Frederick Noronha (FN)
2006-02-14 19:42:12 UTC
[Would be great to have some GNU/Linux visibility here. -FN, Co-founder,
BytesForAll]
http://www.baramatiinitiatives.org/event_profile.htm
Sixth Annual Baramati Initiative on ICT and Development
Baramati, Maharashtra, India – March 9 - 11, 2006
Co-Organized by:
Vidya Pratishthan's Institute of Information Technology
&
YES BANK
The Potential of E-Agriculture
This is the sixth in a series of conferences organized by Vidya
Pratishthan's Institute of Technology (VIIT) in Baramati, Maharashtra,
India. This year, the conference will focus on the use of Information
and Communication Technology in Agriculture (e-Agriculture), exploring
avenues through which governments, NGO's, development agencies and
corporates can work to successfully promote e-agriculture to benefit the
rural economy.
Though over 65 percent of India's population resides in rural areas,
with majority working in agriculture and allied areas, it contributes to
a mere 23 percent of total GDP. Meanwhile, the services sector has raced
ahead on the back of the phenomenal growth in the IT and ITES sectors,.
The agents that funneled their growth - technology, information, and
efficient processes - now need to be chanelised into the agriculture
sector and assist India's remaining six fifty million to augment their
earning power.
Rural areas are predominately under-developed with poor infrastructure,
electricity and roads and Indian farmers - like many of their
counterparts across the world - are sustaining themselves on archaic
methods and processes. To achieve a sustainable level of food production
it is necessary that they have seamless access to:
*
Information on weather, production and cultivation techniques,
seeds and fertilizers, plant nutrients and water usage
* Funds and liability coverage through agri-finance and
agri-insurance
* Assistance from universities on new techniques (such as
biotechnology) used to increase production yield
* Market infrastructure like warehouses and Cold-chain management
Thus, creative delivery of information and other resources to farmers
becomes vital. E-agriculture aims to harness the potential of
information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance the
dissemination of vital information on agriculture to the rural
population. Various agencies - including government, corporates and
NGO's - have utilized ICT to implement innovate solutions and facilitate
the access to knowledge.
The Baramati Initiative seeks to synergize these learnings through
presentations and panel discussions involving not only experts and
practitioners from NGOs, corporations and government agencies, but also
the grassroots partners , the ultimate beneficiaries.
Panels include:
* Innovative Practices showcasing the benefits of ICT for the
Agriculture Sector
* Role of ICT in facilitating Agri-Finance and Agri-Insurance
* Research on use of ICT in Agriculture
* Government and E-Agriculture: Government’s Support for
E-Agriculture
* Corporate experiences – Trade facilitation through ICT
* The Power of Collaboration: Success stories
* The Future of E-Agriculture and Critical success factors
Further, the annual conference will continue to act as a platform for
information exchange , exploring ways in which information and
communication technology is being used as a tool to empower the poor.
The event is a learning opportunity for participants allowing them to:
* Interact directly with grassroots partners i.e. people who are
using this technology, and to learn from them the difference that ICT
has made a difference in their lives
* Meet and interact with individuals and organizations that are
financing these efforts
* Learn about new trends via exhibits and demonstration booths
The Baramati Concept
The basic concept behind this event is to highlight the enormous
potential of digital technologies and digital economy to help poor
communities.
Poverty-alleviation organizations, social entrepreneurs, government
institutions, corporate enterprises and even uneducated, village
entrepreneurs are continuously developing technological solutions to
serve the often-overlooked customers at the bottom of the pyramid. These
solutions are bringing the benefits of the digital age-increased access
to markets, education, environmental information, and government
services - to communities around the world. In so doing, they are
helping to build the business, economic, and social cases for investing
in systems and infrastructure needed to serve the poorest of the poor.
Together, they are helping to empower hundreds and millions of the
world's underprivileged to become agents of their own development.
The purpose of Baramati initiative is to showcase how ICT is being
employed to provide sustainable solutions to the needs of poor
communities. The conference takes place in Baramati, a village located
in rural Maharashtra where an ecosystem using ICT to aid the rural
economy has been successfully created.
This conference attracts over 150 participants each year with over 30-40
foreign participants. Over the last 5 years, the Baramati Initiative has
become one of the key forums for people to exchange information on
innovative efforts in the field of ICT and Development.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcslug/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
bcslug-***@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
BytesForAll]
http://www.baramatiinitiatives.org/event_profile.htm
Sixth Annual Baramati Initiative on ICT and Development
Baramati, Maharashtra, India – March 9 - 11, 2006
Co-Organized by:
Vidya Pratishthan's Institute of Information Technology
&
YES BANK
The Potential of E-Agriculture
This is the sixth in a series of conferences organized by Vidya
Pratishthan's Institute of Technology (VIIT) in Baramati, Maharashtra,
India. This year, the conference will focus on the use of Information
and Communication Technology in Agriculture (e-Agriculture), exploring
avenues through which governments, NGO's, development agencies and
corporates can work to successfully promote e-agriculture to benefit the
rural economy.
Though over 65 percent of India's population resides in rural areas,
with majority working in agriculture and allied areas, it contributes to
a mere 23 percent of total GDP. Meanwhile, the services sector has raced
ahead on the back of the phenomenal growth in the IT and ITES sectors,.
The agents that funneled their growth - technology, information, and
efficient processes - now need to be chanelised into the agriculture
sector and assist India's remaining six fifty million to augment their
earning power.
Rural areas are predominately under-developed with poor infrastructure,
electricity and roads and Indian farmers - like many of their
counterparts across the world - are sustaining themselves on archaic
methods and processes. To achieve a sustainable level of food production
it is necessary that they have seamless access to:
*
Information on weather, production and cultivation techniques,
seeds and fertilizers, plant nutrients and water usage
* Funds and liability coverage through agri-finance and
agri-insurance
* Assistance from universities on new techniques (such as
biotechnology) used to increase production yield
* Market infrastructure like warehouses and Cold-chain management
Thus, creative delivery of information and other resources to farmers
becomes vital. E-agriculture aims to harness the potential of
information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance the
dissemination of vital information on agriculture to the rural
population. Various agencies - including government, corporates and
NGO's - have utilized ICT to implement innovate solutions and facilitate
the access to knowledge.
The Baramati Initiative seeks to synergize these learnings through
presentations and panel discussions involving not only experts and
practitioners from NGOs, corporations and government agencies, but also
the grassroots partners , the ultimate beneficiaries.
Panels include:
* Innovative Practices showcasing the benefits of ICT for the
Agriculture Sector
* Role of ICT in facilitating Agri-Finance and Agri-Insurance
* Research on use of ICT in Agriculture
* Government and E-Agriculture: Government’s Support for
E-Agriculture
* Corporate experiences – Trade facilitation through ICT
* The Power of Collaboration: Success stories
* The Future of E-Agriculture and Critical success factors
Further, the annual conference will continue to act as a platform for
information exchange , exploring ways in which information and
communication technology is being used as a tool to empower the poor.
The event is a learning opportunity for participants allowing them to:
* Interact directly with grassroots partners i.e. people who are
using this technology, and to learn from them the difference that ICT
has made a difference in their lives
* Meet and interact with individuals and organizations that are
financing these efforts
* Learn about new trends via exhibits and demonstration booths
The Baramati Concept
The basic concept behind this event is to highlight the enormous
potential of digital technologies and digital economy to help poor
communities.
Poverty-alleviation organizations, social entrepreneurs, government
institutions, corporate enterprises and even uneducated, village
entrepreneurs are continuously developing technological solutions to
serve the often-overlooked customers at the bottom of the pyramid. These
solutions are bringing the benefits of the digital age-increased access
to markets, education, environmental information, and government
services - to communities around the world. In so doing, they are
helping to build the business, economic, and social cases for investing
in systems and infrastructure needed to serve the poorest of the poor.
Together, they are helping to empower hundreds and millions of the
world's underprivileged to become agents of their own development.
The purpose of Baramati initiative is to showcase how ICT is being
employed to provide sustainable solutions to the needs of poor
communities. The conference takes place in Baramati, a village located
in rural Maharashtra where an ecosystem using ICT to aid the rural
economy has been successfully created.
This conference attracts over 150 participants each year with over 30-40
foreign participants. Over the last 5 years, the Baramati Initiative has
become one of the key forums for people to exchange information on
innovative efforts in the field of ICT and Development.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcslug/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
bcslug-***@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/