Farms & Internet

Farmers prefer to work outside the field rather than sitting "surfing the net". There is a project that is gradually making them change that habit.

Small project, great meaning

Recently, Mr. Bui Van Hai, chairman of Ninh Giang Commune People's Committee (Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh) often went to work half an hour earlier to have time to go to the Internet, especially to the site for farmers (http:///nguoinongdan.vietnamgateway.org) of Vietnam Development Portal (VnDG) (*) to exploit information for farmers in the commune. Moreover, Mr. Hai also decided to buy 2 more computers for the People's Committee, serving information exploitation and administration.

This change occurred after Ninh Giang was chosen by VnDG as one of four communes of Ninh Binh to deploy a pilot model of providing two-way information to farmers via the Internet.

This project not only has an impact on the scope of testing, but also positively affects other localities. Teacher Tran Van Minh, a poor teacher at Quang Thien secondary school (Kim Son and Ninh Binh districts) also used computers of specialized access schools for farmers and found information about rose cultivation techniques. Mr. Minh applied this technique and as a result, his family life became prosperous. Mr. Minh also brought the above-mentioned knowledge to farmers to help others escape poverty.

The experiment process stimulated many farmers to get excited about the Internet, even from home computers. Mr. Bui Van Hai said, there are days when people ask hundreds of questions for model implementers.

Ninh Binh provincial government highly appreciates the test results and directs the expansion of the model to the whole province. In addition to Ninh Binh, VnDG also tested this model in 4 communes in Thai Binh province and also obtained similar results. Many science and technology associations (science and technology) in the provinces are eager to bring the model to the locality. According to Mr. Vu Duc Dam, Deputy Minister of Posts and Telematics, this is a very small project in terms of financial scale, but has great significance.

Something about the model

Dr. Tran Thi Thu Huong, director of VnDG, said that the model of providing two-way information is aimed at helping people access agricultural information, scientific and technical knowledge and information serving life on the Internet quickly. effective, reliable, contributing to promoting IT application in the area of ​​low educational level, thereby helping farmers to self-eradicate poverty.

Participating in this model, there are factors with the following roles:

VnDG project board collected and developed information on VnDG portal and specialized page for farmers; receive and process requests for information sent; transshipment requests for information between relatives and experts and consulting units; explain the model, provide technical training, guide access, use the Internet, exploit information; coordinate the participants.

Commune cultural post offices (CPOs) receive the demand for information of people and send email to VnDG to request information; look up, get answers, print and transfer information to informants; guide and support people to use the Internet. The problems of transmission lines, equipment connected at the posts and posts, training of staff members in the city . are handled by the provincial post office.

Commune authorities direct local organizations and associations to provide information to people; direct information dissemination through the commune's radio system, through associations; provide information requirements, content requirements, programs, training training plans, technology transfer to the commune and coordinate with VnDG to organize training and training activities in the commune.

A number of positive individuals selected by the commune authorities have the task of gathering requests for information from relatives, authorities, organizations and associations at the grassroots and moving to CPO or direct transfer to VnDG; receive information from the CPO or VnDG transfer to the People's Committee, disseminate it to relatives via radio or directly.

Agricultural experts and some organizations are partners that provide information, knowledge, advice and answers as required by VnDG; coordinate knowledge dissemination through distance or direct training.

To improve

However, the application of the model faces some difficulties. That is the shyness of most farmers, including commune officials for IT and Internet. Some qualified CPO staff are not high, so they are confused and less active in encouraging people to use the Internet. Some commune officials were selected to be active but busy members, so they did not spend time on this work. The dial-up connection is too slow and the cost is expensive, making it difficult for people to exchange information despite the huge demand. The CPOs are few, not extensive enough, so it is not convenient for those who live far away.

Mr. Duong Ba Truc, vice president and general secretary of the Science and Technology Association of Lao Cai province commented: Farmers do not like to sit 1-2 hours to find information on the Internet. They prefer 1-2 hours of field work. On the other hand, information on the internet is vast, not understandable, while farmers' needs are very specific and different. Therefore, the selection, processing and response of information is very important.

Another important point in implementing this model is to understand the needs of farmers. According to some observers, the afternoon (providing information) has done relatively well, but the opposite is not. The dissemination of farmers 'experience, receiving requests, and answering farmers' questions is still a little less.

In addition, many opinions said that the information about pre-harvest technologies on the site is quite rich, but the post-harvest technologies, such as preservation and processing . are still sketchy. Information needs to be more diversified, not confined to science and technology, business. The supply needs to be selected because the information on the Internet is not always reliable. There should be specific models and training, because farmers like specifically, like to look at their eyes and touch their hands. Coordination mechanisms and funding sources are very important for effective models.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Tang, vice president of the Association of Science and Technology Associations (abbreviated as LHH), should take the Science and Technology Association of the localities as the core to coordinate the implementation of the model. Funding can be supported by the Ministry of Post and Telematics. In addition, LHH will call on international organizations to support. Mr. Vu Duc Dam said that the Public Utility Telecommunication Fund of the industry has a contribution of up to VND 1,000 billion per year, of which a part of IT will be spent. Mr. Dam also introduced a model of village CPOs (implemented in Bac Ninh) that could be applied to this project, and said it would encourage the post sector to bring ADSL to remote areas.

------------------------------------------------
(*): VnDG (Vietnam Development Gateway) is a project of the Center for Sustainable Development - Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, and is part of the Global Development Portal (DG-Development Gateway).

Thuy Anh