Learning and sharing in communication
for rural development

1. What processes and methodologies can be applied to design demand driven and inclusive rural communication policies/services to advocate family farming in the Asia Pacific: The role of community based organizations and social capital: It is appropriation not adoption of ICT technologies, which makes the men and women farmers of farming households effectively use these technologies as learning tools. Therefore suggest that attention need to be paid to socio cultural imperatives and the supportive role played by Community based organizations ( like farmers associations, farmers clubs, farmers producer companies, federations of self help groups etc) to successfully mobilize the community and actively participate in the learning programme. In the context of such socially mobilized groups the learning/extension takes place in the already established social capital. It facilitates horizontal transfer of knowledge; hence the benefits are not restricted to the individual learners but extended to other family members, relatives, neighbors and other peer group members. Initiating the learning with such approach would also help to overcome the well established correlation between the digital divide and the gender divide, if the use of technology is placed in an appropriate socio cultural context. Access to technology and information is subtly enhances women’s power to go beyond the culturally constructed space, associate with external agencies and effectively participate in the...