Supporting Chinese Farmers with ICT-based Information Services - An Analysis of Service Models

Over the last three decades, China's agriculture sector has been transformed from the traditional to modern agriculture practice through the effective deployment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Information processing and dissemination have played a critical role in this transformation process. However, there are very limited publications regarding the China's success and lessons learned in utilising ICTs to support Agriculture development and transformation. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding on how different ICT-based information service models are designed and adopted in China; and to share the knowledge and experience in applying emerging ICTs in disseminating agriculture information to farmers to improve productivity and economic, social and environmental sustainability. The paper reviews and analyses the China's agricultural information service systems and models. Seven ICT-based information dissemination models are identified and discussed. Successful cases are presented to demonstrate the impacts of different service models. The findings provide a useful direction for researchers and practitioners in developing future ICT based information processing and dissemination systems. It is hoped that this paper will also help other developing countries to learn from China's experience and best practice in their endeavor of applying emerging ICTs in agriculture information dissemination and sharing.