WELCOME
Challenges in e- Agriculture: Way Forward
Dr. Anil Kumar Das
Deputy Director (ICT)
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)
Ministry of Agriculture
Prologue
● Generation agricultural development under global perspective
1. Introduction of plough in agriculture.
2. Use of nitrogenous fertilizer in crop production.
3. Introduction HYV of different crops.
4. Use of hybrid seed in crop production.
5. Use of genetic engineering and bio-technology in agricultural development.
6. Use of ICT supported agricultural activities : e- agriculture.
Agricultural Knowledge:
1. Universal
2. Agro climatic
3. Microclimatic
: 75%
: 20%
:10%
The aim of e-Krishi Vision 2025 is to explore the use of ICTs in:
i. Fostering rural prosperity and grass roots level development by empowering
farmers with information, knowledge and training.
ii. Developing a decentralized, localized and non-human based extension program
with proper management and efficient delivery.
iii. Promoting, supporting and enhancing rural farm and non-farm enterprises.
iv. Mainstreaming ICTs in the areas of agricultural research, development, education,
extension and training.
v. Establishing mechanisms to receive farmers’ feedback for effective research,
development, extension and training.
ROLE OF EXTENSION SERVICE
Extension organizations have a key role in brokering between communication
technologies, providers of those technologies and services, and the client groups
they serve. Extent workers, equipped with ICTs add tremendous strength to already
existing wide rage of service. Some of those strengths include:
1. New range of additional media that can be part of the communication for
development “mix” of traditional and/or appropriate media.
2. Articulation and sharing of information on needs and local knowledge;
3. Increased efficiency in use of development resources because information is
more widely accessible;
4. Less duplication of activities
5. Rapid speed of communication - locally, nationally and globally
6. Reduced communication costs in comparison to other available communication
choices
Agriculture
Research
Institutions
DAE
Farming
Communities &
Other Stake
holders
Agriculture Research System in Bangladesh
The National Agricultural Research System (NARS) of Bangladesh consists of
ten research institutes under the umbrella of Bangladesh Agricultural
Research Council (BARC). Out of ten research institutes six belongs to
Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), two to Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
(MOFL) one to Ministry of Commerce, and one to the Forest and
Environment Ministry. In addition the NARS also comprises universities that
have casual working relationship with BARC and other related organizations.
The ten research Institutes under the NARs are:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)
Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI)
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI)
Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI)
Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI)
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)
Some of Bangladeshi and international NGOs working with ICTs
are now developing community information centers in the
country to facilitate information transmittal to the rural people.
Some NGOs partners with private organizations or local
government includeGonokendras of BRAC,
Banglalink inc.
D.NET-Pallitathaya Kendra,
GP-Communication I Dam
RTC of Practical Action,
CARE Bangladesh
BIID
mPower etc.
Potentiality of Agriculture sector
The economy of Bangladesh is largely dependent on agriculture –
80% of our total population lives in rural areas and 62% of them
directly or indirectly depend on agriculture ––
The agricultural sector contributes around 29% of the country’s
GDP
Farmers are the most important stakeholder in agriculture.
Farmers need to know information at different stages of farming.
Information need
1. Pre-cultivation
2.Crop selection,
3. Land selection,
4. Calendar definition,
5. Access to credit
6. Crop cultivation –Land preparation, sowing, water management, fertilization,
pest management
7. Post-cultivation –Marketing, transportation, packaging, food processing
We need to deliver accurate, reliable, and easily understandable information timely to
farmers in a cost effective way
Key Challenges:
1. Establishment of high speed connectivity throughout the country
2. Institutional capacity building on ICT
3. Agricultural content digitization
4. Integrated initiatives on e-agriculture
5. Effective coordination between domain experts and ICT experts.
6. Development of user friendly e-services and knowledge repository
7. Establishment of sufficient internet access points
8. Development of an appropriate business model
9. Mind set of public and private sectors services providers
Way forward -
Foot note: EASY TO SAY, But still not so easy to do!!!!