Influencing Our World Through Web 2.0 and Social Media Applications.

 Most people think that it’s only when you are powerful, rich and wealthy or maybe when you are in a position to get things done easily without getting involved, then, you are said to be influential. This impression is wrong because anybody whether ordinary or extraordinary can be in a position to influence the world for better when provided with the appropriate resources. What are we doing differently to influence the world positively?

Web 2.0 applications and Social media are deeply rooted in our daily activities. We use it for different purposes, for example to propagate information, interact with friends and family, business partners and associate, to share personal activities, thoughts, ideas, plans, communicate with people we lead and to do much more. We must realize for us to influence our world positively through Web 2.0 and social media, we must be willing to give, share and be social. We must always be ready to disclose information, innovations, inventions, ideas, insights, skills and researches that are at our disposal in which we can share, teach and expose to other people who will find it useful to develop themselves and also develop other people around them creating chains of value sharing and value reproduction.

The world of Web 2.0 and Social media is a unique one. Web 2.0 applications such as Blogger, Word press and more have given voice to people who have what it takes to influence the world, people can now share their thoughts, ideas, views and opinions regarding any issues and in so doing preconception orientations can be changed, battered mindsets can be reshaped, wrong views and opinions can be corrected, people lacking knowledge can acquire skills and be informed on things they don’t know. We could see how critical it might become when we are not rising up to the challenge and breakthrough the purview to influencing our community for better using these tools.

However, we must note that Social media applications are instrument of change that will help make great impact and be a force to reckon with in the society if we make better use of these applications. It’s up to us to choose where we really want to engage but, I believe we all have something we know a lot about and can do really well. We all have a space to fill in the world. It will be unfair if we underestimate ourselves and the power of Social media when it comes to influencing people around us by making the various Web 2.0 and Social media tool as a channel to ignite change and to address all the challenges facing our various Countries, States, Local Governments and communities. You can start blogging and write about what you know how to do best so that people can benefit from your skills, you can also write about the challenges your community is facing and you can use the avenue to interact with people and organization that will resolve those issues, you can create a Facebook page and share your views with your audience. Joining Google + community will help increase your audience and get access to wide range of information regarding all the interests groups you joined.

Managing all of this tools and applications can seem overwhelming but you don’t have to worry because HootSuite will get the job done, it has helped in bridging the gap in social media integration.

HootSuite gives you a platform to share your post, information and articles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google + all at once without having to visit the websites. It also have App store which are like add-ons and can be installed on the HootSuite platform for ease of management and use. 

Using all of these tools positively in the right direction can take anybody to a position of power and influence in the world. Web 2.0 and Social media applications are free for anyone to use. Abuse of these applications will bring insignificance to the result that could be achieved. Using these applications in the wrong directions will devalue it and people won’t see it as a weapon to reshape our society. These applications are free, powerful, flexible and friendly waiting for us to use them for development and to influence the world around us for better tomorrow and a rebirth for people who are dead in thought.

Re-posted from http://infotechnohub.blogspot.com/

My fellow colleagues over there, for further collaboration here in is my profile

DR. JULIUS OLATUNDE AYINDE

Julius Olatunde Ayinde of Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile - Ife, Osun State, Nigeria was born in early 70s. He served as Technical Assistant to the Supervisor of a Catholic-based NGO called Rural Development Project (RUDEP) in Osogbo between 2000 - 2001 and became Lecturer at Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Osun State between 2005 - 2008, where he rose to the post of Lecturer III. He joined the services of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in September 2008 as an Assistant Lecturer and completed his Ph.D. in 2011. Dr. Ayinde obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture with second upper (Agricultural Extension and Rural Development) from University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State; M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. He belongs to many local professional associations among which are Nigerian Rural Sociological Association (NRSA); National Research and Development Network of Children and Youth in Agriculture Programme in Nigeria (CYIAP-network); Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON) and Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN) to mention but a few since 2006 to date. He has attended numerous learned conferences and workshops locally and internationally in Nigeria, Botswana, Canada; and has published numerous articles related to community development, child and youth studies, agricultural extension and rural development in reputable local and international academic journals.

Good day to you all over there. I am using opportunity to appreciate you, particularly those of you who attended the Web 2. 0 and social media training last week together with me. Also, I will you compliment of the season. Thank you for being there.

GROUP2: Web2.0 and social media for food security

Web 2.0 and Social Media for Food Security

Authors

GROUP 2

1. JOHNBULL PROMISE johnbullpromise@gmail.com

2. ADEFIOYE ADEDAYO dydoc4real@gmail.com

3. TOKURAH MAJID jidkod@gmail.com

4. FOLASHADE MAKINDE sademakin@gmail.com

5. POPOOLA popoolakunvic@gmail.com

6. AKANDE JOHN akandenew@gmail.com

7. AYINDE JULIUS OLATUNDE tundeyjoy@gmail.com

Web 2.0 and social media has helped to furnish world wide available information on food security (see Figure 1) and the impacts are seen in improved accessibility to food  and  enhanced availability of safe, sufficient and nutritious food to meet dietary needs. According to Ban Ki-moon (2014), all of these will have impact on water consumption over the coming decades.

Every year since 2009 CTA has successfully implemented a series of training events known as Web 2.0 and Social Media Learning Opportunities in 35 ACP countries. This has resulted in approximately 3,000 trained people, 38% of whom are women. Feedback from beneficiaries (individuals and institutions) has been extremely positive.

In May 2013 the project was awarded the WSIS Project Prize 2013 in the category e-agriculture. Each event lasts for 5 days and accommodates approximately 25-28 trainees who are selected on the basis of applications submitted after an open call. This allows trainees to perfect their skills through self-learning. This year CTA has extended the initiative to additional ACP countries in partnership with local host institutions. This very laudable initiative will in no small way help and assist farmers; and other agricultural development stakeholders especially in the area of food security.

As we know food security is a condition related to the ongoing availability of food. Concerns over food security have existed throughout history, but according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food security "exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life"

Now how does web 2.0 and social media help to achieve this purpose and desire, since web 2.0 as well as the social media has to do with interaction facilitating communication as well as information sharing and collaboration, suffice it to say that this is a perfect medium to achieve this. Food security is the availability of food, if the rural farmers in our various communities have access to information and the tools of web 2.0, would be very easy to collaborate, interact, communicate as well as share ideas on their various and particular food or rather farm produce, it would create an enabling environment of work and fun  as well as equality. Where farmers have access to proper information in real time which create the availability of goods, a particular food in scarcity would be no doubt available. In simple terms this is the required; to  assuage the problems of food security that exist in our world today.

Also, the IFAD President on the occasion of the 33rd observance of World Food Day, said that he was not going to talk the world about the 842 million men, women and children who go to bed hungry every night. Appalling as that statistic is, because he felt people already know about the human suffering caused by poverty and hunger, and the role played by climate change and unstable economies.

“Today, what I want to talk to you about is not what is wrong, but about the steps we must take to set it right. I want to talk about three elements that are preconditions for sustainability. Three things that need to change because, without them, all of our well-meant efforts will not be generating the lasting benefits that 842 million people need.

The first thing that must change is government policy. It is time for governments to go beyond words to action. Every country needs policies for inclusive growth to maximize its food production potential, and in many countries that means supporting smallholder-led agriculture. This includes policies that offer incentives for investment in agriculture and reduce the risks for farmers and private sector partners alike. Policies that encourage inclusive business models. Policies that facilitate the ability of poor farmers to access finance and technology and to have rights to water and land.

We are starting to see progress, with national policies being tailored to local needs. In Burundi, for example, IFAD supported CAADP in lobbying for policy changes. As a result, the government has introduced fertilizer subsidies and increased the share of the budget to agriculture from 3.6 per cent in 2010 to 10 per cent in 2012; or in Panama, where an IFAD-supported project provided economic and logistic support for negotiating laws for indigenous peoples’ land rights.

And there are also encouraging developments with Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency, Tanzania’s Growth Corridor. And, of course, our own country, Nigeria, which has made agriculture a top priority of its Transformation Agenda.

Now to the second element – of effective institutions – because policies are only worth the paper they are written on if they are supported by strong institutions. We have seen the power of institutions to transform agriculture and economies in Brazil, where EMBRAPA, working jointly with other national and state level institutions, has contributed to an enormous transformation in just 30 years. Today, Brazil is no longer a food importer and becoming one of the biggest producers and exporters in the world.

The third essential element for sustainable food systems is infrastructure, from production to processing plants, warehouses, roads and ports. Today, more than one third of the rural population of sub-Saharan Africa lives five hours from the nearest market town of 5,000 people, making transport and marketing costs too high. Across the continent, badly maintained roads are the norm. Equally important are processing and storage facilities. An estimated 20 to 40 per cent of crop production is lost in sub-Saharan Africa because of deterioration after harvest. Post-harvest losses on this scale are scandalous, particularly on a continent where millions of people go hungry.

We know that smallholders can contribute to sustainable food systems if they have well-functioning infrastructure, supportive policies and institutions. We have seen it in Brazil, China, Malaysia, and Viet Nam.

Also, the World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Commonly, the concept of food security is defined as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences ("Food Security", 1996).

Food security is built on three pillars:

• Food availability: sufficient quantities of food available on a consistent basis.
• Food access: having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
• Food use: appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation.

Social media and Web 2.0 tools are are strong and powerful technologies that offer unprecedented opportunities for engaging in two way dialogues with global audiences in tackling food security from these three identified pillars.

The Web offers new ways to interact with other people online and publish information with free, easy to use tools i.e being used to collect, transfer and share information (L’entrepreneur, blogspot). Web 2.0 is a term that people loosely apply to these web-based tools, which are often called Social media.

Social media allow organisations and communities to maintain small group communications even when they are geographically distributed. These tools make it easy to publish content which can be delivered to the audience in a variety of formats (via web browser, as email messages, mobile text messaging, and even audio and video files).

Web 2.0 and social media for food security for Agriculture

Food security may have different meanings for different people. The International Conference on Nutrition (ICN), held in Rome in 1992, defined food security as "access by all people at all times to the food needed for a healthy life" (FAO/WHO, 1992a). Essentially, in order to achieve food security a country must achieve three basic aims. It must: ensure adequacy of food supplies in terms of quantity, quality and variety of food; optimize stability in the flow of supplies; secure sustainable access to available supplies by all who need them. Food use (appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation)

The concept of using web2.0 tools for food security involves linking the food chain from production to consumption using remote collaboration and social media tools, the use of blogging helps to share information relating to whatever crops you produce and sharing of harvest periods when the farmers know such agricultural products would be available from ones farm. The media most certainly affects what we think about, and what people perceive about what we do. Modern communication media (Web2.0) now allow for intense long-distance exchanges between larger numbers of farmers and customers, one of them is using the RSS feeds and social bookmarking farmers can get latest information about harvested crops and access to farming inputs and herbicides for proper crop production process.

Community Participation: Households, and women and mothers in particular, usually have the desire and often also the knowledge to improve the nutrition of their vulnerable members. Success is impeded by a lack of resources, including the lack of a voice in relevant community decisions social media platforms like facebook, twitter and others gives the opportunity for for women to participate actively by writing blogs on nutrition.

Promoting healthy diets and lifestyles through education: Promoting better eating habits and positive healthy behavior is one of the most challenging tasks in overall efforts to improve nutrition. In addition to access to a variety of safe and affordable foods, people need accurate information as to what constitutes a healthy diet and how to meet their nutritional needs. The implementation of Social media programmes using web2.0 at all levels which should involve the mass media, primary and secondary schools, community participation programmes, extension staff and higher-level education as channels for communicating nutrition information.

I am therefore of the opinion that web2.0 tools is most important for greater reach and collaboration for farmers.

Examples of social networking sites: Facebook, twitter, blogspot, wordpress, youtube, google doc, wiki

Function of Social Networking sites                                                                       

1.Work Connections: One form of social networking that’s growing in popularity is corporate social networking

2.Keeping in Touch:Social networking provides a great way for you to stay in touch with people who may have moved away.

3.Get Feedback:you can use social networking to get feedback on ideas immediately

4.Share Multiple Points of View:Different exposure can help you to learn to look at things from different angles, and be more tolerant of other people’s opinions, things that go a long way in the working world.

5.Talking to Students , Teachers , online forum: Many student organizations have specific social networks designed to help students connect.

Therefore, food security is measured through calorie consumption of the female household head in a 24 hour dietary recall, the calculation the World Food Program Food Consumption Score (WFP FCS), and the calculation of the percentage of energy sourced from staples in the diet. Worldwide approximately one billion people suffer from hunger and malnutrition (FAO, 2010). Given the fact that there is sufficient quality and quantity to meet basic nutritional needs of the global population, the persistence of hunger has come to be identified as a leading political failure with an inherent moral obligation to correct. As evidence of this global prioritization, halving hunger and malnutrition by 2015 was identified as the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. Two thirds of the way to this deadline, it has become clear that global efforts will fall far short of reaching this critical goal (FAO, 2010). This is especially true in Sub-Saharan Africa where extreme hunger is experienced by one-third of the population. Food security is obtained when “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 2002). Conversely, food insecurity occurs “whenever the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways is uncertain” (USDA, 2000). As these definitions present, food security—and insecurity— is a variable, individually experienced state embedded within dynamic social processes.

Food security is measured through calorie consumption of the female household head in a 24 hour dietary recall, the calculation the World Food Program Food Consumption Score (WFP FCS), and the calculation of the percentage of energy sourced from staples in the diet. Worldwide approximately one billion people suffer from hunger and malnutrition (FAO, 2010). Given the fact that there is sufficient quality and quantity to meet basic nutritional needs of the global population, the persistence of hunger has come to be identified as a leading political failure with an inherent moral obligation to correct. As evidence of this global prioritization, halving hunger and malnutrition by 2015 was identified as the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. Two thirds of the way to this deadline, it has become clear that global efforts will fall far short of reaching this critical goal (FAO, 2010). This is especially true in Sub-Saharan Africa where extreme hunger is experienced by one-third of the population. Food security is obtained when “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 2002). Conversely, food insecurity occurs “whenever the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways is uncertain” (USDA, 2000). As these definitions present, food security—and insecurity— is a variable, individually experienced state embedded within dynamic social processes.

(GROUP 3): Web 2.0 and Social Media for Youth Participation in Agriculture.

By

Adekunle, P. Adesola: adekunlesola1@gmail.com

Oladapo Emmanuel: oladapoemmanuel2010@gmail.com

Abiodun Oyeleye:  ahrjobrecruitment@gmail.com

Ishola Kayode: isholakayode42@gmail.com

Lamidi Funmi: lamidifunmi0027@gmail.com

THE ROLE OF ICT AMONG AFRICA YOUTHS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY.

Research had showed a substantive trend of youngsters in Africa displaying an increased interest in farming, caused by the creation of stronger farmer organisations with an amplified focus on the market (value chain development). This interest in farming is further strengthened by ICT using Web 2.0 and social media which have help in providing access to markets and information to boost production. Farming is increasingly seen as a profitable business. Proper orientation and use of these tools helps youth easily acquire information, and jump onto new market opportunities.

“One web 2.0 tool such as mFarm in Kenya  help farmers connect directly with the markets. They no longer entirely rely on the services of the exploitative middlemen and because of this, they make more money for the same products previously farmed at a low price because they believed the prices the brokers quoted to them”. Hillary Kiplagat, 30-year-old potato farmer in Nyaru, Kenya.

African youths can make a distinction  between single persons in their early and mid-twenties, and young married farmers, often with young children. The first group sees ICT (web 2.0 and social media tools) as a gateway to better jobs and employment outside or next to farming. The second group sees the importance of ICT for improving the productivity and profitability of their farming activities. They use ICT to get more reliable market and production information for their existing crops.

In the research locations, the youth tended to use ICT to access production knowledge such as the correct use of fertilisers and high yielding certified seeds. The resulting access to several information sources allowed information to be cross-checked. Extension workers and older farmers stated that youngsters ventured into more technically complex farming activities than older farmers. Examples range from the use of tissue culture for bananas to artificial insemination to improve breeding standards.

ICT is also used to keep proper records for improved farm management, compare different crops and seasons, calculate profit margins and assess risks. Robert Amodoi, 23 year-old farmer in Eldoret explains: “I needed a faster and efficient way of keeping my farm records for future reference and I found it at the ICT Centre through my training in Excel”.

Improved status

The use of Web 2.0 and social media increases the social status of young persons. This acts as a motivating factor for ICT use and more productivity. ICT creates an image of entrepreneurial young farmers who are keen to adopt new innovations.

This results in the perception of young farmers changing in the eyes of external actors’ such as government extension officers. Because of increased yields and new farming practices applied, young people also became technical resource persons to other farmers. As Esther Chebus, an 18 year old farmer in Kakamega pointed out: “The people in his village now look up to me as the source of the latest farming information. This makes me feel important and it gives me a sense of responsibility in my community. They come to me whenever they want to know the latest prices of tomatoes or just new farming technologies.”

At field days the youth turns up in greater numbers. As a result of this transformation, government extension workers now start to consider the youth as their entry point into communities, through which they introduce modern knowledge and new ideas.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm among the youth to embrace the latest farming techniques such as greenhouse. I believe this is being triggered by the recent wave of ICT platforms emerging that are making high quality information freely using social media tools available through mobile phones”.

AIS( Agricultural Innovative System) aimed to improve farmer’s productivity.  Apart classical approaches like Training and visit systems support by World Bank, there are several others approaches like Farmers Field School (FFs), Market access approaches, market oriented approaches …

This new approaches also use several tools. But some studies have proved that, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) like rural development tools can lead to good results. So the question to be ask is that how can we uses Mobile phone, Internet, community Radio and others to profitable ways in AIS? The following experiences are some solutions axes are can be repeated or adopted depending on various contexts.

WEB 2.0 AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE

Technological innovation is taking place at a breath-taking pace. Simple, open source internet-based applications and services designed to enhance on-line collaboration are now available to the wider public at little or no cost at all. These new online technologies known as Web 2.0 and ‘social media’ enable people to collaborate to create, share and publish information.

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation EU-ACP (CTA) has a mandate to facilitate access to and dissemination of information in the fields of agriculture and rural development in 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). Supporting the adoption of Web 2.0 applications represents a great opportunity for meeting it.

The Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in partnership with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation EU-ACP (CTA) is hosting the web 2.0 and information exchange training. This is in the framework of the upcoming launch of the Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo Awards) organized by the CTA - ARDYIS project of which SPC is a key partner.

In the face of agricultural development, the use of web 2.0-social media innovations encourages users to look at some examples from around the world of ways to engage youths in agriculture.

In a world of rapid change, Web 2.0 tools such as Blogs, facebook, twitter, Google, LinkedIn and other social media networks have changed how the world works today.

In his opening speech, the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture for Fiji, Mr Ropate Ligairi said, The Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture has recognised the potential of youths as they contribute immensely to the development of, not only the agriculture sector, but for the overall development of Fiji’s economy.’

He further added, ‘In recognising the needs of food security, poverty alleviation, employment and economic growth, the Government has set up a partnership with the Fiji National University to pioneer a new scholarship programme in Fiji that has two basic aims — to produce a new generation of farmers in Fiji and to encourage young people to become farmers and give them ability to do so’.

Mr Ligairi supports the development of young people’s knowledge and skills through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) such as social media/web 2.0.

Mr Ligairi said, ‘The use of online tools such as facebook can change the online environment for people to share and exchange information and ideas on agricultural practices. At the Department of Agriculture, Fiji created a facebook page which promotes the use of social media technologies to engage with the agriculture community, its stakeholders and also to empower youths to participate, share and discuss the successful ventures in the area of agriculture.’

Dr Ken Cokanasiga of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community highlighted the SPC Pacific Youth Development Framework which is expected to be launched in December 2013 as an important document in promoting the development of young people in the Pacific region.  

The Pacific Youth Development Framework is very much informed by and embraces the Pacific Youth in Agriculture Strategy 2011–2015, developed by the Land Resources Division of SPC. The Youth in Agriculture strategy recommends actions and initiatives that all stakeholders can pursue to encourage the active engagement of youth in agriculture across the region,’ he said.

As a way to promote information sharing and exchange, SPC is keen to collect a wide range of experiences about how best to engage young men and women in agriculture and forestry and, in particular, to learn how social media and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) may be used to develop agricultural opportunities for youth.

A young agriculture extension officer from the remote island of Cicia, Fiji is participating at the web 2.0 training workshop. Mr Cama Tuidelaivagadra aims to enter the YoBloCo competition as a challenge to showcase Cicia Island as a fully organic certified island. Mr Cama said, ‘Sharing the stories about organic farming through the use of websites and social media networks can boost the developments of rural remote communities such as the island of Cicia to access markets.

Unleashing your social media powers for Agriculture!

Are you a social media lover? Have you ever considered the power of Social Media for contributing to Agricultural Development?

Social Media reporting of key events in the field of agriculture has been expanding in the last few years as a mean to get “the people” better informed and more involved into policy and strategic discussions that impact their life.

Agency like ‘’YPARD’’ particularly work on soliciting Young Professionals to join these initiatives as a way for the youth to get fully involved in debates that would shape their present and future. Get relevant knowledge, express your own thoughts and ideas, and ultimately get more voice into discussions where youth’s issues should have complete attention for ensuring a sustainable future!

Empowering youth in agriculture

Agriculture is an ageing and undervalued profession for which there is a declining interest among young people. Youth, as key stakeholders in the future of agricultural research for development, must not only be involved but also empowered.

“The road is long towards full inclusion of young professionals into strategic international actions for agricultural development.But the adventure enables you to meet and work with outstanding people who understand the critical role youth play for sustainable development. It is time to celebrate youth supporters and look at the achievement made together so far.”

GCARD2, 2012, represented a milestone for making youth voices stronger at key agricultural research for development (ARD) events. Through our collaboration with GFAR and the CGIAR, more than 25 young professionals from YPARD were involved in discussions through social reporting of the global conference. Our team truly made agriculture cool again!

Enrica Porcari of the CGIAR was key to making this happen. In 2010 at GCARD1, while YPARD was involved in a side event with 40 young researchers, Enrica was already trying to get the youth involved into bringing ARD messages beyond the doors of the conference room.  She also worked to make it a capacity development exercise. GCARD2 Youth Social Reporting Programme is the “ripe fruit” of her efforts.

The GCARD2 as a process catalyzing action goes beyond a one-time event. One month after the conference, a series of initiatives generated by young professionals was born as a result of their experience at the GCARD2.

The freshly wrapped-up AASW6 – 6th African Agriculture Science Week, organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research for Africa (FARA), also gave a chance to more than 40 young people to yet again experience the power of social media for ARD for youth to get a voice. The participation of these young people was made possible by the collaboration of FARA, CTA, CGIAR, GFAR and YPARD.

It is our pride to see one of the GCARD2 young social reporters at the heart of the initiative to replicate the magic formula for the AASW6: Idowu Ejere, the Communications and Public Awareness Officer at FARA. She was supported by Sam Mikenga, Media Coordinator at CTA, Marina Cherbonnier, from YPARD and Peter Casier from CGIAR, the knowledge broker and utmost inspiring social media coordinator who undertook the coordination of the social reporting experience  at GCARD2 and AASW6. The encouragement and support from Prof. Monty Jones, immediate past Executive Director of FARA and Dr. Michael Hailu, Director of CTA made the social media initiative possible.

This is one very concrete success story of “GCARD as a process and not a mere conference” – as asserted by GFAR; we can tangibly see the progress made for youth empowerment through the collaborative work of ARD organisations!

Yes, young professionals are full of capacity. Give them a chance to take responsibility and you will see the positive impact!

We couldn’t have such a range of action without the support of experienced people and key organisations willing to give the little push to get young professionals on board. We want to thank them for listening to and opening the doors for us.

While there is continuous effort to provide opportunities for youth to be recognized and involved as an equal stakeholder in the implementation of ARD actions, it is our duty to take responsibility to make sure it happens.

“AASW6 over; what’s next?” Stay posted!       

       

Potentials use Mobile phone in Agricultural Extension

Mobile phone can help in agriculture and rural development. To do this, youth farmers must first overall consider mobile phone like work tool and not like something luxurious. They should be familiar with their phone when manipulating it.

Mobile phone is use to inform farmers about market demand and supply, about market opportunities. In Cameroon due to the fact that all Government action in rural areas in based on agricultural sector, many Non Governmental Organization goes with State to help them achieved certain goals. For Example NGO called Association Camerounaise pour la Dépense des Intérêts Collectifs (ACDIC) (www.acdic.net) have a good experience in this services.

When there is a new convention between State and a donor in favor of specific crop, farmers are informed by Short Message Services (SMS). This led then to conceive their projects and submit then to decision market. And this allows some of then gets financial and/or technical support. When there is a new agricultural policy farmers are inform. This year about 97 of small scale farmer missed maize new variety seeds. But due to the fact that there were inform at right time by SMS, they have recourse to their local seeds. ECDIC used this service to inform farmers about the planting date or seeding due to scarcity of rain.

Community Radio in farmer’s education and trainings

Community Radio is other ICT tool spreading out around the country in favor of farmers. More than 200 communities or local radio operating in rural areas are operational. Each radio has a specific day with broadcast focus on agriculture. Those broadcast educated, trained, inform farmers on diverse domains concerning their daily activities. This Kind of services has a good success in Brazil and India. We notice here that, all broadcast are diffuse in local language of areas concerned and sometime in “Pidding”.

The success of such experience by NGOs leads State to get involved. So today a State Telecommunication Agency (CAMTEL) is multiplies its antenna around the country in order to permit a maximum possible of rural areas getting Network signal (Phone, Radio and TV).

To conclude, ICTs using mostly by youth has a great role to play in agricultural development, food security and rural development. ICTs will allow farmers to stow with globalization (E-trade, e-selling, e-learning, e-education…). To achieve these goals, Youth have to be implicated because there are those concerned by economic growth, social security, political stability,… because Youth represent more than 60% of handwork in all sector notably Agriculture, more than 80% are students, and there are those who will lead World tomorrow and ICTs is an essential key.

   YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE USING SOCIAL MEDIA.

Youth Opportunities in agriculture can not be overemphasized, community-based agencies are dedicating their resources and time to providing a range of services to youth who are experiencing financial challenges, social media has help youths who have keen interest in Agriculture to be more productive and improving their social interactive skills which has a lot to do with communication between them, buyers, sellers and middlemen in the Agro business. Opportunities offers an increasingly integrated and comprehensive system of services for youths.

Agency such as ‘’Youth Opportunities’’ is committed to building better futures for young people by providing opportunities they need to lead responsible and fulfilling lives and developing themselves, with particular concern for those who know the opportunities in agriculture and this will help their ability to develop successfully in their work using the tools provided in the Web 2.0 platform to promote their produce.

We emphasize providing safe and structured care; strengthening the capacity of youths  to provide appropriate security, nurturing and direction and, teaching young people and skills that can enhance their lives, the good thing about the Social media tools is that both the learned and unlearned can use them.

Some other Agricultural agencies provides  social Support, experts, researchers and administrative staff thats can provide strong commitment, creativity, and experience in their work.

Youth Opportunities services are available with equal access to all persons regardless of race, color, disability, age, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin. Our staff understands and respects the inherent dignity of each person we serve. Youth Opportunities' goal is to meet our client's needs quickly and thoroughly with sensitivity and complete confidentiality.

       

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kinkade, Sheila, and Christina H. Macy. Our Time Is Now: Young People Changing the World.

New York: Pearson Foundation, 2005. Print.

http://www.e-agriculture.org/news/icts-stimulate-participation-youth-agriculture-new-report-iicd

http://ypard.net/forum/agricultural-innovation-systems-gcard2-youth-discussions