CTA, the organization in which I work, reviewed 2 modules of this publication (Module 3: Anywhere, Anytime – Mobile Devices and Their Impact on Agriculture and Rural Development and Module 13: Strengthening Rural Governance, Institutions, and Citizen Participation Through ICT) – I reviewed Module 13.  I warmly recommend this free online publication to all people interested in ICT and agriculture. It’s a very good reference document, fully documented and referenced.  (KL)

ICT in Agriculture” e-Sourcebook 

Connecting Smallholders to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions

(World Bank/InfoDev) Realizing the profound potential of information and communication technologies in developing country agriculture, the Agriculture and Rural Development Department (ARD) of the World Bank in collaboration with infoDev (part of the World Bank Group) embarked in an effort to explore and capture the expanding knowledge and use of ICT tools in agrarian livelihoods.  

In November 2011, the World Bank released an electronic Sourcebook (e-Sourcebook) to initiate further (and better) investment in this sector.  Called “ICT in Agriculture”, the e-Sourcebook provides practitioners within and outside of the World Bank Group with lessons learned, guiding principles, and hundreds of examples and case studies on applying information and communication technologies in poor agriculture. 

The e-Sourcebook and website was made possible through the Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy program and generous funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.  Authors, reviewers, and other experts in agriculture and information and communication technology (ICT) contributed to the content, and also framed the long-term discussion on using information and communication devices in poor rural areas.  This discussion—which motivates this website—is critical to understanding the impacts of ICT on agriculture and smallholder livelihoods.  It is also critical to creating sustainable interventions as well as business models that will support the martialing forward of agriculture projects and investments that use ICT.

(…)

The e-Sourcebook is provided fully and freely …Fifteen modules touch on a wide spectrum of sub-fields in agriculture, including risk management, gender, forest governance, and farmers organizations.  The Introduction (Module 1) introduces users to the ‘ICT in agriculture’ topic, offering key themes throughout the sourcebook as well as more details on how to use it.

Each module is stand-alone in format, providing users with the advantage of selecting the module or modules closest to their interest or work.  The modules are delivered both in html and pdf format.  The pdf format can be downloaded and printed.  The full book can also be downloaded.  In this version, hyperlinks between modules are included to promote cross-referencing throughout the Sourcebook. 

ICT in Agriculture” e-Sourcebook : http://www.ictinagriculture.org/ictinag/node/105