Ifad boosts Economic growth in rural communities

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and
the Intel® Corporation in order to drive greater food
security, job creation and long-term economic growth for
farmers and their families in developing countries.
John Davies, an Intel® Corporation Vice President and
general manager of the World Ahead Program, and Kanayo
F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for
Agricultural Development, at signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding in New York on 22 September 2014. ©IFAD/
Radhika Chalasani
The agreement was signed in New York City by John Davies,
an Intel Vice President, and general manager of the World
Ahead Program, and Kanayo F. Nwanze, IFAD President.
The cooperation agreement promises to increase small
farmers' access to Information and Communication
Technology (ICT)-based knowledge platforms via a new
Intel software suite called "eAgro Suite". These software
tools will help small farmers with more informed decision
making on key aspects including seed and fertilizer
selection, harvest planning and sales management.
"Farming, at whatever scale, is a business. To ensure that
smallholders continue to play a critical role in global food
and nutrition security, they will need access to technology
and to information, which is key to their success," Nwanze
said. "No single entity - whether public or private, including
smallholder farmers themselves- can succeed by itself. But
working together, we can create partnerships that are
sustainable, productive, profitable and inclusive. Rural
areas need more investment, and also the right kind of
investment."
In a remarkably short period of time, internet and mobile
technology have become a part of everyday life for many in
the developing world as more than 80 per cent of the
population have mobile and cellular subscriptions.
Currently one-third of the world has access to the internet,
however, many of those connected are living in cities. Still
access remains out of reach for many rural women and
men. In nine of the poorest countries in the world broadband
continues to cost more than 200 per cent of average
monthly income.
"We are delighted to be working with IFAD on using
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to
improve small farmer productivity. ICT can contribute to
increasing yields, lower operating costs and go-to- market,
all of which help global food security," said John Davies,
Intel Vice President and general manager World Ahead
Program. "The Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd (GISB)
has the potential to bring low cost ICT, applications
expertise and business models to IFAD's network of more
than 250 supported programs in 90 countries that can help
deliver localized solutions to the farming communities."
John Davies, an Intel® Corporation Vice President and
general manager of the World Ahead Program, and Kanayo
F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for
Agricultural Development, at signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding in New York on 22 September 2014. ©IFAD/
Radhika Chalasani
Since 2004, IFAD has been working on ICT programmes,
including its First Mile Project that provides rural women
and men information through mobile phones, the Internet
and e-mail while giving them access to other key people in
the market chain, including processors, traders and
consumers.
Already in Cambodia through the partnership, smallholder
farmers have been provided a step-by-step software
programme to analyse soil, determine fertiliser
requirements, advise on best seeds and deal with pests and
diseases. The people trained to use the software --
"entrepreneurs" - are given immediate access to a pool of
specialists via the software with all the knowledge they
need at their fingertips. The software comes from Grameen
Intel Social Business Ltd, which was set up by Intel
Corporation and the Grameen Trust to respond to global
social problems.
Similar software is being used in India, where it has helped
small farmers increase their production by around 300 per
cent. The initial collaboration will start in IFAD-supported
projects in the Asia Pacific Region, with the intention that
collaboration may expand to other regions and at the global
level.