consultant then coordinated a follow-up writeshop with researchers to fast-track the preparation of 12 technology information materials of priority commodities and on pest and disease management. Finally, he organized the pre-testing of these materials with extension agents, researchers, and RRCOs prior to endorsing these to the Council for RNR Research in Bhutan (CoRRB) for possible inclusion in the Digital Compendium for RNR Technologies – a web-based repository of RNR information materials from various MOA agencies. With training as another major need of stakeholders, the Consultant finalized the schedule/duration, venue, number of participants, and budget for six training programmes identified based on discussions with FAO mission, NSC, and subsequently with the project team. He also coordinated and served as resource person in the conduct of the first training on Internet Basics with extension agents held at the College of Natural Resources in Lobesa, Thimphu from 04-08 December 2006. The Consultant also made use of the opportunity to promote VERCON-Bhutan to extension agents and get their feedback as what he had done during the workshop on packaging and/or pre-testing of technologies. As part of the promotion, the Consultant discussed with RNR service providers the importance of VERCON-Bhutan and he was pleased to hear that most of them are already aware of VERCON and appreciated the relevance of the system since they have been consulted earlier starting with project proposal preparation. The Consultant also provided the Content Manager with initial questions about VERCON-Bhutan as a guide for his radio interview with BBS that was conducted in Sharchopkha language targeting eastern Bhutan. The Consultant later on submitted a Q&A about VERCON-Bhutan to the NPC for future reference. He also identified additional promotional activities such as the mass media (radio, TV, broadsheet, Newsletter), the Annual RNR Expo and Conference, upcoming trainings, meetings, and official launching of VERCON-Bhutan. The main conclusion from this mission is that the project is still half-way towards putting-up the system in place. In any case, the Consultant and the team members are pleased to see the system already shaping up and the network members’ eagerness to cooperate and improve the systems’ operation. The following recommendations are directed towards continuing the gains made so far: iii 1. Continue system design with important issues followed up as appropriate and present this to NSC and network members to get their feedback. Also, carry on with the write-up of the functional specification design and architecture; 2. Conduct field-testing with network members and fine-tune the system as needed. Also, develop the protocols of the system modules to guide network members; 3. Ensure that network members will undergo trainings as planned; 4. Promote VERCON-Bhutan based on identified mechanisms, including its planned launching; 5. Strengthen collaboration with other agencies doing work on agricultural and rural information systems; and 6. Consider the preparation of VERCON-Bhutan Phase 2 based on previous assessments and learning experiences. iv ABBREVIATIONS AGORA - Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture AFD – Administrative and Finance Division AGRIS – International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology AIMS - Agricultural Information Management Standards, Also, Agricultural Information Management Section AMC – Agricultural Machinery Centre AMS – Agricultural Marketing Services ASMEP - Application System for Monitoring and Evaluation Procedure AGFUND – Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations APAARI - Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions AEPO – Assistant Extension Programme Officer AV – Audio-Visual BAFRA – Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority BBS – Bhutan Broadcasting Services CD-ROM – Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory CIC – Community Information Center CIRAD - Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement CNR – College of Natural Resources CGIAR - Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research CoRRB – Council for RNR Research in Bhutan DANIDA - Danish International Development Agency DOA – Department of Agriculture DOF – Department of Forestry DIT – Department of Information Technology DOL – Department of Livestock DSLR – Department of Survey and Land Records DSC – Druk Seed Corporation DVD - Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc EPO – Extension Programme Officer FAO – Food and Agricultural Organization