Net service.

The value of the internet to businesses or individuals has been so well documented, its practically a cliché. Less talked about, however, is how government agencies and NGOs can use information technologies to foster development.

This is precisely what the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), an agricultural research institute based in Washington DC, did when it launched a programme in 2004 to strengthen the arm of African agricultural research.

The Institute's International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) division, whose headquarters are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, offers African professionals online resources in agricultural research. This e-learning approach makes it possible to provide much-needed knowledge to a virtually unlimited number of individuals, regardless of where they live. Moreover, while all students needed email in order to submit work and to receive feedback from a tutor, the programme did not require especially advanced computer capabilities - those with irregular internet access could get a CD-ROM through the mail that contained all the information posted online.

"With farming accounting for more than a third of Africa's gross domestic product, effective development of the continent requires an adequate capacity for understanding agriculture and its development process," comments Suresh Babu, a senior research fellow at ISNAR. "We are trying to meet this need through the e-learning programme."

The pilot online course, which ran from July to October of last year, dealt with aspects of proposal writing, such as how to write a convincing concept note and how to prepare a logical framework analysis. The course attracted students from 14 different African nations ranging from Egypt to South Africa, Ghana to Zimbabwe. The students also came from a wide range of professional backgrounds, from land rights experts to specialists in biotechnology and animal breeding.

Each student drew up their own concept notes, project proposals and evaluations. They also turned in plans for developing their research skills in the future. At the end of the course participants received certificates of completion and another informational CD-ROM for future reference purposes. Altogether, out of 34 applicants accepted into the programme, 30 successfully completed it.

Spurred by the success of this pilot course, and a companion course on delivering oral presentations and writing research reports, IFPRI has significantly expanded its e-learning programme. Currently, 2,176 people from places as diverse as Vietnam and Russia are participating, and share ideas through an online discussion group. The number of online tutors, meanwhile, has grown to four, as the best performing students from the pilot programme continue their learning by coaching others in the material.

Genet Asfera (Ethiopia), consultant for the Learning and Capacity Strengthening Programme at ISNA, and Dr Zenete Franca (Brazil), formerly Senior Research Fellow with the Programme. Abeba Tefera (Ethiopia), an IT specialist for the Programme.