One laptop per family can help transform Guyana’s agricultural sector

Jan 24, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
Guyana’s agricultural policies and plans have been developed and implemented by focusing on agricultural diversification. The agricultural diversification plan gives high priority to national production, where more than 60% of the population depends on farming for their livelihood.
Agriculture shares about 35% of the national GDP making the country predominantly agriculture based. The agriculture sector utilizes a huge mass of unskilled, economically active population. This sector has been receiving the highest priority of the government and in this regard the introduction of the One Laptop per Family Project by the Office of the President is most welcomed.
E-Agriculture is an emerging field in the intersection of agricultural informatics, agricultural development and entrepreneurship, referring to agricultural services, technology dissemination, and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies. More specifically, it involves the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation and application of new (innovative) ways to use existing or emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs). E-Agriculture goes beyond technology, to promote the integration of technology with multimedia, knowledge and culture, with the aim of improving communication and learning processes between various actors in agriculture locally, regionally and worldwide. Facilitation, support of standards and norms, technical support, capacity building, education, and extension are all key components to e-Agriculture.
There are several types of activity related to e-agriculture applications that are widely recognised around the world today. The delivery of agricultural information and knowledge services (i.e. market prices, extension services, etc) using the Internet and related technologies falls under the definition of e-Agriculture. More advanced applications of e-agriculture in farming exist in the use of sophisticated ICTs such as satellite systems, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), advanced computers and electronic systems to improve the quantity and quality of production.
Guyana’s food production and productivity can be increased by an effective use of ICT for agricultural purposes. Some Developed Nations are using laser technology instead of tractors to plough lands. This helps in optimizing the use of various inputs such as water, seeds, fertilizers, etc. The problem is that most Guyanese farmers cannot afford this technology; with the introduction of the READ and the ADP Projects that offer funding to support for agricultural infrastructure development, the use of this technology can be realised. Further, power and electricity also remains a major problem for farmers in the Hinterland and alternative means of power like solar energy panels, regulated and optimized by ICT, can be a blessing for them.
Some of the benefits of ICT for the improvement and strengthening of agriculture sector in Guyana include timely information on weather forecasts and extreme events, better and spontaneous agricultural practices, better marketing exposure and pricing, reduction of agricultural risks and enhanced incomes, better awareness and information, improved networking and communication, facility of online trading and e-commerce, better representation at various forums, authorities and platform, etc.
Currently most farmers’ information is provided either by extension workers, through libraries or via websites. The number of extension workers has been enough for the growing farming population; hence the need for innovative information systems to address this gap. The introduction and implementation of the “One Laptop per Family Project” is one such initiative. Seeking information from websites, and other platforms, can become an onerous task for the farmers as it entails ploughing through many publications or surfing a large number of web-pages.
Further, for the illiterate farmer, this becomes impossible right from the onset. Nevertheless, these are very useful resources and all that is needed is to provide an easy way for the farmers to navigate them. Putting the relevant information on a customized laptop for a farming family can erase all the hardship of accessing information.
The One Laptop per Family Project has taken many steps and initiatives at national level in the fields of agriculture and therefore, initiatives for e-agriculture in Guyana can be accelerated.
Bissasar Chintamanie

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One laptop per family can help transform Guyana’s agricultural sector

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