Tackling Isolation in Rural Mongolia: Use of Information Communication Technologies in Agricultural Extension Services Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Oyuntuya Shagdarsuren 2007. Master's thesis, University of Reading, UK.

Abstract

Mongolia is an isolated country with a large territory and a small population. Geographic and ыocial isolation affect rural communities both politically and economically. Isolation results in 2information hunger" in rural Mongolia and contributes to increasing poverty following the country’s transition to a market economy in 1990. This paper explores the opportunity of using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to address isolation and the lack of шnformation in rural Mongolia. International experiences show that the benefits of ICTs are best achieved through the use of an intermediary in the context of rural areas in developing countries. As agriculture is the backbone of the rural economy in Mongolia, the paper suggests that agricultural extension services can serve as an intermediary by using ICTs to make information available for the wider rural community. The methodology of the research is based on a literature review; qualitative and quantitative evidences are drawn from published and unpublished literature, government reports and policy papers as well as internet research. The research was funded by Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and University of Reading, UK within an MSc program.
Findings show that demand for information in rural Mongolia is extremely high, but largely unmet. Current teledensity rates and access to the internet are low and likely to remain so in the near future. Attempts to provide direct access to internet for the rural population have not been sustainable due to low income levels. As a solution, this paper suggests investing in ICTs through agricultural extension services. This can contribute to reducing rural poverty through providing information, increasing agricultural production and improving coordination between different stakeholders in agriculture and rural development. Thus, agricultural extension services in Mongolia can improve the use of their human resources by adopting a broader role to become "rural information and communication intermediaries". Extension workers need training on communication methods and the use of media for development purposes. It is shown that providing access to ICTs through agricultural extension services in rural Mongolia can reduce isolation and create sustainable information and communication networks.

Keywords: ICTs, development, Mongolia, agriculture, extension services,information and communication technologies.

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