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6
Technological Infrastructure
T
he subgroup on technological infrastructure focused on ICT as the
technological area most likely to have an immediate impact on peace-
building activities.
ICT is rapidly becoming more powerful and less expensive. For the price
of a tank of gas, an extension agent or an agricultural producer can buy and
use a technology that provides tremendous communications and informa-
tion capabilities. Although even inexpensive cell phones are still too costly
for some farmers, prices continue to drop while capabilities, infrastructure,
and users increase. Some countries have essentially skipped developing wired
networks for communications in favor of wireless systems. Moreover, com-
panies and some countries (e.g., China) also are investing in technology in
developing countries in recognition of their productive potential.
Investing in the newest technology simply for the sake of technology is a
mistake, cautioned one participant, but new technologies nevertheless have a
large and expanding potential to contribute to extension activities with both
agricultural and peacebuilding goals.
TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES FOR
EXTENSION AND PEACEBUILDING
What qualities are needed in technologies used in efforts to promote
both extension and peace? They should be trustworthy, in that users should
39
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40 ADAPTING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION TO PEACEBUILDING
know that the information provided is valid. They should be inexpensive to
acquire and use, though they need not be free, since free things often are not
taken seriously. They should support long-term capacity to improve both
agricultural productivity and social stability. And they should broaden access
to information for all people in a community.
Once a technology and its associated infrastructure are available, the
question becomes what problems to address. For example, what is the
information needed to solve a particular problem, whether it involves land
tenure, water rights, credit, or technical information? Participants cited sev-
eral examples of how ICT is being used for both agricultural extension and
peacebuilding. In many places, farmers call on cell phones for prices of agri-
cultural commodities in different regions, thereby maximizing their income.
They can also call a voicemail number and record a question; an expert then
records an answer that is available and accessible to all farmers. Cell phones
are also used to take pictures of documents and upload them in a secure loca-
tion so that records will always be available. And blogs on agricultural sub-
jects are an example of the many applications of social media to extension.
In these and other ways, ICT provides access to legal and other kinds of
information that are useful for farmers. Technology can thus supplement
or augment the advice of an extension agent, providing information that a
producer can use to increase outputs.
POTENTIAL EXTENSIONS OF ICT
The subgroup discussed what participants alternately labeled "Gandhian
innovation" or "frugal engineering," in which a community is encouraged
and supported to determine how best to use ICT to solve its problems and
meet its needs. As the Arab Spring demonstrated, technologies often are used
in ways that were not envisioned when they were created. In such cases, the
provision of bandwidth and low-cost technologies can lead to innovation
that applies creative solutions to local problems.
The use of cell phones in particular has become prevalent and adapted
for both agricultural and peacebuilding applications. For example, if a farmer
engaged in a land dispute draws a map in the sand and an extension officer
takes a picture of it with a cell phone, the picture becomes a piece of evidence
that can contribute to settlement of the dispute. As another example, a dis-
placed person can call friends or family members to check on the status of a
home region. Members of opposing sides could even talk with each other on
cell phones about differences or possible points of reconciliation.
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TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 41
It is important that a technology platform be neutral in its applica-
tion. It should not force users into making certain decisions or otherwise
be prescriptive. Because literacy cannot be assumed, quality-assured video
presentations are a valuable feature. ICT also enables extension personnel
to report back on things they see, such as violence or particular agricultural
factors, thus creating a positive information feedback loop. And agents can
use technology to exchange information with each other, enabling the rapid
dissemination of best practices and innovations.
To operate as peacebuilders, extension agents must demonstrate inclu-
sivity, locality, and neutrality in their use and support of technology. They
can do this by making information available to all potential stakeholders,
customizing information services to reflect local conditions, and remaining
neutral to maintain the trust of local community members. The power of
ICT is its potential to create change while meeting these criteria. For example,
an extension agent who learns of an impending food crisis can take steps
to institute a local coping strategy. Or, during time of conflict, an agent can
serve as an archivist for records that may be destroyed in war.
Notwithstanding the variety of advantageous uses of ICT, there are some
important factors to consider. Technologies need to be upgraded periodi-
cally because they change rapidly. People, however, often require more time,
especially if they do not have much technical experience or background. A
further complication is the reliability of access to technology, as some areas
may lack consistent electricity service.
But overall, subgroup participants pointed to the potential of even
simple technologies to make a difference in agricultural production and
conflict reduction, especially in areas where the basic elements of a technol-
ogy infrastructure, such as a power grid, are unreliable. For example, radio
or simple computers using low-cost video can be both sustainable and scal-
able. In this way, even very simple and inexpensive ICT can enable a more
equitable distribution of information in a postconflict situation.
INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
The private sector is inevitably involved in the provision of technologies
for extension activities, and this involvement can take different forms. For
example, a company may provide a technology, perhaps with support from a
government or NGO, as a free public service that the private sector can use to
sell additional services. Such cross-subsidization has been used in many con-
texts and is particularly powerful given rapidly increasing ICT capabilities.
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42 ADAPTING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION TO PEACEBUILDING
Many technology companies have outreach programs to gain customers
and demonstrate their ability to be good partners for governments and the
public. Companies often partner with government to do such demonstra-
tions, but may distance themselves in conflict situations to maintain a more
neutral stance.
