ICT role for agricultural development and good governance

Gosa Delechew

Abstract

It was attempted to identify the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for promoting Good Governance and Agricultural Development in the context of southern Ethiopia. Active citizen participation, the provision of high-quality service delivery, influence on government decision-making and execution, the improvement of government-citizen relationship, and the creation of transparency, are among the indispensable roles that ICT can play. The overall implication is the prevalence of rule of law, the ultimate characteristic of good governance in a country. Such governance transformations significantly contribute to the promotion of agricultural development and the consequent long-term transformation of the economy. ICT can play a crucial role in benefiting resource-strapped farmers with up-to-date knowledge and information on agricultural technologies, best practices, markets, price trends, and weather conditions. The experiences of most countries indicate that rapid development of ICT, which facilitates the flow of data and information, has tremendously enhanced knowledge management practice in agriculture. However, the use of ICT for the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge and information is still low in Ethiopia, despite progress made over recent decades. Currently, among various ICT- related initiatives, radio is widely used to inform users on agricultural topics, including new and upgraded farming techniques, production management, and market information. Due to its strategic importance in reaching the majority of smallholders, attempts are being made to strengthen the delivery of knowledge and information through radio programs. Unlike previous trends in using traditional ICT tools (i.e., radio and TV), the use of modern ICT (computers, internet, mobile telephony, etc.) is achieving popular adoption in the small towns of the country. It is found that low infrastructural development is the main challenge for ICT in the rural areas of southern Ethiopia.