CARDI Presentation

ICT deployment at the Caribbean Agricultural Research and

Development Institute (CARDI)

Denise Besai Project Coordinator, CARDI

ICT Observatory Meeting – Strengthening e-agriculture strategies in ACP countries

24-26 April, 2013The Netherlands

Presentation Outline

About CARDI ICTs in the agricultural Research Process Knowledge sharing and collaboration tools in the

Agricultural Research Cycle ICTs deployed at CARDI Challenges to ICT Deployment at CARDI Early Initiatives What has CARDI been doing…. Project: Using ICTs to strengthen agricultural

value chains in the Caribbean

About CARDI

Established in 1975, to serve the agricultural research and development needs of 12 members states.

Work programme designed to achieve the regional objectives outlined for advancing the agricultural sector and the demands of our stakeholders

Where we work

CARDI’s Medium Term Plan

Strategic Axis I:Development of Sustainable Science, Technology and Innovation deployed to contribute to the Region’s food and nutrition security all within the context of the optimal utilisation and conservation of our natural resources.

Strategic Axis 2:Development of Strategic Linkages Work with agencies / institutions to acquire the resources needed to deliver effective Research for Development (R4D) and the promotion of CARDI

Strategic Axis 3 :Institutional Capacity BuildingProgrammes to build the capacity of CARDI staff, as well as that of partners and stakeholders and to mobilise and manage human and physical

Strategic Axis I Commodity Development Crops and Livestock Germplasm Emerging Issues Protected Agriculture Biotechnology development Technical systems and services Promotion of Science, Technology and

Innovation Invasive species management Climate change for agriculture development Soil management Water management

Strategic Axis 2 Regional R&D strategies Relationships with key institutions and partners Membership base of CARDI and “Friends of

CARDI” Branding CARDI as the preferred R&D institution

in CARICOM

Strategic Axis 3 Donor/resource agency mobilisation Technical assistance CARDI commercial activities Human resource capacity Rebrand human capacity; talent management Maintenance

ICTs in the Agricultural Research Process

Information and Communication Technologies: Makes the research process more inclusive and

focused Facilitates greater collaboration (conceptualization,

application of results) Facilitates access to data, information and

knowledge Enables the sharing of research results ,

knowledge Encourages participation decision making process

Definition:Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be described as a combination of hardware, software and the means of production that enable the exchange, processing and management of information and knowledge

Knowledge sharing and collaboration tools in the Agricultural Research Cycle

Identifying research priorities

Planning research

Conducting the research

Developing research

results into outputs

Dissemination of results

and products

Understand stakeholder needsConsult with wider group of stakeholders

ICTs provide ways for people to become involved

ICTs facilitates data collection, analysis and validation, monitoring research progress, information sharing

ICTs allows for collaboration and feedback on the development of information production

Various pathways for information to flow to target groups

Adopted from: CGIAR ICT-KM ProgramManning and Thomas 2009

ICTs deployed at CARDI

Challenges to ICT Deployment at CARDI

Inadequate financial resources Inadequate human capacity

Retaining ICT expertise is difficult Outsource a number of critical activities: website

maintenance, upgrade and maintenance of infrastructure

Lack of awareness of new and emerging tools/applications etc.

Lack of investment in ICT by CARDI cripples researchers from adopting and using ICT

Data generated – info. Generated from donor funded not available to the public – ownership, confidentiality

Political – need to respond to political directorate. If they don’t see the need for ICTs then incorporating tools and applications may not be very easy…

Early Initiatives………..

CAIS (Caribbean Agricultural Information Service) Designed to provide access to timely, accurate, relevant and current agricultural information to stakeholders. At the national level focused on collecting, analysing and repackaging information.

Procicaribe (Program for Cooperation of Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology in the Caribbean)

This network linked different agricultural services together in the Caribbean. It was established with support from CARDI, IDB, and IICA in 1996. Each regional network had a regional coordinator and a group of national coordinators representing the national programs.

Project: Enhancing Soil and Water Resource Management

How ICTs were utilised…….

Project Design : Google docs, email and Skype

E-Discussion (Pre-Workshop):D-groups platform, to elicit feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders

Workshop :40 participants, workshop streamed over the internet, proceedings

available on CARDI website, media reports generated and broadcasted across all forms of the regional media (radio, tv, newspaper)

Development of Policy Briefs Drafts discussed via Go To Meeting, used Web 2.0 tools to review and

finalise drafts, Policy Briefs and all information generated during the project available online

Regional CARICOM Food and

Nutrition Security Plan Regional Transformation Programme, Lilliendaal

Declaration on Agriculture National

ICT Strategies in most of the CARDI

territories that makes special reference to agricultural sector

Institutional Medium Term Plan , Communication and Outreach Strategy Capacity Building

Opportunities for Staff and stakeholders Design of specific

projects

Policies and plans for ICTs in the Agricultural Sector in the Region

What has CARDI been doing…… Medium Term Plan Outreach and communication strategy

Internal communication Strengthen the “weak” linkages between research

and extension Capacity building measures with international

partners and the private sector Continue to lobby for funding to improve agricultural

information and communication management Increased investment in the ICT infrastructure and

tools Development of Policy Options and engaging on Policy

Dialogue to encourage the adoption of ICTs in agricultural research

Deliberately designing and implementing appropriate and sustainable ICT components in agricultural research and development projects

Monitoring and Evaluation (M+E) Unit at CARDI to evaluate the impact of projects

What has CARDI been doing……

Project: Using ICTs to strengthen agricultural value chains in the Caribbean

A 2 year project that will help us to better understand ICT uses in agricultural value chains in the Caribbean.

Activities Stakeholder consultation ICT Study of the Roots and Tubers and Small

Ruminants Value Chain (identify innovative models, projects and recommendations that can be later shared with other ACP Regions)

Policy Brief Development Media Relations to make public the progress of the

project and the results

Moving to an e-agriculture strategy for the region???

Elements of an e-agriculture strategy will be identified in the Synthesis reportFactors to be considered: Role of youth and women and disenfranchised

groups Role of the private sector Policy environment and ways of strengthening

it Investment Content management – dealing with traditional

knowledge and grassroots groups

Thank you

www.cardi.orgImproving lives through agricultural research