Extension reforms are underway and integration of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are rapidly transforming the agricultural extension. The ICT enabled extension systems are acting as a key agent for changing agrarian situation and farmers' lives by improving access to information and sharing knowledge. ICT based agricultural extension brings incredible opportunities and has the potential of enabling the empowerment of farming communities. Extension practitioners are excited to experiment innovative ICT initiatives. Experiences on "ICTs for Agricultural Extension" initiatives are showing encouraging results and also complementing conventional extension communication methods. At the same time, it is also a challenge to place rural ICT infrastructure, developing appropriate content, ensuring sustainability and scaling-up.
This book is an attempt to document the National Policy on ICTs in agricultural extension, ICT infrastructure scenario and related issues, case studies on innovative ICTs for agricultural extension initiatives (Village knowledge centres, information kiosks, mobile ICT units, web portals, digital data base and networks, rural tele centres, farmer call centres, mobile telephony, video conference, offline multimedia CDs, decision support systems, expert systems, innovative community radio and television programmes, open distance learning etc.
The agricultural extension students, academicians, scientists, practitioners, administrators and policy makers will find this compilation of the "ICTs for Agricultural Extension: Global Experiments, Innovations and Experiences" from twenty eight countries relevant to providing a framework for the design and implementation of sustainable ICT-enabled extension services for the agricultural development.
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