Challenges and Opportunities for ICT Applications in Rural ...
Challenges and Opportunities for ICT Applications in Rural ...
Challenges and Opportunities for ICT Applications in Rural ...
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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Opportunities</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>ICT</strong><strong>Applications</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Rural</strong> DevelopmentPresented atthe International Sem<strong>in</strong>ar on <strong>ICT</strong> <strong>Applications</strong> <strong>for</strong>Agriculture/<strong>Rural</strong> Industry - APCEAMbyMaohua WangMember of Ch<strong>in</strong>ese Academy of Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>gProfessor, Ch<strong>in</strong>a Agricultural University5th April, 2004, Beij<strong>in</strong>g, Ch<strong>in</strong>aForwardsSome facts of <strong>ICT</strong> revolution:Powered by the cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g advances <strong>in</strong> microelectronics <strong>and</strong>photonics, the capacity of exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation <strong>in</strong>frastructurehas risen exponentially, while simultaneously its cost has fallen,also exponentially;The global fixed telephone users has reached 1 billion throughover one century, but s<strong>in</strong>ce the emergence of new mobile phoneto reach 1 billion users, there was only about 24 years;The recent IPv 4 Internet address resources will be fully occupied,the developed IPv6 Protocol will be capable to give each gra<strong>in</strong> ofs<strong>and</strong> on the earth surface with an <strong>in</strong>dependent address;The doubl<strong>in</strong>g time <strong>for</strong> b<strong>and</strong>width <strong>in</strong> fiber optic cables was 9 monthsrather than the 18 months <strong>for</strong> electronics, so a factor of ten billion<strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> b<strong>and</strong>width will occur <strong>in</strong> just a bit over 20 years byestimation;RFID technology will cause a goods <strong>and</strong> materials dealer flowrevolution. The biggest dealer – WALMART announced that fromJan.2005, all its first 100 large dealers shall use the RFIDtechnology <strong>in</strong> all pack<strong>in</strong>g box; from Jan.2006 they will be extendedto all sell<strong>in</strong>g goods.e-Commerce activity generated $ 1.5 trillion (10 12 ) <strong>in</strong> US, 2003. Itwas predicted that onl<strong>in</strong>e sales <strong>in</strong> US will reach 3.2 trillion, <strong>and</strong>that global sales will reach $ 6.8 trillion <strong>in</strong> 2004.One cannot discuss the impact of<strong>ICT</strong> without a deep underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g ofthe <strong>in</strong>credible pace of change !<strong>ICT</strong> should be an important technologyto support APCEAM activities:technical transfer <strong>and</strong> knowledge dissem<strong>in</strong>ation;<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation exchange <strong>and</strong> regional cooperation;cooperative project research;remote learn<strong>in</strong>g, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g; <strong>and</strong>mutual trades on agricultural equipment, etc.<strong>Opportunities</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Challenges</strong>Advances <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a A strategy to lead National Industrializationbased on In<strong>for</strong>matization A National In<strong>for</strong>matization Quotient (NIQ)based on 20 items <strong>in</strong>dexes is as another<strong>in</strong>dicator to gauge the development of GDPA favorable condition was created to foster<strong>ICT</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>and</strong> national <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>matization:‣ Rapid development of IT <strong>in</strong>dustries with 2-3 timesover the GDP <strong>in</strong>crease rate‣ The annual <strong>in</strong>crease of IT products manufactur<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>dustry reached 33.2 %‣ The annual <strong>in</strong>crease of communication bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>total reached 36.7 %‣ There were rapid exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g the Internet access <strong>and</strong>telephone communication:
4.954.94.854.84.754.74.654.64.554.54.454.44.354.34.254.24.154.14.053020104.94. 854.84. 754.74. 654.64. 554.54. 454.44. 354.34. 254.24. 154.14. 0543. 953.93. 85120100806040204.84.754.74.654.64.554.54.454.44.354.34.254.24.154.14.0543.953.93.853.8100806040204.74.654.64.554.54.454.44.354.34.254.24.154.14.0543.953.93.853.8302010Low: =5.5<strong>Rural</strong> In<strong>for</strong>matization - a component ofnational economy & social In<strong>for</strong>matization6 Key factors <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>matization: In<strong>for</strong>mation resources development<strong>ICT</strong> <strong>for</strong> Farm<strong>in</strong>g -Precision Agriculture— A Practice of Modern Precision Management<strong>for</strong> Agricultural Production System basedon In<strong>for</strong>mationIn<strong>for</strong>mation <strong>in</strong>frastructure constructionIT applications promotionIn<strong>for</strong>mation equipment manufactur<strong>in</strong>gIn<strong>for</strong>mation tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>for</strong> end users;Policy, regulation <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation st<strong>and</strong>ardizationetc.— A trans<strong>for</strong>mation of conventional, qualitativeagricultural management <strong>in</strong>to modernprecision quantitative management basedon knowledge— Modern technologies <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>tensive <strong>and</strong> meticulousfarm<strong>in</strong>g based on <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation & knowledgePA is a management strategy. It can be practicedbased on various real conditionManagement ofarable variabilityto improve efficiencyof plant growth conditionsPA practice will promote farm electronic & ITequipment R & D, new IT manufactur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustrydevelopmentGPSHighereconomic returnsReduction ofenvironmentalimpactsTransborder farm<strong>in</strong>g SystemManage farml<strong>and</strong> by zoneGIS RS Data LoggerThe practice of PA <strong>in</strong> less-developed countriesDistancebetweenstrips (m)40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200Distancebetweenpalms (m)40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200pH40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200pH thresholdsSite-specific strategies<strong>for</strong> oil palm <strong>in</strong> Malaisia40 60 80 100 120 140PF practice <strong>in</strong> BrasilPicked by h<strong>and</strong>;Weighed by blockQuality graded on farmExp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g In<strong>for</strong>mationTechnology <strong>in</strong> L<strong>and</strong> UsePrecision Forestry Precision Agriculture Precision HorticulturePrecisionFarm<strong>in</strong>gPrecisionLivestockTea estate yield maps <strong>in</strong> TanzaniaSugar yield mapp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Mauritius
Some Prior Subjects <strong>for</strong> further R & D1). Strategic problems to bridg<strong>in</strong>g digital divide <strong>in</strong> rural<strong>and</strong> agricultural field- Adoption <strong>for</strong> <strong>ICT</strong> by farmers <strong>and</strong> rural <strong>in</strong>dustries, countermeasures<strong>for</strong> the promotion;- Development of appropriate <strong>and</strong> af<strong>for</strong>dable IT technology <strong>for</strong> local<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation servers <strong>and</strong> farmers- Development of <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation advisory service <strong>in</strong>dustries <strong>for</strong> localmanagers <strong>and</strong> farmers- Provide tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>for</strong> local end users2). Extension of <strong>ICT</strong> technology <strong>for</strong> rural areas- Broadb<strong>and</strong>- Mobil systems- Location based services- Open source technology- Web technology3). IACS, traceability, precision farm<strong>in</strong>g- Control systems <strong>in</strong> Agriculture- <strong>ICT</strong> to support food safety <strong>and</strong> product traceability- Precision farm<strong>in</strong>g4). E-ruralE- E-work <strong>and</strong> e-bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong> rural regions- New tools <strong>in</strong> rural development- <strong>ICT</strong> application <strong>in</strong> tourism development <strong>in</strong> rural areas- Distance learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> its roll <strong>in</strong> rural development5). Application <strong>ICT</strong> <strong>for</strong> agriculture- Spatial In<strong>for</strong>mation Technology (GPS, GIS, RS) <strong>for</strong> ruralresources <strong>and</strong> environment management <strong>and</strong> farm<strong>in</strong>g- In<strong>for</strong>mation systems <strong>for</strong> management- Web technologies <strong>for</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess- Open source solution <strong>for</strong> farmersConclusion Remarks<strong>ICT</strong> as one of the fast chang<strong>in</strong>g advanced technologies hasbrought world-wide impacts <strong>and</strong> emerged as a <strong>for</strong>ce modernagriculture <strong>and</strong> food production over the past two decades. It owesits success to the developments <strong>in</strong> microelectronics <strong>and</strong> softwaresystems through personal computers, l<strong>in</strong>ked to Internet; mobiletelephones <strong>and</strong> global position<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> geographic <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mationsystem popularization. It is already become common items <strong>in</strong>agricultural sectors <strong>in</strong> some parts of the world. More <strong>in</strong>telligentmach<strong>in</strong>es <strong>and</strong> processes are becom<strong>in</strong>g reachable based onanalysis of human behaviour. Multiple services were per<strong>for</strong>med toidentify reason why <strong>ICT</strong> is not adapted as much as predicted <strong>in</strong>many countries <strong>and</strong> rural areas. Reduc<strong>in</strong>g the digital divide <strong>in</strong>develop<strong>in</strong>g countries <strong>and</strong> various rural regions is a crucialchallenge. It should be worthy concern by the APCEAM <strong>in</strong> furtheractivities to promote the regional agricultural eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>mechanization technology cooperation, <strong>and</strong> agro-<strong>in</strong>dustrydevelopment as well.Welcome toOlympics ofAgriculturalEng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>GoldenBeij<strong>in</strong>g !2004 CIGROct.11 – 14http://www.2004cigr.orgScientific Programs of 2004 CIGR, Beij<strong>in</strong>gSESSION I<strong>in</strong> conjunction with the 7th Inter-regionalconference on environment & water.SESSION II <strong>in</strong> conjunction with the 1st Technical Symposiumof CIGR Section VIISESSION III <strong>in</strong> conjunction with 1st Technical Symposium ofCIGR Section VII – (IT <strong>for</strong> Agriculture)SESSION IV: Conservation tillage <strong>and</strong> Susta<strong>in</strong>able SmallFarm<strong>in</strong>gSESSION V:FORUM onEquipment & Facilities Technologies <strong>for</strong> ModernAgricultureDevelopment Strategy of ABE Discipl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>and</strong>EducationThank you!
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