By Charles Mkoka
LILONGWE, Malawi - Technological innovation taking place at breath-taking is expected to spur Africa's agri-business initiatives at grassroots through the use of simple, open source internet-based applications and services designed to enhance on-line collaboration to the wider public at little or no cost By utilising remotely located telecentres established in rural areas farmers will now collaborate to create, share and publish information on various farm products to reach out to distant markets.
This was disclosed during a week long training session on web 2.0 and social media for development in Lilongwe, to build capacity in agriculturalists, communicators and sector related experts to embrace social media for development to enhance agriculture and food security for the betterment of Africa.
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation that financially supported initiative in collaboration with Malawi National Library Services that facilitated the programme disclosed this innovation can be used to advance agriculture interventions for the betterment of fsrmers.
This is inline with the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in fullfilling one of it's most important pillars 'Market Access," while enhancing information sharing among farmers. CAADP vision is to increase market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade-related interventions.
This is inline with the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in fullfilling one of it's most important pillars 'Market Access," while enhancing information sharing among farmers. CAADP vision is to increase market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade-related interventions.
Malawi has scores of telecentres that are scattered in remote areas of the country, farmers can reach to as many clients as possible and engage in trade agreements in farm produce such as maize, beans, bananas including vegetables. More over, those involved in value addition such as Bee-Keeping for instance can as well be able to link with potential clients faster and bargain on better prices using affordable communication means.
Gray Nyali, National Librarian took time to read some of the recommendations by the participants who called the organisers to add more trainers to the sessions. They were also additional calls to improve internet bandwith connectivity to ensure that practicals are done efficiently.
Nyali added that as a service provider they have tried their best to ensure that they get the best connectivity, but challenges are inevitable at times in the field of information technology. He promised improvements in future sessions and agreed with the participants that time was indeed not enough pledging that as a resource provider they will continue to offer the best.
He urged articipants to subscribe to CTA periodicals and promised to improve the nature of the services offered especially in the field of agriculture, being the backbone of the country.
Gray Nyali, National Librarian took time to read some of the recommendations by the participants who called the organisers to add more trainers to the sessions. They were also additional calls to improve internet bandwith connectivity to ensure that practicals are done efficiently.
Nyali added that as a service provider they have tried their best to ensure that they get the best connectivity, but challenges are inevitable at times in the field of information technology. He promised improvements in future sessions and agreed with the participants that time was indeed not enough pledging that as a resource provider they will continue to offer the best.
He urged articipants to subscribe to CTA periodicals and promised to improve the nature of the services offered especially in the field of agriculture, being the backbone of the country.
By actively enganging players in agriculture and rural development, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation in the domains of Information Communication Technology for development (ICT4D), policies, markets; publishing, communication and media. These can pay off dividends to the masses on the ground.
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