MAKING ICT WORKFOR THE RURAL POOR

Michael RiggsKnowledge and Capacity for DevelopmentOffice of Knowledge Exchange Research and Extension

Development Disasters - 1

Development Disasters - 2

Mobile Technology

Mobile phones are the success story of bridging the rural digital divide,

bringing tangible economic benefits and acting asagents of social mobilization

through improved communication.

Agricultural Value Chains

ICTs play an important role in agricultural value chains.

However, many rural farmers stilldo not have access to or the capacity to use ICT.

Individual expense prioritization oftendoes not rank agricultural information highly.

Gender, Agriculture and ICT

Women play an important role in agriculture,comprising 43% of agricultural labor globally.

Yet they have less access toagricultural information, extension services, and

ICTs.Close gender gap,

increase farm yields 20-30%.

Statistics from FAO SOFA 2010-11

Female farmer produce less

They are not less efficient…

…they use fewer inputs.

Challenges

Working for the Poor Agricultural Information Services

Relevance Affordability

Mobile network Agricultural information

Accessibility: visual content Prioritize Gender Issues

Strategic focus on women

Thank you

Michael Riggs

michael.riggs@fao.org

@mongkolroek

www.fao.org

@e_agriculture

www.e-agriculture.org