Using ICT for remote sensing, crowdsourcing and big data to unlock the potential of agriculture data
Woodard H, Adriessen M, Cohen C, Cox C, Fritz S, Johnson D, Koo J, McLean M, See L, Speck T, Sturn T
World Bank
June 27, 2017
Abstract
Information and communication technology (ICT) has always mattered in agriculture. Ever since people have grown crops, raised livestock, and caught fish, they have sought information from one another. Today, ICT represents a tremendous opportunity for rural populations to improve productivity, to enhance food and nutrition security, to access markets, and to find employment opportunities in a revitalized sector. ICT has unleashed incredible potential to improve agriculture, and it has found a foothold even in poor smallholder farms. ICT in Agriculture, Updated Edition is the revised version of the popular ICT in Agriculture e-Sourcebook, first launched in 2011 and designed to support practitioners, decision makers, and development partners who work at the intersection of ICT and agriculture. Our hope is that this updated Sourcebook will be a practical guide to understanding current trends, implementing appropriate interventions, and evaluating the impact of ICT interventions in agricultural programs.
Dr. Morven McLean, during her tenure as CEO of the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, was a co-author of Chapter 15: “Using ICT for remote sensing, crowdsourcing and big data to unlock the potential of agriculture data.” This chapter features an innovative practice summary of the Crop Composition Database on page 426.