1. The implementation of ICT in Agriculture and Rural
Development in South Africa
Dr Roelof de Villiers
Managing Director
Manstrat: Agricultural Intelligence Solutions (PTY) Ltd
20 to 23 May 2012

2. AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY SERVICES IN SOUTH
AFRICA
•Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) with +/- 2000 Extension
Practitioners in the 9 Provinces
•Local Authorities with Local Economic Development Department and agriculture
as development component
•Non-Governmental Organisations with an agricultural focus and Advisors
•Agricultural Consultants
•Agricultural Training Providers providing Training and Support Services
•Agro-industry with advisors
Large scale Smallholder farmers Subsistence farmers
commercial farmers
Range of support to all levels of farming

3. AGRICULTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Commercial Farmers : 40 000
Smallholder Farmers : 250 000
Subsistence Farmers : 1 200 000
ESTIMATED TOTAL : 1 490 000
Estimations of total number of farmers ranges from 1 300 000 to 2 100 000

4. PERSPECTIVES ON SUPPORT
FARMERS ADVISORS
• Advisors visit once and never see • See challenges but unable to find
them again solutions at the office
• Do not provide relevant advice • Lack of access to information
• Feel neglected • Embarrassed to return to farmers with
• Low level of trust no appropriate solution
• Implementing inappropriate systems • Inappropriate information from
available sources
• Information in inaccessible archives
Farmers annoyed with Advisors
Advisors avoiding farmers

5. DEVELOPING AN AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION
SYSTEM
2000
1990
2012
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2006
HR+LED 1995
HR+LED+AGRIC
ESO Framework
ESO for Clients

6. EXTENSION SUITE ONLINE
Extension Suite Online is an internet based (online) information system developed for
agricultural Advisors to provide them with information on every possible aspect of
agriculture right there where and when they need it - on the farm.
The system is simple to use and enable Advisors to assist farmers immediately when
assistance is needed, without having to go back to the office to find information.
The information and solutions to problems are distributed via the internet to devices
such as notebook computers (laptops), pc’s, cellular telephones as well as other
internet enabled handheld devices.
Since it is available on the internet, it is distributed by means of cellular telephone
networks, landline distribution as well as wireless systems.
It is available wherever there is some kind of connectivity and where no such
connectivity is available, and fore low bandwidth users, a light, small footprint version
is available.
It was developed and is maintained by agricultural Advisors, for Agricultural Advisors
and provides relevant and appropriate information for African conditions.

7. DISTRIBUTION
OFFICE PC
INTERNET SERVER INTERNET
MANSTRAT NOTEBOOK
INFORMATION CENTER
CELLULAR
TELEPHONE
CELLULAR TELEPHONE NETWORK

8. LINKING FARMERS, EXTENSIONISTS AND RESEARCHERS
Agric
ESO Colleges
DAFF Student
Research version
University
Manstrat Information Centre
Parastatal
Research
Extension
ESO
Full
version
Private
Sector Call Centre
Research
ESO
Farmers
International version Farmers
Research

9. COMPLETE RANGE OF INFORMATION
RIGHT THERE ON THE FARM AT THE
MOMENT WHEN IT IS NEEDED

10. UTILISATION
423 000 PAGES IN 18 MONTHS
981 EQUIVALENT BOOKS
HEIGHT OF 29 METERS
10 STORY BUILDING
30mm
29 m

11. FEEDBACK FROM EXTENSION PRACTITIONERS
The Farmer now has confidence in the information that I supply to him. ESO is the
tool for information one cannot learn at school. ESO gives me the opportunity to
have information ready, immediately without having to search for days. ESO is an
information bank on the go. - Soyisile Mtombela
I can use ESO with confidence and I do a lot of research on it for farmers. My
relationship with my clients has improved and it has given me confidence to supply
information to farmers. One does not need piles of books to do research, you can
go directly to the information that you need. Extension Suite Online gives you
confidence in your knowledge. It is an excellent Extension Friend. - Lesego
Phakadi
Extension Suite Online has enhanced my relationship with farmers immensely, due
to the load of information that is available. It is a brilliant source of information and
my duties have become easier since I have relevant information immediately at
hand. - Vukile Ggodwana

12. FEEDBACK FROM EXTENSION PRACTITIONERS (Continued..)
I do research on Extension Suite Online to advise farmers and I also provide
assistance to other extension officers who have not yet been registered on
Extension Suite Online Extension Suite Online is an excellent and very important
program in my life, a true library in your hands. - Mthobisi Jackson
I can now supply the farmers that I serve with more accurate information. - Jabu
Baloyi
Extension Suite Online has given me the opportunity to become more assertive in
my work in communicating knowledge to farmers. It gives me a way to convey
information in a simpler, more understandable medium to farmers and I have
learned that I can get information on a farm, by just knowing the farm’s name. Just
by the click of a mouse you can solve a farmer’s problems in the field within
seconds. - Sindile Magoda
The great thing about Extension Suite Online is that you can go onto the system
immediately; while you are on the farm, to help a farmer with information on
diseases, production and many more subjects, this factor has had a positive
influence on my work with the farmers. - Thommy Malongane

13. Roelof de Villiers
Tel:012 460 2499, Cell: 082 894 6085, E-mail: roelof@manstrat.co.za