Information and communication innovation platform

National
(active until July 2011)

RIU Tanzania has a major work programme looking at information and communication. The objective of this work area is to improve the exchange of agricultural information between information sources and targeted end users through a functional public-private partnership. This will involve piloting an information generation and dissemination system that can effectively link knowledge providers and innovators.

The program is therefore trying to set up a sustainable public-private business model for brokering linkages between providers of agricultural information and knowledge, users and intermediaries, and vice versa, thus promoting innovations to improve livelihoods.

RIU Tanzania is developing methodologies to test the success of this new approach to information dissemination, with support from the RIU Central Research Team. RIU has funded the first round (until March 2010) to get the system off the ground, then a mechanism for supporting the system - possibly through the private sector - will be put in place.

A business plan for the system has been developed to provide overall direction in terms of operation, funding mechanisms and tasks for sub-systems. The information and communication system is being implemented at the national level with piloting of commodities produced in specific areas. However, depending on the business requirements of the engaged private sector, greater coverage might become necessary to make processes cost-effective. The program will work to improve the developed model. This will start with a pilot public-private sector information generation and dissemination system in the poultry sector.

The program will experiment in the generation and validation of agricultural content:

• repackaging content into forms that can be easily used by target groups
• facilitating dissemination and uptake of developed print and electronic information by other stakeholders through channels such as newspapers, newsletters, TV and radio programs, mobile web, spoken web etc
• facilitating uploading of all developed content to a reliable website for further reference by other actors, including extension workers, the media and the general public

RIU will take the coordination, facilitation and brokerage role in the system.

Progress to December 2010
A concept for the system's operation has been produced. There are three sub-systems:

• content development and validation
• repackaging content into forms suitable for different audiences and medium
• dissemination of final products to target groups

Three approaches are being reviewed:

• Developing functional AGRO-INFO-COM through a public-private-partnership
• Developing a functional private sector managed information packaging and brokerage system
• Developing a functional community-led system for disseminating and communicating agricultural information

Developing functional AGRO-INFO-COM through a public-private-partnership
This program is experimenting with different approaches to increasing access to relevant agricultural information. The main aim is to test how to stimulate innovations through use of relevant knowledge and research outputs establishing those who will directly perform the functions and those who will finance the system.

Putting in place functional systems for developing and validating agric-information content
RIU Tanzania is developing a business plan to guide the system's operations including specifying terms of reference for sub-system actors, funding mechanisms, how the system will be sustained and where it will be anchored post-RIU.

The program will establish a team of actors responsible for content generation and validation. The program will continuously work with the team to troubleshoot specific information blockages in the platform and in the sector in general, and work to identify, produce and validate relevant content from RNRRS and National Agricultural Research System (NARS) that would unblock the challenges.

Developing a functional private sector-managed information packaging and brokerage system
The program is working to identify actors and establish a team to repackage content for dissemination as printed materials, digital content and broadcast media, in line with emerging needs. From the private sector this is likely to include mass communication specialists, journalists, specialists in documentation, graphic and layout designers, printers, photographers, cartoonists, translators and web masters.

Repackaging information will focus on making the content reader-friendly and attractive for the target group. Factors such as language, tone, font, colour, design, paper qualities and sizes to address rural limitations (rain, poor eye sight etc.) will be taken into consideration.

RIU will facilitate:

• discussions for planning and coordination between different actors
• discussions with the private sector - possible financers - for the sub-system
• the generation of pilot products
• relevant linkages with private and public institutions to increase private sector ownership and sustainability of the processes

Developing a functional community-led system for disseminating and communicating agricultural information
RIU is testing the dissemination model to ensure that repackaged information is communicated effectively at a community level. This will involve private and public institutions working together to ensure that the content reaches target groups and is being used. For efficiency, the program, together with stakeholders, brainstormed and agreed that the sub-system should be sub-divided into three levels. The program will consist of:

• National Level Distributor (NLDs)
  i.e. a courier or postal company that will collect printed materials from and deliver it to pre-identified local institutions at district and ward levels and collect feedback.
• Village Level Disseminators (VLDs)
  including churches and mosques which are widely trusted by the communities. (These have been chosen because they are permanent institutions close to the people, are respected by communities, have development agendas, they can be very efficient and are cost effective). They will receive printed materials and distribute them to household level disseminators for further delivery.
• Household Level Disseminators (HLDs)
  which will receive materials from VLDs and deliver them to individuals. The Household Level Disseminators have direct contact with end users. They could include:
• church/mosque committees
• community-based organisation
• primary and secondary schools
• village government
• farmer field schools
• ward resource centres (if any)
• farmer groups and networks
• Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) and cooperatives
• any other organization found to be relevant

RIU will work to map out these actors and agree on how to distribute materials, how to facilitate discussions on the content, how to encourage the recipients to use the information, how to seek further clarifications from different sources, how to ask for help or field demonstrations, as well as how to demand new information, e.g. on a new crop, technology etc. The Household Level Disseminators will become community mobilisers using NGOs existing in their areas and they will be used as feedback points for the sub-system.

The program will also work to explore the possibility of having various distributaries filtering the content out for dissemination. These will mainly involve the electronic/digital outlets, including mass-media channels like radio stations, local government television services (which are controlled by District Councils), newspapers, newsletters, national TV broadcasters etc. and the other ICT-based services like mobile and spoken webs. The Nokia XL browser program will be linked to the system to deliver agric tips through SMS.