ICT4D: some lessons from field experience presented at the Rural Knowledge Movement at the Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai in October 2012

1. Changes and Challenges in the Integration
of Video-led Rural Extension
Pier Paolo Ficarelli
8th Convention of Grameen Gyan Abhiyan
Chennai, 28th October , 2012

2. The Digital Green Extension Approach
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3. Strengthening Capacity of Rural Service Organisations
Digital Green works in partnership with NGOs/Rural Development Organisations ready
to engage with innovation and digital technologies to increase impact of the delivery of
extension.
Digital Green service suite:
Partnership Agreement
Shared responsibilities with partners, target to be reached, seed funding
Training & Capacity building
Skill development of CSPs and anchor persons for video production& video screening facilitation,
Quality Assurance
Standards for video production, process facilitation and practice adoptions
Monitoring & Feedback
Monitoring video screenings, video topic preferences, adoptions, Q&A on mobile platform
Video content Development & Management
Video story-boards, validation and repository management
IT/ICT Support & Data management
Storing & indexing, digital technologies maintenance and upgrading
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4. Digital Green ICT Proposition for Quality Extension
Hardware cheap and robust enough to suit Software innovative application to monitor
gravel roads! field work and farmer adoptions in real
time!
Pocket Camcorder COCO
HD videos
E-bay available @ $100-200
Pin wireless microphone
9 V batteries
E-bay available @ $30-50
Statistical Analysis
Pico projector
$100 device
Li-ion batteries FARMERBOOK
Available on the Indian market
USB- Mini Speakers
AAA Rechargeable batteries
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5. Results of Digital Green Approach
In less than 3 years, many results have been achieved by partners
with the support of a still young and fast growing organisation
Farmers/SHGs
Reduction of production costs and increased yields
Learning and exposure to new practices/ideas (e.g. bio-fertilisers, multi-cropping)
Videos provide exact information e.g. quantities, input commercial names
Videos build self –confidence in trying out
Easy to remember because of repetitions even for illiterates
Other farmers join because they like videos
Hearing is one thing, seeing is believing!
More videos on more topics!
Partner Organisations
Videos make work of field staff easier
Field staff empowerment (I was a donkey….now I feel like a horse)
Increased attendance to extension meeting (evening time, less travelling etc.)
Use of videos endorsed by mgt. across all programmes of the organisation
Recommending video-led extension to other organisations
500 villages reached in two years > 200 community based facilitators trained (just two cases)
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6. The Challenge: Integrating Digital Green Video-led Extension
1 Years 2 Years 2 Years Partners &
other Stakeholders
Ownership
There is no DG
Joint success without
Digital Green
partner success!
Partnership
Learning
Consultation Project
2009 2010 2012 2014
•Project team •Cases development •Instituionalisation
competency •Organisational and • Project Exit
•Approach stakeholders Buy-in
•Scaling up
development
Mainstreaming DG video-led extension does not mean learning to use more projectors for screening
videos but to strategically integrate technology, video content and delivery into partner programmes
and organisational systems.
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7. Implications for Digital Green Partnership Development
Appropriation of DG approach by partners is the key to success
DG would not exist without partners and their field staff facilitating screening. Partner management
commitment and adequate resource allocation is necessary to make the approach work
Change of partners’ extension procedures and systems is required
DG is not only about making videos and information dissemination. DG suite of services is about skill
development of extension staff in various dimensions, monitor impact at beneficiaries level and
making explicit organisational know-how.
Sufficient time for learning and exit partnerships are required
Even if visible results have already been achieved, partnership agreements have been initially agreed
for a too short period of time. DG approach has mostly low investment to benefit ratios at the start.
Partner organisations that are overworked, external funding dependent and juggling multiple priorities
at field level require longer support period to sustain initial results and maintain quality.
Users’ feedback is critical for DG approach & organisational evolution
DG suite of services and technology operates in a very challenging environment. It requires
continuous adjustments. Mechanisms to foster collective learning and selection of improvements are
crucial to produce long lasting innovation.
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8. Implications for ICT4D
ICT4D is not about new gadgets and web-tools
ICTs are interwoven with people. They do not work independently from users. ICTs exist because users
find them useful to fulfill specific tasks. They evolve or die off because of the social space in which they
are used.
ICTs enhance humans’ possibilities - they cannot substitute humans
Information delivered on mobile may contribute to raise awareness. Changes of behaviour require
human relationships and interactions capable of building self- confidence, trust and enthusiasm.
Technology increases access to opportunities. It cannot seize them.
Nesting ICTs in organisational systems is the route to sustainability
Economic viability is no definite criteria for sustainability. People and organisation make it work and
affordable.
Long lasting ICT-innovation need support of strong knowledge networks
The success of any innovation is based on mobilizing creativity among people who are willing to run with
a brilliant idea even if it is flawed and underdeveloped. Real innovation emerges out of multi actor
learning capable of adapting the original idea and selecting the best improvements. This also entails the
support of existing knowledge networks to provide relevant extension content to be disseminated.
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9. “Coming together is a beginning
Keeping together is progress
Working together is success”
Henry Ford
….enabling others to better achieve is impact!
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