Application of ICT in the Agriculture domain

Abstract

Our experience in developing application software for the Department of Agriculture – Southern Province has led to the following problem areas and/or findings that needs to be addressed if the solutions are to be practical, sustainable and interconnected.

We have identified the problem to be of two-fold as 1. Forming the future - How and what needs to be done to ensure that any development is inter-connectible, void of redundant data and processes, as per a published standard, etc. What needs to be done; a. Establish standards that the stake holders should adhere to in developing apps/applications. b. Have the standards published in a web portal that is easily accessible to any stake holder. c. May be to have a stake holder registration process so as to ensure the stakeholders follow the standards. d. Be the standards-auditor of the domain and have a mechanism to provide standards-auditing as a service. 2. Taming the present -How can we bring the currently available software solutions to be inter-connected and shareable encompassing data shareability, process shareability and application shareability. What needs to be done; a. Establish a mechanism to inventories the current situation. b. Make available a categorized inventory of current applications such as, in-use, done but not in use, planned to do, etc. c. The inventory should have the attributes such as features, reusability, applicability and adaptability in other areas (Not application areas but administrative areas). d. Develop a mechanism on how to integrate what-is-in-use.

We see that we need a common body/organization that could do the following. 1. Being the official primary-resource/controller of the Agri-domain development. 2. Identify the external domains that are directly influential on Agri-domain. 3. Have a more interactive and proactive relationship with controlling authorities of development of the above external domains.