The application of information and communication technologies in agricultural and rural development in Egypt

Participatory communication in development aims to facilitate the integration of interpersonal communication methods with conventional and new media channels, with the focus on encouraging all stakeholders to participate in the process. The growth of internet-based technologies has created new opportunities for facilitating this participation and enhancing the ability of resource-poor communities to access information and support and to share experiences and knowledge. Drawing on the principles of participatory communication and harnessing the potential of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) to strengthen communication among the stakeholders in agricultural and rural development, the Rural and Agricultural Development Communication Network (RADCON) was launched in Egypt in 2004. It built on the experience of the Virtual Extension and Research Communication Network (VERCON), initiated in 2000 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Resources in Egypt in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).