Filipino farmers have gone high-tech.

The local agri-business fully entered cyberspace following the presentation of the field server and wireless IP access system (WIPAS) to the rice-producing province of Nueva Ecija by the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) subsidiary NTT-East.

Dubbed as a "joint research on broadband rural development and funded by the Asia Pacific Telecommunities (APT), the project is part of the ongoing collaboration between the Department of Agriculture through PhilRice and the Department of Science and Technology and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute.

By putting broadband internet connection in the countryside using cutting-edge wireless communications, farmers and extension workers can enjoy high-speed Internet access similar to commercially available services.

"Anything that will benefit our farmers, especially technology that has tremendous impact on our goals, is very welcome," said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, adding this project will contribute a lot in helping Filipino farmers be updated in recent technology and improve their productivity.

PhilRice executive director Leocadio Sebastian said private companies are encouraged to collaborate with them.

"In fact, I propose that we come up with a pilot project in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to test the WIPAS and the field server in several farm communities."

The WIPAS provides Internet connectivity 60 times faster than the current Internet connection at PhilRice. Fixed wireless access points can be strategically placed in areas that are out of reach by usual Internet connection services such as DSL and telephones.

According to Yasuyuki Tanaka, NTT-East International Office senior manager, by providing faster access to information available to the Internet using WIPAS, communities can be empowered and can be equipped with tolls to improve their way of life.

One possible application of this technology is in R&D center in Batac, Ilocos Nosrte; Los Baños, Laguna; Diliman, Quezon City; and in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; where WIPAS can be used to provide connectivity to academic and research institutions.