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We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy the New Year 2017
We hope to see you in Montpellier next July.
I studied at the Ag University of Montpellier. I was always telling: Montpellier is close to paradise!
See: https://www.supagro.fr/web/UserFiles/video/en-images/Montpellier-SupAgro-Images.mp4

Snow snow snow in Montreal (not in Montpellier!)
See: http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/video-showing-cars-buses-and-a-truck-sliding-down-a-hill-in-downtown-montreal-goes-viral


Reminder (Please transfer this info to all your colleagues and friends !)
>>> The weekly EFITA Newsletters and their famous final jokes
See: http://www.informatique-agricole.org/efita-newsletters/

>>> To subsribe the Efita Newsletters
See: http://www.informatique-agricole.org/efitas-newsletter-subscription/

>>> The Efita 2017 congress in Montpellier (France)
See: http://www.efita2017.org


EFITA e-Book

Dear e-Book Authors, ICT Contributors, Colleagues and “new generations",

First and foremost Best Wishes and Season’s Greetings for the New Year.

With the New Year around the corner it is again time to plan ahead. Our EFITA e-Book is now finalizing successfully it’s 10th year public-domain dissemination. It’s predecessor our EFITA ICT Adoption Questionnaires dissemination has reached and passed it’s 15th year. Hopefully we can continue sharing their and your contributions guided by current inputs and deliberations - some of which are outlined below.

The ultimate goal of these two innovative agricultural activities was and remains to provide ICT developers, agents of change, policy makers and end users with proven tips and insights BEFORE they repeat earlier mistakes, misinterpret ideas and miss potential collaboration OPPORTUNITIES.
Our e-Book stats for 2016 are soon to follow, for questionnaire copy see below*.
The e-Book link is http://departments.agri.huji.ac.il/economics/gelb-main.html

>>> Subject - Current Deliberation’s background:

Our EFITA e-book is now ending its 10th year of public domain interaction;
The EFITA ICT Adoption Questionnaires dissemination continues since 1997… Hard to believe!!!

Regardless - Still deliberating - If and how to continue this work?
Decade summary of ICT Adoption in Agriculture: Perspectives of Technological Innovation and the 15 year summaries of the EFITA ICT Adoption Questionnaires*.

One time tested "How” solution is to share the deliberations with those involved (see list above) before finalizing plans for the future.

One option could be to focus on the July 2017 EFITA bi-annual conference in Montpelier with a key note, panel discussion and a workshop/general discussion. (http://www.efita2017.org/topics/)

There are other options as well.

With your e-Book and Questionnaire experience/acquaintance - since initiation - do you have some thoughts to share, ideas to promote:
1. Comments and suggestions…….
2. What is your Interest, IF, to share in continuation and be involved.
3. Who else to consult and involve?
4. Proposals/options for funding the selected solution(s)?
5. Ideas for incorporating innovative insights and, IF, new venues.
6. Other……

>>>> Note
Till now the e-Book has been sponsored by EFITA, AFITA and in Israel by the Samuel Neaman Institute for National Policy Research and the Center for Economic Research of the Hebrew University.
http://departments.agri.huji.ac.il/economics/gelb-main.html

>>>> The EFITA/AFITA ICT adoption questionnaire (Information and Communication Technologies)
- Occupation & Country:
- Name (optional):
- Do you think that there are problems with the uptake of ICT in agriculture? (yes) (no)
- Do you think there are unique uptake problems with any of the following (please tick all that apply):
- DSS( ), MIS( ), Internet( ), Precision Farming( ), Process Control( ), Production Models( ), E-commerce( ), Infrastructure( ), Other(s)

1. What are the factors limiting the use of ICT by farmers?

2. What are the factors limiting the use of ICT by Extension working with farmers?

3. What are the factors limiting the use of ICT by research working with farmers?

4. What are the consequences for farmers not using ICT: Today and the near future?

5. What are the consequences for Extension not using ICT: Today and in the near future?

6. Should public funds help to finance Information Technology Services for farmers?

Comments

With appreciation, thanks and warmest personal regards - to you and yours, Ehud

Contact: Dr. Ehud GELB
E-mail : ehud.gelb(a)mail.huji.ac.il


Best Wishes. Happy New Year 2017.
Contact : Dr. Chunjiang Zhao
China National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture (NERCITA)
Box 2449-26, Beijing 100097, P.R. China
Tel:++8610-51503411, Fax:++8610-51503750
Email: zhaocj(a)nercita.org.cn
See: http://www.nercita.org.cn

Dear Ehud, Thanks. I also wish to all Happy New Year. I am thinking in next year to start come with new update of our ICT for Agriculuture and Rural Development book.
Contact: Karel Charvat
E-mail: charvat(a)lesprojekt.cz