e-SOURCEBOOK ICT IN AGRICULTURE Connecting Smallholders to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions NOVEMBER 2011 REPORT NUMBER 64605 8285-Cover.indd i 11/10/11 1:59 PM e-SOURCEBOOK ICT IN AGRICULTURE Connecting Smallholders to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions Report Number 64605 8285-FM.indd i 11/10/11 1:59 PM © 2011 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone 202-473-1000 Internet www.worldbank.org All rights reserved. This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank encour- ages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly. All the queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the Office of the Publisher, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA, fax 202-522-2422, e-mail [email protected]. Cover photo: Neil Palmer, CIAT. A Kenyan farmer uses a mobile phone in the field. ICT IN AGRICULTURE 8285-FM.indd ii 11/10/11 1:59 PM CONTENTS III TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW OF ICT IN AGRICULTURE: OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS, AND CROSS-CUTTING THEMES Module 1: Introduction: ICT in Agricultural Development . 3 Module 2: Making ICT Infrastructure, Appliances, and Services More Accessible and Affordable in Rural Areas . 15 Topic Note 2.1: Making ICTs Affordable in Rural Areas. 21 Topic Note 2.2: Public Innovations in Universal Access to Telecommunications. 29 Pass ive Infrastructure Sharing in Nigeria . 30 Turkey’s Oligopolistic Infrastructure Sharing Model . 31 Dabba’s Experience with Unlicensed Wireless Services in South Africa . 32 Bhutan’s Community Information Centers Adapt to the Geographical and Consumer Context. 34 Topic Note 2.3: Mobile Money Moves to Rural Areas . 36 M-PESA’s Pioneering Money Transf er Service. 36 Zain Zap Promotes Borderless Mobile Commerce . 38 Pakistan’s Tameer Microfi nance Bank for the Economically Active Poor . 39 Txteagle Taps a Vast Underused Workforce . 40 Topic Note 2.4: Delivering Content for Mobile Agricultural Services . 43 First Mover Advantage Benefi ts Reuters Market Light . 43 L ong Experience in Farm Communities Benefi ts IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited . 44 F armer’s Friend Offers Information on Demand, One Query at a Time . 45 Module 3: Anytime, Anywhere: Mobile Devices and Services and Their Impact on Agriculture and Rural Development . 49 Topic Note 3.1: Key Benefi ts and Challenges Related to Mobile Phones and Agricultural Livelihoods . 52 Weather Forecasting Reduces Agricultural Risk in Turkey. 57 Mobiles Are the Heart of Esoko’s Virtual Marketplace . 59 Topic Note 3.2: Two Typologies and General Principles for Using Mobile Phones in Agricultural Projects. 61 Mobile Service Gives Local and Global Edge to Chilean Farmers . 65 For Reuters Market Light, the Wider Network of People Matters . 66 Nokia Life Tools Uses Simple Technologies to Deliver New Functionality . 68 Module 4: Extending the Benefi ts: Gender-Equitable, ICT-Enabled Agricultural Development . .71 Topic Note 4.1: Entry Points for ICT and Gender in Agriculture . 75 Community Knowledge Worker Initiative in Uganda . 78 ECONOMIC AND SECTOR WORK 8285-FM.indd iii 11/10/11 1:59 PM IV CONTENTS ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY ON THE FARM Module 5: Increasing Crop, Livestock, and Fishery Productivity through ICT . 85 Topic Note 5.1: Achieving Good Farming Practices through Improved Soil, Nutrient, and Land Management . 91 Seeing-Is-Believing Project Improves Precision Farming . 101 Improving Nitrogen Fertilization in Mexico . 102 Monitoring Livestock to Prevent Pasture Damage . 102 Topic Note 5.2: Preventing Yield Losses through Proper Planning and Early Warning Systems . 103 Radio Frequency Identifi cation to Prevent and Treat Cattle Disease in Botswana . 108 Digital Orthophoto Quads Form a Database for the Dominican Republic . 109 Using Landsat to Assess Irrigation Systems in Mali. 109 Module 6: ICTs as Enablers of Agricultural Innovation Systems . 113 Topic Note 6.1: ICT in the Agricultural Research Process . 119 Advances in ICTs Increase the Utility of African Sites for Testing Varieties . 129 KAINet Kenya Knowledge Network Anchored in Partnerships and Collaboration . 129 Topic Note 6.2: Using ICT in Extension and Advisory Services. 130 Farm Radio International Involves Men and Women Farmers. 140 E-Extension in the USA and Philippines . 141 TECA Uganda Exchange Group Offers Practical Advice for Smallholders . 142 Participatory Video and Internet Complement Extension in India . 142 Topic Note 6.3: E-learning as a Component of Agricultural Innovation Systems . 143 Lifelong Learning for Farmers in Tamil Nadu . 145 Innovative E-Learning for Farmers through Collaboration and Multi-Modal Outreach . 147 Module 7: Broadening Smallholders’ Access to Financial Services through ICT. 151 Topic Note 7.1: The Use of ICT-enabled Financial Services in the Rural Sector . 155 Linking Conditional Cash Transfers and Rural Finance in Brazil . 159 RFID Facilitates Insurance and Credit for India’s Livestock Producers . 161 Topic Note 7.2: Policy Strategies and Regulatory Issues for ICT-enabled Rural Financial Services . 163 Kenya’s DrumNet Links Farmers, Markets, and Financial Service Providers . 164 A Common Platform Delivers Financial Services to Rural India . 167 Module 8: Farmer Organizations Work Better with ICT . 173 Topic Note 8.1: Finding Better Marketing and Sharing Technical Information Using ICTs . 178 Zambia’s National Farmer Organization Develops SMS-Based Service . 185 Burkina Faso Farmers Use ICTs to Share New Production, Processing, and Marketing Skills . 185 The SOUNONG Search Engine for Farmer Organizations in China . 186 Topic Note 8.2: Dairy Cooperatives Lead the Way with Computerized Systems to Improve Accounting, Administration, and Governance . 188 IT Tools for India’s Dairy Industry . 190 CoopWorks Dairy and Coffee, Open-Source Software Launched in Kenya . 192 ICTs Improve Marketing and Governance for Malian Coop . 194 Topic Note 8.3: Giving Farmers a Voice and Sharing Information . 195 Community Listeners’ Clubs Empower SocialNetworks in Rural Niger . 199 Through Radio and Television, Thai Bank Gives Rural Voices a Wider Audience . 200 ICT IN AGRICULTURE 8285-FM.indd iv 11/10/11 1:59 PM CONTENTS V ACCESSING MARKETS AND VALUE CHAINS Module 9: Strengthening Agricultural Marketing with ICT . 205 Topic Note 9.1: Mobile Phones as a Marketing Tool . 211 Topic Note 9.2: ICTs Improve Logistics, Lower Transaction Costs . 215 In South Asia, Mobile Phones Amplify Investments in Extension and Infrastructure to Bring Farmers to Markets . 217 Across Africa, Mobiles Ease Market Logistics. 220 Topic Note 9.3: ICTs Facilitate Market Research . 222 Evidence of the Impact of Immediate Market Information in Asia and Africa . 229 Web Portals Offer the Big Picture on Markets in Africa, Europe, and Asia . 231 Topic Note 9.4: ICTs Facilitate Access to and Delivery of Inputs . 233 Agribusiness Advises India’s Farmers through e-Choupal Kiosks . 235 Zambian Farmers Buy Subsidized Inputs via Mobile Phone . 235 Module 10: ICT Applications for Smallholder Inclusion in Agribusiness Supply Chains . 239 Topic Note 10.1: Private-sector Efforts to Integrate Smallholders in Commercial Supply Chains through ICT Applications. 246 EID Parry’s Indiagriline Services Improve Sugarcane Production and Sourcing . 248 Virtual City’s AgriManagr Builds Better Supply-Chain Links with Farmers. 250 Topic Note 10.2: Public-sector Efforts to Integrate Smallholders in Commercial Supply Chains through ICT Applications. 252 ACDI/VOCA’s ICT Solutions Help Private Companies Source from Smallholders in India . 254 TIPCEE’s ICT Applications Bring Ghanaian Smallholders into Export Supply Chains . 255 Module 11: ICT Applications for Agricultural Risk Management . 259 Topic Note 11.1: ICT Applications for Mitigating Agricultural Risk . 264 Through mKRISHI, Farmers Translate Information into Action to Mitigate Risk. 268 Topic Note 11.2: ICT Applications to Transfer Agricultural Risk . 270 ICTs Enable Innovative Index-based Livestock Insurance in Kenya . 272 Kilimo Salama Delivers Index-based Input Insurance in Kenya through ICTs . 274 Topic Note 11.3: ICT Applications for Coping with Agricultural Risk . 275 Electronic Vouchers Are a Targeted, Traceable Lifeline for Zambian Farmers . 277 Community Knowledge Workers in Uganda Link Farmers and Experts to Cope with Risk . 279 Module 12: Global Markets, Global Challenges: Improving Food Safety and Traceability While Empowering Smallholders through ICT . 285 Topic Note 12.1: The Importance of Standard Setting and Compliance . 298 Mango Traceability System Links Malian Smallholders and Exporters to Global.