Promoting Synergies in Information and Knowledge Management MAF ICT Strategy and Investment Plan Prepared by: Manoluck Bounsihalath AFPRC DD / MAF ICT Secretariat MB: Fax:

Outline MAF ICT overview/challenges Why is MAF working in ICT? What has been done ? MAF ICT strategy and investment plan

MAF ICT Overview / Challenges Internet and Network connection management problems – Individual connection and separate manage system – High expenditure, less efficiency and low satisfaction No network connection sharing – high potential risk on computer security system No regular update of MAF and each department’s website Many projects have developed useful platforms for agriculture information sharing, but with different hosting and different management approaches. These arrangements are not sustainable.

MAF ICT Overview / Challenges Inefficient internet connection and management – mostly on personnel and project budget Different web application hosting and isolated management No content moderation and management – MAF’s website is not “alive” Need more efficient information service platform: administration, planning decision, report system as a Ethernet information system within MAF

What has been done? MAF ICT Steering Committee Final Draft of MAF ICT strategy 2025 MAF ICT investment plan 2020 MAF ICT Acceptable Use Policy Drafted Official MAF website launched Requested support/policy from GoL(MPT) for ICT agriculture development

- Decision making on development plan, policy, and advocacy - Implementation and suggestion on appropriate solution and policy for MAF ICT development - Information content and application development and management - Technical support at the department level supervised by secretariat Chair and committee member (11) Secretariat (5) Technical Working Group (21) MAF ICT Steering Committee

MAF ICT steering committee meetings

4 PILLARS OF THE ICT STRATEGY ICT for Governance, Operations, Planning and Policy Dialogue ICT for Agricultural Human Resource Development ICT for Agricultural Research ICT for Extension ADS 2025 Ensuring food security, producing potential agricultural products, developing clean, safe and sustainable agriculture on the basis of industrialization and modernization linking with rural development contributing to the National Economic Infrastructure. ICT Tools: Computer, Internet, GIS, TV, Radio, SMS, Smartphone,…

PROGRAMS, SYSTEMS & SERVICES ICT for Sector & Sub-sector, Governance, Operations, Planning and Policy Dialogue ICT Infrastructure Improvement Program ADS2025 Monitoring and Evaluation System Animal Diseases Database Plant Genetic Resources/ Bioinformatics Forest Protection Database Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Management System Collaborative Platforms for Sub-Sector Policy Dialogue Etc..

Capacity Development Program on ICT Alternative Learning Systems for Climate Smart Farmers’ Field Schools/Community Learning Centre Long Distance Learning Center Etc…. ICT for Agricultural Human Resource Development PROGRAMS, SYSTEMS & SERVICES

Cross Sectoral Data Sharing and Integration (e.g. DECIDE) Land Resources Information Management System Forest Cover GIS Carbon Emission/Sequestration Simulation/Monitoring System Etc…. ICT for Agricultural Research PROGRAMS, SYSTEMS & SERVICES

Rural Advisory Services to Producers’ Organizations (LURAS) Mobile Information Networks Market Information Systems Agricultural Extension Thru Rural Radio/ Community TV Agricultural Decision Support System Etc…. ICT for Extension PROGRAMS, SYSTEMS & SERVICES

MAF ICT improvement priority IT Application and Platform service development: MIS, GIS platform, Static data platform, e- Extension, e-Office,… Human Resource Development: capacity building, awareness raising, regulation…. IT Infrastructure, Strategy, Master plan, investment plan, Policy development: Network backbone connection, Server room, electricity, steering committee, IT specialist team,…

MAF ICT’s Roadmap MAF ICT Secretary MAF ICT taskforce MAF ICT Office Develop MAF ICT strategy, master and investment plan submit proposals to related donor agency for budget contribution Reform a team working group MAF ICT strategy and master plan implementation Setup network connection and server room IT environment to meet the organization needs Develop ICT regulation and guideline for user Strengthening on IT human resource and IT governance Internet connection management and monitoring Information service platform Synergy agriculture information

MAF network connection MAF Internal (Ethernet) External Internet connection and sharing, National information exchange, Official agriculture information sharing platform through out MAF URL address, … Direct connection to each department for regularly update information for internal database, particular information sharing platform belong to MAF, centralization information management,..

The New official MAF Website was launched in February DoPCDoADoFIDoFDALAM

ື No. Web URL addressOrganization 1 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 2 dopc.maf.gov.la Department of Planning and Cooperation 3 doa.maf.gov.la Department of Agriculture 4 doi.maf.gov.la Department of Irrigation 5 dof.maf.gov.la Department of Forestry 6 dofi.maf.gov.la Department of Forestry Inspection 7 daec.maf.gov.la Department of Agriculture Extension and Cooperative 8 dlf.maf.gov.la Department of Livestock and Fishery 9 dop.maf.gov.la Department of Organization and Personnel 10 dalam.maf.gov.la Department of Agricultural Land management 11nafri.maf.gov.la National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute Official Web address of MAF

MAF’s Website management Center/project level Department level Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry dof.maf.gov.la/center Each level has their own web home page and content management Content update Feed approval Related Doc Content update Feed approval Feeding info Related Doc Content update Feeding info Related Doc

LINE Messaging App for Knowledge Sharing DLF Fisheries Division and PAFO in 5 provinces FAO Regional Rice Initiative (RRI)

Investment Requirements Infrastructure Development – Telecommunications infrastructure and networking requirements Hardware-Software Procurement – Hardware and software requirements Content Development – Databases, directories, output maps, multimedia knowledge products and services, policy briefs, etc. Staffing – IT staff, developers, systems administrators, content managers, knowledge managers Capacity Development – Short term (non formal) training ICT4AF Readiness Training Specialized training courses – Long term (formal) training.

Investment Modes Regular Budget Appropriations – Regular budgetary releases from the national government Loan Assistance – Telecommunications infrastructure loan assistance Project Funding – Project funds from development partners Public Private Partnerships

Investment Sources GoL – MAF – eGovernment Lao IT Chamber of Commerce Development Partners – AIIB – ADB CASPII – DFAT – FAO – IFAD – JICA – SDC – Others

Next Steps Seek endorsement of MAF ICT strategy, investment plan and acceptable use policy with ICT Steering Committee. Seek support from interested partners and related project activities Implement the activity plan in priority area – Infrastructure: connect all department and gateway connection – IT capacity building: ToT and information management guideline – Link and up for critical systems or services for existing information resource sharing within MAF domain

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