ICT4RL session at IFAD event, Nanning, China, 1-3 Nov 2010 B.Batpurev CEO, InfoCon Co.,Ltd Email: batpurev@infocon.mn / Website: @infocon.mn.

ICT4RL session at IFAD event, Nanning, China, 1-3 Nov 2010

B.BatpurevCEO, InfoCon Co.,Ltd

Email: batpurev@infocon.mn / Website: www.infocon.mn Mongolia

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Mongolian Rural families

Herders – 170,000 families or 400,000 people

60% are young people below 35 years old

Farmers – 130,000 families or 300,000 people

Mongolia: Land - 1,564,115.75 km2 ; Population - 2,736,800 ; GDP (ppp) per capita - US$3,4812

Mongolian Agriculture sector in a glance

Source:Dugarjav Ganpurev, FIFTA

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Harvested Area and Collected Harvest of Wheat

The output of livestock production comprises 86.5% of the total output

of agricultural production

Source:Dugarjav Ganpurev, FIFTA

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Planted Field and Collected Harvest of Potatoes

The output of livestock production comprises 86.5% of the total output

of agricultural production

Source:Dugarjav Ganpurev, FIFTA

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Planted Field and Collected Harvest of Vegetables

The output of livestock production comprises 86.5% of the total output

of agricultural production

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Policy documents and national programs in Agriculture sector

The output of livestock production comprises 86.5% of the total output

of agricultural production

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Examples of ICT4RL projects…

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Prepares fortnightly report on pasture and agriculture land

Growth of Pasture land 100kg/hector

Tickness of snow, centimeter

Pasture land usage/grazed

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New technologies for ICT4RL• Share information among PIU

and other interested parties.• New technologies. It allows all

levels of website users to create their own content at ease.

• It is must to train people who are the main producers of content.

• ICTs help project results dissemination and networking

• Attach the website to Government’s ICT center. Which eliminates ICT support task from project.

Stats since 2007: Total visitors: 146,755 Of 38,959 (27%) returning visitors

Total page views: 581,119

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Price/Market watch projectObjective of Roaming Business is to improve the flow of business related

information to nomadic rural communities in Inner and Outer Mongolia. Specific objectives:

• Apply new ICT business information developments in support of dispersed nomadic rural communities , encouraging business-related information seeking behaviour amongst the sector

• Strengthen the flow of information of nomad products between regions and Inner Mongolia and Mongolia

• Create for the dissemination of the project results in other Asian countries and regions, such as PRCs Xinjiang Autonomous Region, and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan).

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“Business Information Agency” system architecture

1 – Linux, Apache MySql, PHP and Drupal2 – CENTOS, Asterisk, MYSQL, PHP and PHPAGI 3 – Mobigator for SMS and IVR

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“Business Information Agency” SMS system

• User sends/receives SMS to special number– 95960550, 95970550 and 99013039

• One SMS costs ~ 1.5 US cent• Total number of users – 1300

– Uvurkhangai – 200– Dornogobi – 240– Khuvsgul – 300– Khovd -260– Khentii – 200– Other provinces – 100

• http://www.bia.mn/en/sendsms

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“Business Information Agency” Integrated Voice Response (IVR)

system• Integrated Voice Response (IVR)

– 95960550, 95970550 and 99013039

• Outgoing call• Incoming call• Leave voice message• Call redirecting• Place a call based on special SMS• Send special SMS after call• 1 minute calling costs ~ 4.5 US cent– http://www.bia.mn/en/ivrs

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Lessons learned• The result is that the SMS was mixed

as the website is working, but the cost of managing and using the software is an issue.

• The 3,000 client database was not a viable business model for local private business or NGO

• The result of the IVR system was mixed. The concept and execution was good, but the deployment to usage was slow.

• Due to developer from India: The internet connectivity was slow and thus during deployment the development meet many issues

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Conclusion

• Problems in rural livelihoods can be solved by ICT. – But to implement ICT we have to find the right technology

that can be accessed by the users.

• Rural people are facing a digital divide,– do not have infrastructure (network, PC etc.,),– Appropriate information systems (web, software etc.,)– Lack of relevant content.– Lack of computer literacy etc.,

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Thanks for your attention

Any questions welcomeContact me at batpurev@infocon.mn

www.infocon.mn

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