State of ICT policy development and linkages withAgriculture in ACP countries

24 – 25 April, 2013 CTA

Background• Communication Action Plan (1999)• Pacific Islands ICT Policy and Plan (2002)• Pacific Plan Digital Strategy (2005)– Further endorsed by Forum ICT Ministers in 2006 : Wellington

Declaration• Cairns Communique– Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) commissioned a review– SPC led the development of the framework

• Pacific Regional ICT Ministers (2010 Tonga)– Endorsed the Framework for Action on ICT for Development for the

Pacific

Transferring Pacific ICT Outreach functions of SPC to University of the South Pacific (USP)

• In 2012, the Independent External Review team conducted a review of SPC. One of their recommendations was to transfer the function of SPC’s Information and Communication Technology Outreach to the University of the South Pacific.

• Earlier this year, SPC and USP signed a letter of agreement regarding the transfer and integration of specific functions of SPC’s work programme into USP’s. USP has undertaken to develop and strengthen Pacific ICT Outreach activities, including countries and territories that are not USP members but are members of SPC, subject to resource availability. USP will also provide updates through yearly reporting to the USP governing council and Pacific ministers for communication. The letter of agreement is consistent with the role of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) and its guiding principles of improving service.

USP – lead role• USP will take a lead role as chair of the ICT working group of the Council of

Regional Organisations in the Pacific, commonly known as CROP agencies.

• This working group spearheads the Framework for Action on ICT for Development in the Pacific, recognising that ICT plays a critical role in the efforts of countries to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

• For those countries’ continued development it is critical that vibrant and market-driven ICT sectors are established. For your information, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, in collaboration with SPC, commissioned a review of the Pacific digital strategy early in 2010. This strategy is an initiative under the Pacific Plan to promote economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security in Forum Countries.

Development of Framework

PIFS Review of Digital Strategy

ITU Assessment of PICs National

ICT Policies

Development Partners

CROP ICT WG

Feedbacks & Comments from

PICTs

REGIONAL ICT FRAMEWORK

Framework• Vision– Improved livelihood of Pacific communities through effective

utilization of ICT• Goals– Pacific Island nations to recognise and utilise ICT as an essential

tool for socio economic sustainable development, good governance and security;

– ICT be a national priority• Outcomes– Access to affordable ICT– Efficient and effective utilization of ICT for sustainable

development

The status of PICTs is paramount and a regional framework cannot override national or territorial decisions. This

framework will be guided by national policies and implementation plans

Themes• The successful implementation of the framework is dependent

on the support and commitment of PICTs, development partners and other stakeholders;

• The themes categorized the ICT priority areas and reflect commonalities; and

• The themes have been structured so as to provide a rationale, long-term objectives, key priorities, targets and milestones, policy objectives and regional strategies for 2011-2015.

Themes

For each THEMES:• Expected Outcome• Rationale• Long-term objectives• Key priorities• Policy objectives and strategies for 2011-2015• Targets and milestones

Themes1. Leadership, governance, coordination and partnerships - strong

leadership and appropriate governance mechanisms are needed to ensure that the benefits of ICT are fully realised and would contribute to the livelihood of Pacific Islanders.

2. ICT policy, legislation and regulatory frameworks - the importance of having a strong and effective policy and regulatory framework to create an enabling environment that promotes fair competition.

3. ICT Human Capacity Building -the importance of investing in human resource development in the ICT sector

4. ICT Infrastructure and Access - most PICTs have poor infrastructure, including in ICT and energy.

Themes5. International Connectivity- high cost of international capacity

continues to be a major issue for PICTs6. Cyber security and ICT Applications

1. cyber security is essential as nations become more dependent on ICT and it grows more pervasive in peoples’ daily lives

2. ICT can promote greater transparency and more efficient, effective and accessible services

7. Financing, monitoring and evaluation - the importance of ensuring a coordinated approach to financing the ICT sector and of having a robust monitoring and evaluation framework

ICT Applications• ICT can promote greater transparency and more efficient, effective and

accessible services.

– technologies such as mobile phones promote greater transparency and more efficient, effective and accessible services.

– ICT applications can assist the priority sectors such as health, agriculture and education through e learning for affordable ‐professional development, tele health for affordable and accessible ‐health services

– e Agriculture for affordable access to market and information ‐

Status of national ICT policiesCountry National ICT policy adopted Communication Market

Adopted Evaluation (Review)

Draft prepared Open Market Separate Regulator

Cook Islands

Fiji

Kiribati

RMI

FSM

NauruNiuePalau PNG

Samoa

Solomon Is.

Timor LesteTonga

TuvaluVanuatu Total 6 1 3 7 6

Country Sector Ministry Stakeholder Committee

Other Remarks

Cook Islands National ICT Committee

Fiji IT Advisory Council

Kiribati Ministry of Communications, Transport and Tourism

RMI Ministry of Transportation and Communication

FSM Department of Transport, Communications and Information

Nauru Department of Transport and Telecommunications

Niue Niue Island Information, Technology & Communication and Development Council (NiDC)

Palau National ICT Policy Task Force

PNG Interagency ICT Taskforce

Samoa National ICT Steering Committee

Solomon Is. ICT Working group

Timor Leste ARCOM (Sector regulator)

Tonga Ministry of Information and Communications

Tuvalu Ministry of Communications Transport and Tourism

Vanuatu Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Utilities

Total 7 7 1

Institutional arrangements for the development of national ICT policies in the PICs

The role of ICT in Agriculture and Rural Development

• When we think of development, we should not only relate it to technology and it should not just be about information. It should promote a discussion:

– Information and knowledge exchange– People– Content

• e-agriculture is "an emerging field” as referred by the United Nations which means we can still redefine what e-agriculture

• 2 area of focus:

– Practice – how can we use ICT to develop collaborative approaches and implement activities focusing on good practices and success stories in agriculture and rural development

– Policy -- how can we have an impact on food security by developing ICT policies and strategies?

Heads of Agriculture and Forestry• The concept of e-agriculture was explained at the HOAFS meeting but with the

notion that it’s still an evolving field

• In 2010, the officials of the Head of Agriculture and Forestry Services:

– Acknowledged that ICT is an important tool that can contribute to the development of the Agriculture/Forestry and rural development sector;

– Noted the ‘Framework for Action on ICT for Development in the Pacific in assisting the agriculture sector’ and SPC LRD ICT initiatives

– Endorsed that the Land Resources Division will need to work with development partners and key stakeholders to develop a regional ICT for agriculture, forestry and rural development project

ICT for agriculture, forestry and rural development

• SPC worked on a proposal and submitted it to FAO Pacific regional office

• Ad hoc activities and worked closely with partners such as CTA, FAO – Bangkok, EU, UNCTAD, ITC Geneva etc

– Proposal outlined initiatives such as “promote information sharing through the use of ICTs”

– Promote market information systems --- using sms services– Create a query based system – LRD helpdesk system– Develop a website/portal to promote the work of SPC and Land

Resources to stakeholders and development partners– Youth and ICT in agriculture competitions

Country initiatives

• With very little resources, we work with countries like Vanuatu to advise them on e-agriculture activities. National ICT policy has incorporated ICT for agriculture

• Unfortunately, there’s not enough funds nor resources to work with the rest of the countries

• Online consultation

• Difficult to work with national counterparts because of the lack of coordination between the ministries

Next steps?

HOW CAN PARTNERS SUCH AS FAO AND CTA ASSIST MEMBER COUNTRIES AND REGIONAL

ORGANISATIONS?