The story from another angle-the angle of the ICT trainer

Here is what Miss Jelena Dimintrijevic, one of the two ICT trainers, told us about the training in Jagodina and Glavinci

 Computer trainings are intended for the older population in our municipality and the Jagodina library has been implementing it for a year. This time, within the AgroLib Ja project, the trainings are for farmers with the aim to give them opportunity to understand what kind of benefits computers and Internet have.

In the village of Glavinci the course started on 18th February and according to the number of farmers on the very first day, we could tell that their interest was great. Despite the errands they had at home or despite bad weather, they came to the library and in a small room with only 3 computers, they were eager to hear what were the first steps to take in order to enter the ICT world.

There were not a lot of steps from starting and shutting down a computer, opening icons to going on the Internet and browsing. You could tell by the notepads they brought and how they were writing down everything they heard that they were attentive and diligent. The new terms they wrote down in their notepads, became a part of their communication after a couple of days. How amused they were with the speed of the e-mail travelling to the person sitting at a computer next to them.

They wanted to learn in the first place how to read the latest announcements and information on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and similar sites, which offer information on laws, regulations, rules and subsidies.  

In that group, the youngest trainee was 53 years old and he was engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture, while the oldest one was 72 years old and he was a beekeeper. Mr Dusan (72) was always first at the training. He wanted to have some time to revise before the rest of the group comes. As the librarian told us, he would sit in the library after the training each day, sometimes untill 10pm just to revise the things they learned. By Friday and our last training, he had already known all websites regarding beekeeping and how to copy things and save them in his computer.

Mr Dusan, the oldest but a fast learner

It was a nice five-day experience at the Glavinci library.

The computer training in the Jagodina Library started on 25th February and there were 5 farmers.  All of them live in villages near the town and they have inherited land from their grandfathers and fathers, as well as the knowledge how to cultivate it. They are aware if the fact that without improvement of their work, they are losing the battle with other farmers, their neighbors, etc.

Mr Vladan Ljubisavljevic said that he was in trouble when some pests attacked his orchard last year. He learned from his neighbor that he would have to buy a certain product that couldn’t be found in our town. His son helped him find the general importer of that product for Serbia and ordered the products directly from him. Thanks to the Internet and the information he found there, his crop last year was excellent.

“I realized then that I have to sit at a computer and learn how to use it. My children don't have enough time and patience to teach me how to use it”, says Vladan with a smile.

Mr Ljubisavljevic, found a website about blueberries

After a couple of days at the training in the library, he had managed to learn basis of IT, how to find information he needed, or how to advertise his produce on the Agrolib marketplace. Now, his AgroLib profile has a lot of information about and pictures of his produce. After the lecture on blueberries, he decided to plant this fruit and to update his profile with latest pictures.

Mr Ivica Milosevic, one of the trainees, was interested in selling his agricultural tools and how to buy better and more modern tools.

Mr  Milosevic, looking for agricultural machinery

,, I have visited the agriculture fair and the machinery is so much improved. I don't have money for new tools, but I can find whatever I need on the Internet. Second-hand, but at a price much more affordable. I know there are sites on the Internet selling tools, and now I can find them by myself. I have already seen a few advertisements and I will call tomorrow to see what kind of tools they are selling. “

For most learners, agriculture is not the only occupation they have, some of them are employed and work in the town, but they have a few years to retirement and their interest in new information is much higher because they have more free time. Now, they are planning to devote themselves to land cultivation and cattle breeding and to improving and modernizing their work.  That's why they have decided to attend the course. After a five-day training, they are ready to use computers without any assistance, and in the booklet they have there are numerous agricultural websites they can visit from their computers at home.