Title: Connected Agriculture Developing Smart, Connected Rural Communities
Author: Bharat Popat, Contributors: James Macauley, Gustavo Menendez-Bernales
Pages: 12 pp.
Publisher: Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG)
Date (published): 17/07/2009
Date (accessed): 27/11/2009
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
To escape poverty, smallholder farmers need to enhance their skills and knowledge, and the entire smallholder-dominant value chain needs to become more competitive. The combined effect of these two factors can improve agricultural productivity and raise the incomes of rural dwellers.
The Internet can play a pivotal role by providing a cost-effective way to deliver information services to a large, dispersed population. Internet technology can deliver knowledge to farmers and planning tools to agribusinesses, and connects the various players in the value chain so they can conduct commerce more efficiently.
Despite the challenges of providing and adopting information and communications technology (ICT), use of the Internet for rural development is about to reach an inflection point. Nations that lead in the deployment and use of Internet technology for agriculture will gain an economic and social advantage.

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