=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-1152/paper61
|storemode=property
|title=Rural Tele-centers in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Iran: Situations and Problems (Case Study: South Khorasan Province - East of Iran)
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1152/paper61.pdf
|volume=Vol-1152
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/haicta/Golmohammadi11
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==Rural Tele-centers in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Iran: Situations and Problems (Case Study: South Khorasan Province - East of Iran)==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1152/paper61.pdf
Rural Tele-centers in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural
Development in Iran: Situations and Problems
(Case Study: South Khorasan Province – East of Iran)
Farhood Golmohammadi 1
.1Ph.D.- A Faculty Member, in : Islamic Azad University_ Birjand Branch – Birjand. IRAN
E-MAIL: FARHOODGOL@YAHOO.COM & FARHOOD.GOL@GMAIL.COM
Abstract. The majority of rural population in Iran has limited access to
agricultural information. However, bridging the digital gap between urban and
rural areas has been a major challenge for authorities in Iran. Using Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) for poverty reduction and for the
economic empowerment of poor women and men in rural areas have been
experienced world wide. Tele-centers are properly tools and public facility that
available for villagers and can provide rural people with information related to
their business, reduce the costs of money transfers, and put microfinance within
the reach of poor men and women. The purpose of this article is to introducing the
rural ICT activities in south khorasan province-Iran and specially reviewing the
results of socio-economic impacts of them in sustainable rural development in
order to find how Iranians use these facilities for poverty reduction and economic
improvement in rural areas.
Keywords: ICTs, Development, Rural, Sustainability, Iran.
1 Introduction
What makes a nation great and wise is education that percolate all through the People.
(Seaman Knapp. The Father of Agricultural Extension Science. 1900).
We must see that information technology and telecommunication get there (to rural
areas) Very fast. If we are interested in eliminating poverty, you have the best chance
ever in human history through telecommunication, through information technology,
through micro credit (Professor Yunus, Grameen Bank & winner ofNoble prize).
In 1985 a very huge exhibition performed in Tsukaba in Japan (Tsukaba, EXPo 85, The
21th Century’s in View). During six months that doors of the exhibition opened to
viewers, twenty millions people visited from it. This exhibition was a great propaganda
for technology of Japan, but also made opportunities for thinking about future human
communications. Whether when man gradually accustomed to personal facilities such
as glasses, automobile and etc. he/she can't accustomed to a robot that enables to be
leader of a blind man. One of the methodologist of cybernetics Problems Wrote: major
________________________________
Copyright ©by the paper’s authors. Copying permitted only for private and academic purposes.
In: M. Salampasis, A. Matopoulos (eds.): Proceedings of the International Conference on Information
and Communication Technologies
for Sustainable Agri-production and Environment (HAICTA 2011), Skiathos, 8-11 September, 2011.
707
problem of our scientists is from that still we don't have complete cognition from
intelligence and wisdom. We don't go forward from first opportunities (Mohsenianrad,
1995). In rural development projects, often observe that executers have used from
methods that need a huge amount resource that contain more human, technical,
physical, financial. Since this side, whenever that educational activities culminate, cause
come up cost ratio that motivate more necessary activities and resources must be doing
for comprehensive and multidimensional encounter to problem. Educational innovation
must complete two types of demands. First, it must provide on-time, appropriate and
flexible responses in basis of work, culture and social dimensions that individual live in
that. It must have internal talent and merit and expressive in sight of psychology.
Although it must responsive to quantitative, qualitative and heterogeneity conditions.
Distance education contains methods that make it appropriate facility for effective
delivery the range of educational opportunities with better monitoring (see figs. 1,2,3).
With use an educational plan in base of systems approach that have developed through
educational processes, under the protection of individual learning opportunities
(allocated education) to be possible install systems according to day and creative as
compared with individual needs.
Communication
In the same location Contemporaneous
Quick communication
Teacher Student
Fig. 1. Educational interaction in face to face education (performed in one’s presence)
Quick Communication
Teacher Student
Educational Distance Volunteer
Personnel’s (physical departure)
Communication in the Foundation of Media
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Fig. 2. Comparison between educational interaction in distance education and face to face
education
Learning activities
Different location Different time
Area remoteness
Educational ________ __________________ _ Volunteer
Personnel’s (physical departure)
Fig. 3. Educational Interaction in Distance Education (Elliott, 2002)
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are an expanding assembly of
technologies that can be used to collect, store and share information between people
using multiple devices and multiple media (Chapman & Slaymaker, 2002). Many
materials connected to agricultural extension and adoption have indicated that whatever
more methods and channels are used to in agricultural extension, the possibility of
success is increasing. But without respect to amount of complexity of method,
efficiency of message in a great deal founded on the person who responsible for
execution its. The method to transfer a message in large amount determines the change
in behavior and attitudes. Extension workers especially in developing countries have a
little instruction in exchange of information and knowledge with respect to level of
learning ability, power and experience of farmers. The major goals of interventional
communication that be utilizing in extension, are mobilization, transfer of information,
teaching skills and establishing organizations (Karami & Fanaie, 1994). The matter that
still its potentials don’t recognized completely yet in agricultural and rural sustainable
development in Iran, is ICTs. The subject that in developed and success developing
countries (especially India, Bangladesh, Kenya, etc.) have 15 to 20 years successful
experiences and works in that field. Perhaps the main reason for this, is later entrance of
these technologies and concepts to Iran. This article is part of a research titled:
((Studying role of co-operatives in entrepreneurship and agricultural development in
conditions of globalization of economics-Case Study: South Khorasan Province)) that
by the author have been done in Islamic Azad University-Birjand Branch-Birjand, Iran.
2 Situation and Challenges of Agriculture Sector in Iran
From 75 millions population of Iranian country; 30 millions live in rural regions, which
main their activities are in agricultural and animal husbandry sectors. Over 26 percent of
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employed population in country; work in the agricultural sector. Over 26 percent of
(GDP) country is obtained from agriculture. Rate of average growth for this sector in
the 4rd development national program predicts to be 1/5 percent. The extent of forests
and pastures in Iran is 102/4 million ha. The extent of forests and pastures in Iran is
102/4 million ha (Moja, 2010). In recent years, Iran has raised production of many
necessary and strategic food crops such as wheat, oil seeds, Potato, citrus Fruits, apple
and etc; and have walked high steps to receive self-sufficiency in wheat (especially) and
also export in some products such as pistachio, saffron, raisin, almond, walnut, potato,
Onion and etc (Ibid.). Major type of production system in agriculture of Iran is petty
landowners and peasantry and subsistence.
Table 1. The Iranian out-put listed according to the largest global producer rankings in 2007
(FAO).
World Ranking Commodity
Pistachio, Berberis (Zereshk), Caviar, Saffron, Stone fruits,
1st
Berries
2nd Dates, Apricots
Watermelons, Cherries, Cantaloupes & other melons, Apples,
3rd
Figs, Gherkins
Sheep Stocks (Flocks), Fresh Fruits, Quinces, Wool,
4th
Almonds, Walnuts
5th Anise, Badian, Fennel, Corian, Chickpeas, Silk worm cocoons
6th Hazelnut, Buffalo milk, Tomatoes
7th Grapes, Onions, Sour cherries, Sheep milk, Kiwifruit
Spices, Peach, Nectarines, Tangerine, Mandarin orange,
8th Clem, Lemons & Limes, Oranges, Goat milk, Pumpkins,
Squash & Gourds
9th Lentils
10th Persimmons, Tea, Natural honey
11th Hempseed
12th Citrus fruits, Wheat, Plum and sloes
13th Melon-seeds, Hen eggs, Eggplants (Aubergines)
14th Sugar beet, Fresh vegetables, Barley, Potatoes
15th Safflower seed, Artichoke
Commercial and industrial agriculture in Iran have developed since 1970 specially by
American multinational corporations, but they don’t have a strong situation in
agricultural sector yet. Agricultural development is one of the most important priorities
in national development Programs in developing countries. This sector in these
countries has faced with these major challenges and ICTs can play a significant role in
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improving them: (1Globalization of Economic and Production system , 2( Erosion of
natural Basic Resources and Environmental Crisis, and 3( Poverty and food security
(Emad, 2005).
3 National Project to Development ICTs Application in Iran
(TAKFA)
This project approved in council of ministers in government of Iran in date of 30 June
2002. Regulations on special manner of implementing specified activities in order to
deployment utilization Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in country
approved in following summarized details: (1Preparation as more as possible country in
order to presence whole dimensional in information society and for attainment to:
a) Systematic deployment of ICTs for the sake of proving to be true ((sagacity axis))
economic in order to national sustainable development. b) Development human
resources as strategic priority of ICTs development in order to establishing value added
employment. c) Cultural development and strengthen environment and space to national
together increasing. D) Implementing infrastructure arrangement for ICTs development
containing access network, security, rules and regulations, resources and facilities. E)
Development fields and opportunities for the sake of mobilization private sector as key
strategic axis in ICTs development. F) Collaboration among ministries and
organizations to mobilization all material and human possibilities in country to access
the goals of (TAKFA). G) Some plans under this project are as following:
1) E-government plan (system, metaphorical network, rule and security), and 2)
Functional deployment plan ICTs in ministry of education and development digitally
skills in human power of country, and also in higher education, hygiene and other
ministries and organizations in commerce, culture, economic, science, research and etc
(Management and Planning Organization of Iran, 2005).
4 Problems of Extension System in Iran
With pass of time and during studies, iti s revealed that past strategies of rural extension
and informing in spite of some successes, because of various reasons, mainly: A) One
way being, B) Emphasis on some special social categories and uncovering public (both
individual and rural levels). C) Un- comparing with all real educational needs of rural
people and giving especial attention on agricultural extension and supposing other
various educational needs of rural people to be un-necessary. They can't very successful
for villagers. Because of previous deficiencies, plus not indigenous and not comparing
with cultural characteristics and geographical conditions in rural Regions in Iran
(lasaeizadeh, 2000).
5 ICT and Agricultural Knowledge and Information System in Iran
(AKIS / NEDAK)
((AKIS- in English)) or ((NEDAK- in Persian)) is a system that contains elements such
as centers and collections of production, process/polish, transfer and application of
agricultural information and knowledge in the direction of increasing content of
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knowledge in agricultural sector and finally with agricultural development are in
interaction and connection, as following: 1(Producers of information (like research
centers, policy making); 2(Polishers and transmitters of information. (Like extensional
structures and agriculture and rural services); and 3(Users of information (agricultural
stakeholders).
These are fundamental elements and proportionately the level of agricultural sector
advancement, sub systems, mechanisms and other abundant elements interfere in this
system. With study the situation in this system in various Countries we can find that
Agricultural Development has meaningful and cause and effect relationship with
developing of this system. From the viewpoint of (AKIS) following cases are most
important fields of action and exactly problems of agricultural and rural development:
1- Efficiency in knowledge and information production.
2- Access to information and knowledge.
3- Communicative infrastructures.
4- Media, channels and communicational methods.
ICTs have following roles in development of (AKIS) in Iran: 1(ICTs as tool for
improving agricultural productivity; in the following ways: a) Access to basic services
(such as education, hygiene). b) Improving social and political participation (by means
of connections and interactions between individuals and groups in various regions) .c)
Support from economical activities, and d) Improving access to credit services.
2) Role of ICTs in increasing biological production output; in the following ways of
delivery appropriate information: a) Technical information and better and more
effective productive skills for implementing farm affairs (exploitation Unit). b)
Information in field of dangerous factors (risk), decreasing risk and productive
wastages, and c) Information in climate predictions and environmental shocks.
3) Role of ICTs in increasing economical efficiency of production: For example, some
studies show that E-commerce can with remove some middlemen, increase revenues of
poor farmers by means of delivery final prices, sometimes to ten folds (Ministry of
Communication and Information Technology in Iran, 2009).
6 Applying ICTs in Extension System of Iran
A new revolution is sweeping the globe- Information Technology (ICT). It is a vehicle
for future development, opportunities, challenges and competition that enables
information to be collected and used. No aspect of human life remains untouched by the
impact of IT, and agriculture is no exception. Access to information and improved
communication is a crucial requirement for agricultural development. However, it is
observed that rural population still has difficulty in accessing critical information in
order to make timely decisions. Modern communication technologies, when applied to
rural areas can help in improving communication, increase participation, disseminate
information and share knowledge and skills. Cyber extension would be the major form
of technology dissemination in the near future. It uses the power of online networks,
computer communications and digital interactive multimedia to facilitate dissemination
of agricultural technologies. In Iran, increasing attention is being paid to apply
information technology as a means of technology transfer in extension planning and
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implementation process. In the extension system of Iran, a great emphasis is placed on
the role of indigenous knowledge to facilitate communication in rural development
programs. Communication between project personnel and farmers is often very poor,
particularly in projects with a structure that favors literacy, top-down message flows and
innovations developed elsewhere. The extension system has been using four main
channels to convey information to farmers. Those channels are radio, TV, printed
materials and interpersonal communication. Radio and TV stations located in the
province’s centers allocate time to the extension offices to make agricultural programs
and broadcast them to the farmers. The programs are made in the extension office by the
extension staff. These programs try to reach rural audiences with specially tailored
messages in an attractive and cost efficient format. Also, extension officers prepare
publications on the related agricultural topics and present them to farmers. In addition,
many extension organizations in different provinces produce periodic bulletins with
news and review articles (In Farsi), which primarily aim at extension services.
Extension agents also teach the farmers in interpersonal communication channel
(Golmohammadi . 2007) )Emadi, 2005(.
7 ICTs for Effective Agricultural Extension - Lessons from Asia
Access to information and improved communication is a crucial requirement for
sustainable agricultural development. Modern communication technologies when
applied to conditions in rural areas can help improve communication, increase
participation, and disseminate information and share knowledge and skills. The
argument is being put forth that "Cyber Extension" would be the major form of
Agricultural Extension in the near future. However the rural population in major Asian
countries still has difficulty in accessing crucial information in order to make timely
decisions. It is essential that information availability is demand driven rather than
supply driven. The challenge is not only to improve the accessibility of communication
technology to the rural population but also to improve its relevance to local
development. ICTs have started to make their presence felt in Rural. The farmers and
farm-families are browsing the net and getting general, technical and marketing
information from the Information kiosks in over villages across Iran. If the rural area
can be connected and the “masses” are empowered with “Information”, the Rural
Economy will take a leap forward into the Digital Millennium with a great speed. The
process has already started. The focus on “e-Governance” and “IT for Masses” is also
emerging as front-runner in Iran vision documents. For this purpose, technologies
especially suitable for rural areas are being developed and deployed. Portals on Rural
Markets and Agricultural Services are being hosted. District level Web Sites are being
hosted, Information Kiosks are being established at sub-district and village levels and
the technical and other need-based information is being collected, digitized and hosted
on the Internet. The “Pakkisan.com” and “Villages Online” portals of Pakistan, The
“Grameen Bank’s Village Communication Program” in Bangladesh, Radio-Browsing
Program in Bhutan, “Penang Elearning Community” in Malaysia and “Interactive
Radio” and the “ Kothamale Community Radio” in Sri Lanka are all trend-setter
projects in South Asia .The pilot projects of “ Warna Wired Villages” in Kolhapur,
Sangli districts of Maharastra, “Gyandoot” intranet project in Dhar District in M.P. and
“Info Villages” in Pondicherry, Infothela Mobile Telecentre of IIT Kanpur, Community
Radio in Andhra Pradesh, Drishti.com in Haryana, U.P. and Bihar and many more such
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rural initiatives in India have successfully demonstrated the acceptability and usage of
high-end information and communication connectivity at village level. National
Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, India has
taken up a number of innovative projects to provide information and communication
connectivity to the farmers nd farm families in rural areas, under the banner of “Cyber
Extension”. These projects include: i)Connecting over 25 Districts, 400 Blocks on
Internet; ii) Implementing Wireless in Local Loop Technology in Agriculture to provide
Telephone and Internet connectivity to rural population; iii)Connecting over 40 national
level institutions on two-way Video Conferencing: and iv) Providing Video
Conferencing access to Farmers’ groups and Farm-families in Rural Areas through its
Mobile V-SAT Van. MANAGE is thus very consciously involved in consolidating the
learning from all the ICT initiatives in India and abroad, and grounding pilot projects to
test the economics and the logistics involved in this Projects. The ICT enabled
Extension or Cyber Extension is not the replacement of existing face-to-face extension
mechanism, it is only a supplement to make the existing mechanisms more effectives
efficient and economical. The ICTs can help the agriculture extension, more dynamic
instrument of continuous way dialogue with the farmers, on various issues, including
agricultural marketing and other forward linkages. A lot has been done to test and
validate this hypothesis in the Asian continent and the indications are extremely positive
that ICTs can support extension in a big way) Asian Productivity Organization, 2003(.
Capacity
Building and
Education
Based It
Preparation Action plan for Making
and ICTs Application facilitative
Development In purpose of
policies
Rules, diffusion and
Retention, and transition (persuasion
etc. Information and agitation)
Skeleton and
hardware
infrastructures
Fig. 4. elements of system (program) of action for Application Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) for diffusion and Transfer of Information and Innovations to Rural Regions
(Author).
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Human
Capital
Physical
Capital
Financial
Capital
Natural Social
Capital Capital
Fig. 5. Livelihood Information wheel (Chapman. & Slay maker, 2002).
8 ICTs Capabilities in Diffusing Information and Innovations to
Rural Regions
Information is the explicit compiled of knowledge, recognition and awareness and
knowledge. Recognition and awareness are important aspects of sustainable human
development. In other hand, sustainable human development can achieve through
development and Improvement human resources approach. Harbison and Myer defined
" development and improvement human resources as: to consist of increasing in
knowledge (recognition and awareness), skills, capabilities and powers of whole people
of a society. Of course, improvement in recognition capabilities in individuals is
consequence of education, extension and informing activities. The importance and place
of information and knowledge in development process specially in rural development is
such important that specially since 1998-99 in global development reports published by
world Bank and UN that have paid special attention to them (Chapman & Slaymaker,
2002).
9 ICTs for Rural Development and Food Security in Iran
Information and communication technologies can play a major role in improving the
quality of life of rural people. However, the promise is yet to be realized owing to lack
of connectivity, poor access to universal service and an efficient market. It is necessary
to remove the impediments faced by the developing rural economy and provide basic
infrastructure in rural areas to enable ICTs to spread, which would enable them to be
715
part of a comprehensive socio-economic development strategy for rural development as
a means, not an end. Over 60% of people in Asia-Pacific region and about 40% of the
people in the world live in rural areas. Extending the international rural ICT
experiences is a very important issue in most of the world. In Iran some rural ICT
experiences have been started since year 2000.
With an area of 1.6 million square kilometers, Iran’s population is 75 million, 33% of
which live in 64 thousand villages. Most of the villages are thinly populated, so that the
population of 60% of the villages is less than 100 individuals, and that of only 5% of the
villages are above 1000. The Iranian’s average per capita income was US$2,401 in
2006, and normally the rural per capita income is about 75% of the average national per
capita income. Agriculture sector, considered as the major sector with regard to rural
activities, contributed to 11% of GDP. For communication, Iran’s statistics are as
follows: 280 telephone lines per thousand individuals, 64 mobile telephone lines per
thousand, 82 internet users per thousand, 110 computer systems per thousand. South
Khorasan is a province located in eastern Iran. Birjand is the centre of the province. The
other major cities are Ferdows and Qaen. South Khorasan Province consists of 7
counties: Birjand, Boshruyeh , Ferdows , Qaen , Sarayan , Nehbandan , Darmian and
Sarbisheh. South Khorasan is one the three provinces that were created after the division
of Khorasan in 2004. Its area is 69,555 km² and its Population (2005) is 636,420 and its
Density is 7.3/km². there are 192 Tele-center in its villages until 2010, that these
centers covering 95% people living in its rural regions.
Government’s programs for telephone and cell phone development privatization as well
as expansion of internet service providers throughout the country show a promising
future with respect to rapid development of internet and telephone in Iran. Focusing on
connecting villages to telephone lines and covering villages by mobile network is
among the priorities of the country. One of the Development of physical infrastructures
and services of the villages, specially attended in the first and second decades of the
revolution. The Islamic system has particularly focused on rural areas to reduce the
disparities/differences between rural and urban access to various services including
roads, drinking water and power, so that now all villages have access to municipal roads
and electricity and most have access to safe drinking water. Other economic and social
services have also been developed rapidly in the rural areas. This period is known as
Rural Construction era among the Iranian. In recent years, further foci were made
mostly on economic and social development, and inter alias, on skill development,
modern technologies and production investments. Among them, extensive programs of
the government for ICT development in villages could be mentioned.
Access to information by rural population is often very limited, which prevents it from
using the new technologies and information effectively. Rural areas are characterized
by the following challenges:
Inadequate infrastructure to use ICTs, Far away locations of service centers to maintain
and repair ICT devices and systems, Small markets, Inadequate financial resources,
which make ICTs less affordable and lower levels of literacy and ICT literacy, Low
awareness of opportunities and benefits that ICTs can provide (Golmohammadi, 2003,
2005, 2007).
716
Fig. 6. Map of the Iran and the South Khorasan Province in the East of Iran.
Fig. 7. Tele-center in Kalate nasir village - Birjand.- East of Iran (Author, 2010)
717
However, bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas is one of the
challenges facing governments and policy-makers today. Factors that contribute to and
widen this divide include the following:
A) Economic: ICT infrastructure remains prohibitively expensive for many
communities and nations.
B) Geographic: Difficult terrain, long distances and inadequate infrastructure.
C) Technological: Lack of skills to participate in the economy that uses ICTs
extensively.
D) Cultural: Inequalities of access and participation.
E) Political: Long-term investment versus short-term political cycle.
10 Why Rural Tele-centers?
A) Gap between urban area and rural area may be reduced by using Information and
communication Technology.
B) We cannot have poverty reduction and economic empowerment of poor women in
rural and remote areas without using ICT applications at rural Tele-centers.
C) The most cost-effective solution in rural area is to share necessary facilities at Tele-
centers. Iran has some experiences in building Tele-centers (Jalali, 2006).
11 Benefits of Rural Tele centers
Promote self employment opportunities. Computer training at village level. Promote
CLC services, activities and products. ICT training center for education and health care
in the region.
Most of the villages in Iran need to use Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) services. Iran Rural ICT Strategic Plan is one of the Iran ICT Development
National Plans, and considered as a reference for integrated coordinating of Iran rural
ICT development. The most important goal of the project is decreasing the rural digital
divided for economic development in villages and move toward information society.
National Rural ICT Strategic Plan in 2005 begin and received to its fundamental goal
namely establishing and exploitation of the 10000 Rural ICT Tele-Service Center in
2010.
Rural Tele-center which can be publicly or privately owned, be part of a public or
private franchise, or be provided by international donors, has been proved its
justification in the world(Jalali, 2006).
718
Figs. 8 & 9. Tele - centers Bojd and Khorashad villages – Birjand - East of Iran (Author, 2010)
12 Goals, Target Groups and Challenges of Tele-center in South
Khorasan Province – Iran
A. Education for all ages and for all people in the areas who need it.
B. Cultural Activities.
C. A show case for the way IT can be utilized to govern and a small scale model for e-
government.
D. A center for women's activities.
E. An ISP for village.
F. An e-commerce hub for the village and surrounding areas.
G. A vehicle for e-learning, and access to virtual universities.
H. A general information center (health, agriculture, etc.)
I. Access to E-learning.
J. Tele-working (Job opportunity), (Jalali, 2006).
Target Group at Tele-centers in South Khorasan Province – Iran are as following:
Individuals(local community members and village leaders); Small businesses; Schools;
Youths; Disabled people; Farmers; Women groups; Tele-workers; Government
departments.
Tele-centers Challenges in South Khorasan Province – Iran are as following:
High implementation cost (initial), Limited telecommunication infrastructure in remote
areas, Limited usage –not enough to sustain, High operating cost (telecommunication,
electricity, personnel), Encourage private sector participation, Need for effective
management, need for strong community support, ICT training–wide coverage,
Technology moves fast.
719
Fig. 10. Tele-center and Post Bank in Bijaem village- Birjand.- East of Iran (Author, 2010)
Fig. 11. Infrastructures of Telephone and Electricity for Tele-center in Forg village- Birjand.-
East of Iran (Author, 2010)
720
13 Conclusion and Recommendations
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in Iran in an integrated and
holistic approach to end of 2009 aimed to establishing 10000 ICT s bureaus in rural
regions of Iran. In these ICT s bureaus in addition to delivering various services such as
post, post bank, telephone and fax, and other governmental services, provide accessing
these rural regions to internet and global WWW. These ICTs bureaus provide at least
one location to connect internet in these rural regions. The baseline viewpoint for
application this project is full access ofmost of Iranian rural regions to telephone and
usage of this potential for post, communication and bank services in rural regions for
providing delivering other governmental services in them. Ministries such as Jihad-
Agriculture (MOJA), Education, Health and Medical, Power and Electricity, and other
governmental organizations can provide and deliver various services to villagers in
these rural ICTs bureaus electronically and solving many problems of villagers such as
coming them to cities for using of governmental services. This project have been begun
from 2004 and until end of June 2009, number of ICT s bureaus in rural regions of Iran
become 8800 that recieved 100% of planned ICTs bureaus in rural regions of Iran
wererealized. ICTs although can be considered as important achievement of human
race, but their application accompany with considerations and hesitations that must pay
attention to them. Entrance to information age, namely instrumental and attitudinal
completion human in relation to environment and necessarily not meant resolving
fundamental problems and challenges. In simpler tense, although we can through
utilization ICTs,can access more information and knowledge and, deliver more power
and capability to communities, but as noted in human development Report (1999) UN ,
information is only one of the needs of communities. Electronic mail can't replace to
vaccine and can't produce safety drinking water. This statement monitor to attention in
selection, range, extension and application of these technologies. Although internet is
not remedy for all pains of food security, It can open new channels that bring new
knowledge, awareness and informational resources to rural communities. It has stated
that "access to an integrated internet development approach in a determined nation or
region, need collaboration and assistance public agencies, organizations and services.
Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations (FAO) therefore can establish
and strengthen union, mutual agreement and correlation with other international,
regional, national, donors, multi dimensional and development agencies, governmental
and non governmental organizations (NGOs) and rural groups in order to access
sustainable rural and agricultural development. Social multipurpose Tele-centers could
play a key Role in "information Renaissance" in developing countries and assure global
accessto information.
Information and communication technologies have a tremendous potential to help in
improving the living conditions of the rural population in Iran and it is evident that ICTs
will change the way people live, work and learn. A large proportion of the rural
population in Iran is yet to benefit from this technological revolution. Based on the
results of the study by the researcher in 2009 – 2010 in South Khorasan Province – Iran,
author find the following findings:
721
- Establish the partnerships with the public and private sector. The financial burden of
developing ICTs for rural areas is mainly on the government and it is important to enlist
the private sector to participate in the development or expansion of ICTs in rural areas.
- Explore ways to increase the participation of the rural population in the planning,
implementation and evaluation of ICTs program. The lack of support from rural
population may hinder the progress in the development of the ICTs and slow down the
momentum.
- Design the instructional materials which support the role of new ICTs as a
complement for conventional delivery system. These could speed up the application of
the ICTs and facilitate the exchange of ideas among various stakeholders.
- Financial participation of rural people from initial stage is very important. Land of
Tele-center should be donated by villagers.
- Training rural people in short period of time after opening is important.
- Creating website for village with popular villagers’ information and other information.
- Sufficient agricultural information and elementary services.
- E-Banking for small investment and low operational cost loan at initial stage for
commercial operation is important.
- Participation of rural women in operation is useful for empowerment.
- Sharing local government in permanent cost (Internet, telephone, gas, water and
maintenances plus guards) is very important.
- Broadband access to Internet for running multi-media is needed.
- According the results of author’s research, villagers have boosted their general and
specialized knowledge and improved their social and economy since the Tele-centers
opened.
- The role of Tele-centers for improving knowledge in general and making a good
media for business development and entrepreneurship is proved.
-Adapting new technology without Tele-centers is not possible.
- Author’s Research on the socio-economics impacts of rural Tele-centers in South
Khorasan Province–Iran is shown how well these Tele-centers are running. Tele-
centers in South Khorasan Province–Iran improving Social and Economic processes
identified as important for women empowerment. Tele-centers help poor women get
basic capabilities and the process of social needs economic security.
-The Tele-center has even created jobs for educated girls in South Khorasan Province–
Iran and more than 90 of them are currently active in this centers.
- In South Khorasan Province–Iran, educated girls will soon begin work in the Tele-
centers and the economic impacts of Tele-centers in the villages have mainly targeted
women.
- The results of author’s research indicate, more than 90% of women and young people
reported a positive impact of rural Tele-centers on their lives in South Khorasan
Province–Iran.
- Tele-centers in South Khorasan Province–Iran villages are used as a development tool
for reduction of the need to travel, means of boosting the rural economy and providing
job opportunities, support for trade and tourism, reducing isolations and extending e-
learning facilities, etc.
Author also present recommendations in development of ICTs in agriculture and rural
sustainable development in Iran as following:
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- Increasing literacy level of employees in agricultural sector.
- Development and completing Agricultural Knowledge Information System
(AKIS or NEDAK).
- Establishing linkages between Iranian agricultural research, education and
extension organizations.
- Development Cooperatives and NGOs in rural regions and then scientific
strengthening of them and finally transferring ICT s to them.
- Development infrastructures, services, hardware, software and human ware in
rural regions in field and domain of ICT s.
- Absorbing and stuffing young educated and expert people in field of ICT s from
cities to rural regions.
- Preparing and development comprehensive plan for ICT s education in the
country.
- Considering cultural, economic and social conditions in usage of ICT S in rural
regions.
- Empowering small farmers in forward to usage of ICT s.
- Studying and evaluating experiences of successful countries in this domain with
similar cultural, economic and social conditions with Iran – such as India, China and
Japan- and then use of them.
Foot notes
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs):
ICTs , are an expanding assembly of technologies that can be used to collect, store and
share information between people using multiple devices and multiple media (Chapman
and Slay maker. 2002).
723
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