Information and communication technology initiatives for knowledge sharing in agriculture

Abstract

A survey on status and trends of information and communication technologies (ICT) use for knowledge sharing in agriculture was attempted. Among asian countries, India comes under the second next category after the advanced user category comprising Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Both profit-motive and business augmentation on one hand and community services and rural welfare on the other have been the objectives of ICT-based models in agriculture in India. Major ICTs endeavours for agriculture and rural concerns include multifaceted projects and services of National Informatics Centre, 'Bhoomi' of Karnataka, Village Information Centres of Government of India, ITC's e-Choupal, TARAhaat, iKisan.com, i-Villages of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) of Swaminathan Research Foundation, i-Community of Hewlett-Packard, Warana Wired Village Project, n-Logue, 'Gyandoot' of Government of Madhya Pradesh, Knowledge Network for Grass Root Innovations of the Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution, Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and several others. The ICT endeavours for agriculture belong to a wide array of agencies, viz private sector, public sector, self-help groups and NGOs, and also include combined endeavours. e-Learning is being increasingly resorted to both in (i) in campus or 'presence' mode, and (ii) 'distance' mode. Its use is gradually easing-out the stakeholders from the stranglehold of the inter-deterrence of the 3 arms of the 'Iron Triangle', viz (i) quality, (ii) access, and (iii) cost. The social groups having less mobility are poised to benefit more from this mode of education. This could also be one of the potent tools to bring about gender mainstreaming. e-Learning is being integrated into the existing organizational and educational structure as a hybrid system that can be called 'ICT-supported learning'. Connectivity, content development, infrastructure development, faculty developmeat, need assessment on a continuum, linking the node3 and formation of consortia etc. are the areas identified that need to be supported and developed.