Introduction / Objectives
The assessment of agricultural information needs in African, Caribbean & Pacific
(ACP) States aims to assist the three operational departments of the CTA as well as its
local representatives to improve and better target interventions and activities aimed at
potential partners and beneficiaries (including women, youth, private sector and civil
society organisations), to have a more informed picture of their needs and aid in the
elaboration of a strategy and framework of action. This assessment also highlights
where there are specific needs for CTA’s products and services it thereby enabling
improvement in the delivery these products for the agricultural sector.
Methodology
Aided by the questionnaire as given by the CTA as guideline for this study a number
of 14 institutions with a link to agriculture were interviewed on the subject of their
information needs.
Findings
The agricultural sector in Suriname can be divided into four (4) sub sectors, namely:
agriculture, fisheries, forestry and animal husbandry. In Suriname, the Ministry of
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV) is the governmental body
responsible for policy development within the agricultural sector, excluding forestry,
which lies under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The main
agricultural exports products are: shrimp and fish, rice, bananas (till 2001), timber.
Summarizing the information gathered through the survey (see survey results in
Annex III) a distinction can be made in the following type of information gained:
Information resources, Communication mechanisms, Organizational matters (staff,
skills, qualifications) and Shortcomings.
Results
Most of the organizations interviewed identified the Internet as their major
information resource. Most of the organizations were not aware of the CTA as an
information resource for agricultural issues. Some of the organizations such as PHS,
CELOS and the Ministry of LVV have permanent subscriptions to literature
information sources. The most important communication mechanisms identified along
the survey in the following order of importance are specific newsletters/ brochures
produced by the organization and radio and television programmes. Most of the
organisations interviewed do have e-mail facilities through an individual member, but
this is often only used in order to correspond with third organisations, and not as a
tool to communicate information to its members. The majority of organizations
interviewed, that have the status of a NGO, work with volunteers. The board members
are often volunteers with a specialized background in one of the agricultural sectors.
Most organizations showed a lack in skilled personnel for the management of
information and communication and personnel with a technical background in the use
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of modern technology as means of information sharing and gathering and
communication. The main shortcomings shown by this survey are: lack of finances
and thus crucial equipment such as computers and other audio-visual material, lack of
skilled / qualified personnel, target groups or members being illiterate in the use of
computers. The agricultural information flow towards organizations shows a different
pattern for de the institutions interviewed. Most of the organisations gather
information as the need for information on a certain subject is relevant. A weakness in
the information flow seen in most organisations seems to be the information flow
from the field to relevant policy development bodies/organisations.
The key institutions interviewed can be distinguished into 3 categories based on their
information needs: 1. Research and Policy Development group, 2. Interest groups, 3.
NGOs targeting a vulnerable group. The source of information for the first group is
mainly through Internet and international as well as regional collaboration. For the
second group their main source of information is the groups mentioned 1, and they
also get information from the Internet. For the third group, their need for information
seems to be targeted towards specific themes for starting projects. Their source of
information is mainly research institutes (local and international), the Ministry of
LVV and local as well as international project consultants.
In general, the situation in Suriname situation in terms of information needs can be
defined as one of high importance. The capacity building needs expressed are:
Research and Policy Development groups: additional trained staff and or training of
staff in techniques for management of information and communication, finances for
information gathering. Interest groups: finances for information gathering, training
in design and development of informational products (printed as well as audiovisual),
training in the use of computers and Internet for their stakeholders. NGOs targeting a
vulnerable group: finances for information gathering, management of information
within the office.
The situation encountered in the field study on information and communication needs
within the agricultural sector in Suriname clearly shows a distinction in key problems
within different categories of institutions identified. The 3 main information needs for
the agricultural sector in Suriname are: marketing, current/ updated agricultural
developments in the Caricom, WTO. FTAA, cost price developments, quality
management, updated prices of agricultural commodities, technical information (for
the different sub-sectors within agriculture).
The 3 main capacity building needs for the agricultural related institutions in
Suriname in order of priority are: technical expertise, training in the use of IT and
ICM, training programmes including possibilities for. Both the information needs and
capacity building needs are driven by the fact that the information flow within the
sector is slow and not constant mainly caused by the lack of finances and skilled
personnel. Organisations slowly integrate new technological developments into their
daily course of work because of the fact that there is no or slow access to current
information.