Emerging Voices in ICT and agriculture - CTA Publishing
Emerging Voices in ICT and agriculture - CTA Publishing
Emerging Voices in ICT and agriculture - CTA Publishing
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Farmer profiles<br />
The market<strong>in</strong>g tool would automatically connect<br />
<strong>in</strong>terested buyers to the young farmer concerned<br />
<strong>and</strong> would also supply contact <strong>in</strong>formation such<br />
as mobile or fixed phones, as well as email <strong>and</strong><br />
physical addresses. L<strong>in</strong>ks to social media networks<br />
would enable users <strong>and</strong> farmers to<br />
exchange knowledge <strong>and</strong> experiences <strong>and</strong> a<br />
separate section would enable visitors to download<br />
useful agricultural material <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
such as research documents <strong>and</strong> newsletters.<br />
as well as photos <strong>and</strong> videos of themselves <strong>and</strong><br />
items offered for sale. To make the service susta<strong>in</strong>able,<br />
farmers would be expected to pay for<br />
space, <strong>in</strong> order to cover the cost of develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>and</strong> manag<strong>in</strong>g the website. Expected results<br />
would be better market l<strong>in</strong>kage for young farmers,<br />
more competition, more st<strong>and</strong>ardised prices<br />
for agricultural products <strong>and</strong> time sav<strong>in</strong>gs for<br />
buyers look<strong>in</strong>g for farm products <strong>and</strong> services.<br />
Circulated to government m<strong>in</strong>istries, telecentres,<br />
organizations <strong>and</strong> via press <strong>and</strong> other media, the<br />
website would target both local <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
audiences. As its popularity grew, so too would<br />
its power as an <strong>in</strong>strument for putt<strong>in</strong>g young<br />
farmers <strong>in</strong> touch with buyers.<br />
Young farmers <strong>in</strong> the Copperbelt prov<strong>in</strong>ce would<br />
be encouraged to receive tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> basic <strong>ICT</strong><br />
literacy before be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>vited to upload details<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the nature of their bus<strong>in</strong>ess, type <strong>and</strong><br />
category of products <strong>and</strong> contact <strong>in</strong>formation,<br />
Based on the orig<strong>in</strong>al essay:<br />
“F<strong>in</strong>d the young farmer: Locat<strong>in</strong>g young farmers<br />
without limitations” by Isaac Ch<strong>and</strong>a.<br />
Key references<br />
CSO (2007) Economic Census, Central Statistical<br />
Office, Lusaka, Zambia.<br />
The M<strong>in</strong>istry of Sport Youth <strong>and</strong> Child Development<br />
(2009) National Plan of Action for Youth<br />
Development <strong>in</strong> Zambia, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Sport Youth<br />
<strong>and</strong> Child Development, Lusaka, Zambia.<br />
Shap<strong>in</strong>g the future of ACP rural development us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>ICT</strong>s... 49 |