We bring you news of a Mini Conference hosted by the ICT for Rural Development e-Skills CoLab, ECSECC, Walter Sisulu University Centre for Community Engagement and Internationalisation which will take place on 18th February, 2016.
After our successful launch seminar on ‘ICT and Agriculture: Realising the Development Dividend’ held in March 2015, it is time to take the process forward. We have started the discussion. Now the 2016 mini conference will seek to develop the concepts.
The key themes of the launch seminar in March 2015:
- Critical role players in development have long recognised the potential for the Eastern Cape to improve the livelihoods of its communities through agriculture and rural development. The Eastern Cape is endowed with natural resources – most people living in the rural hinterland can sustain a livelihood out of these. This potential however is still to be recognised: food security is still a challenge for many, farming as a commercial activity is still low, large tracks of land lie fallow etc.
- With South Africa’s drive to close the digital divide and address digital poverty, what prospects does information and communication technology (ICT) hold to help address underperformance of the Eastern Cape agriculture sector ?
The 2016 conference will seek to identify and unpack some of the key issues, best practices and existing resources in the sector.
Examples include training, software, technology, infrastructure and financing. The spotlight will also be on the existing and planned policy environment.
The core focus areas to be addressed
- How can ICT be harnessed to bring rural women and youth into the agricultural sector?
- What is the potential contribution of ICT to capacitate small and emerging farmers?
- To what extent can ICT help increase agricultural productivity through providing access to knowledge, information and technology?
- What ICT training is needed to bridge the digital divide in the agricultural sector and how can ICT be used to provide sector-related training?
Programme to follow.
Mini Conference details
Date:18 February 2016
Venue: East London Health Resource Centre Cheltenham Rd, East London
Time:08h30 – 16h00
Types of engagement and sessions
Engagement will be through panel discussions involving local and regional business, government, farmers, rural communities, educators, researchers, experience-based practitioners etc.
These will be supplemented by plenary presentations from key national and international role players.
Would you like to participate in a panel?
If you have practical experience in one of the focus areas and would like to participate in a panel, please send your details as soon as possible to one of the conference organisers shown below.
Conference organisers:
Lorna van der Merwe
Acting coordinator, ICT for Rural Development e-Skills CoLab, Eastern Cape
based at Walter Sisulu University (Chiselhurst site, East London)
+27 (0) 76 401 2151 / +27 (0) 43 709 4708
Siv Helen Hesjedal
Manager, Information and Knowledge Management
ECSECC (Eastern Cape Socio Economic Consultative Council)
+27 (0) 82 496 7033 Tel:+27 (0) 43 701 3400
Mzolisi Payi
Director, Centre for Community Engagement and Internationalisation
Walter Sisulu University
+27 (0) 83 387 5265 / +27 (0) 43 702 9250