By Thérèse Burke & Ken Lohento

Agriculture in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) faces many challenges. Most of these developing economies are heavily reliant on this sector for food security and economic growth. Agriculture accounts for over 50 percent GDP in some countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. This coupled with the high percentage of population (up to 60 percent in Africa) living off the land, means that the need to secure the continued interest of youth in agriculture is imperative.

However, global attention is now turning to agricultural and rural development as a result of the 2007-2008 food price crisis. Despite this, it is still not perceived as an attractive industry for the younger population.

Le concours de rédaction du CTA sur les jeunes, le développement rural et les TIC a été une expérience qui a mis aux prises des jeunes de divers pays d’Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP). Son intérêt est qu’il renseigne sur des expériences de beaucoup pays. Un membre du jury en l’occurrence Annie Chéneau - Loquay  par ailleurs directrice de recherche au CNRS et responsable de l’Observatoire Africa’NTI (projet de recherche sur les modes d'insertion, les usages et les impacts des technologies de la communication en Afrique) a décliné les enseignements qu’on peut tirer de ce concours.

By Riten Chand Gosai, Pacific Regional Winner of the CTA ARDYIS Essay contest

Abstract
Agriculture continues to be the economic mainstay of the Fiji Islands and is metaphorically referred to as the backbone of the country. The sector, however, is not immune to obscurity and faces many challenges. Two of such challenges are the lack of agricultural information being disseminated to needy farmers and reluctance of small scale farmers to commercialize production. This essay examines how information and communication technology can be used to address these predicaments. Firstly, it will discuss how information poverty can be eradicated by the use of mobile phone applications, rural ‘telecentres’ with internet, video satellite presentations and the use of traditional media namely radio and television. Then it will entail how small holder farmers in Fiji can be encouraged to commercialize through interactive use of ICTs. These include enhancing production techniques, improving market access, stock control, quality control and the use of global positioning systems (GPS) in innovative farming. The essay also includes several examples of technologies that have been successfully implemented in other parts of the world in similar situations as the Fiji Islands.

By Gerald Musakaruka Mangena from Zimbabwe: Southern African Regional Winner of the CTA ARDYIS Essay contest

It is 7:00 in the morning, and a 28 year old Zimbabwean new farmer gets up to prepare for the day. This season she expects a good 500 tonnes of high quality potatoes. Today will be her first day of selling and she is still wondering where all these potatoes will be sold.