Title: Towards priority actions for market development for African farmers
Pages: 402 pp.
ISBN: 92-9146-260-8
Publisher: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and International Livestock Research Institute
Date (published): 30/01/2012
Date (accessed): 05/03/2012
Type of information: conference proceedings
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
„From dairy cooperatives, text messaging and grain storage to improved credit, transport and trade initiatives, new book presents “high-payoff, low-cost” solutions to Africa’s underdeveloped agricultural markets and chronic food insecurity…As a food crisis unfolds in West Africa’s Sahel region, some of the world’s leading experts in agriculture markets say the time is ripe to confront the “substantial inefficiencies” in trade policy, transportation, information services, credit, crop storage and other market challenges that leave Africans particularly vulnerable to food-related problems.”
See also:
Linking farmers to markets critical to rural development and efforts to combat Africa’s food woes

Title: Rapid response system : An SMS service delivers quick answers to farmers’ climate questions
Author: Darlington Kahilu
Source: ICT Update
Publisher: CTA Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (ACP-EU)
Date (published): December 2011
Date (accessed): 14/12/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Farmers in Zambia with climate change questions can now receive quick answers via SMS from a new system developed by the country’s National Agricultural Information Services.

In recent years, the Zambia National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) has been receiving an increasing number of questions from farmers concerned about unpredictable weather patterns. Farmers are pointing out that sometimes the rains come earlier than usual, and when they do come, they are so heavy that they ruin the work the farmer has done to prepare the land. Sometimes the opposite is the problem and there is too little rain to water the crops.

‘The standard advice we gave in past is no longer relevant,’ says Darlington Kahilu, an agricultural information officer with NAIS. ‘For example, we used to tell farmers to plant their maize seeds as soon as the first rains came. The rains would usually continue for a few weeks and germinate the seeds. But now there could be a dry spell lasting a month or more, killing the new seedlings. The farmers then have to spend precious time and money replanting.’

NAIS uses a mixture of print and electronic media to provide agricultural information. Radio is especially useful, and many farmers listen to programmes in groups, often with an extension worker, and then discuss the issues raised in the broadcast. If they still have questions, they can fill in an evaluation form and send it to the nearest NAIS district office. The district office passes the form to the provincial office, where it is finally sent to the main country office. There, a NAIS radio producer assesses the questions, and contacts relevant specialists in agricultural research institutes and government ministries. Based on their feedback, the producer prepares a response for broadcast in a subsequent radio programme.
…
Together with the International Institute for Communication and Development, and a local software developer, NAIS developed a system, called SMSize to which farmers can send a question via an SMS from a cell phone. The question arrives directly at a server computer at the central office, where the producer researches the answer and sends back the information to the phone of the querying farmer, in the same language as the original request."

Title: Farming By Phone
Author: Isaiah Esipisu
Source: COP17 CLIMATE CHANGE DURBAN 2011
Date (published): 30/11/2011
Date (accessed): 06/12/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Francis Mburu used to keep indigenous cattle in Entasopia village in the semi- arid Kajiado region, 160 kilometres southwest of Nairobi. However, increasing temperatures and frequent droughts in Kenya have made this difficult in recent years.
But now, in an area that has never had electricity, where education is not a priority or sometimes not an option at all, residents of Entasopia are using a solar-powered internet facility to adapt to the changing climatic conditions.
The Nguruman community, largely composed of the Maasai ethnic group, now has access to an ICT facility locally known as Maarifa (“knowledge” in Swahili) Centre. Here they are able to access climate adaptation information via the internet, videos and books. The Arid Land Information Network (ALIN), in collaboration with the Kenyan government, founded the project.
According to Samuel Nzioka, the field officer for ALIN, most of the videos shown at the centre are practical lessons in local languages aimed at boosting the understanding of the concepts of climate change and adaptation, and basic dry-land farming knowledge..."

Title: ICTs for Agricultural Extension: A Study in the Indian Himalayan Region
Authors: Vyakaranam L.V. Kameswari, Devash Kishore, Vinita Gupta
Pages: 12 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, (2011) 48, 3, 1-12
Publisher: City University of Hong Kong
Date (published): 28/08/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: peer reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This paper reports on the availability, use and information seeking behaviour of a farming community with specific reference to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It fills a research gap by examining what people do with a medium when they have access to it, rather than looking at barriers surrounding the use of ICTs and digital divide issues arising due to differential access and capabilities. The study was conducted in a state in North India, and provides insights into intentions and factors surrounding the use of various media by farmers. It highlights the socio-cultural context within which information seeking and use occurs in rural India."

Title: The Advent of Mobile Financial Services in Agriculture
Author: Camilo Tellez
Source: Mobile Money for the Unbanked blog
Publisher: GSM Association
Date (published): 15/11/2011
Date (accessed): 17/11/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"As the global population continues to grow – it is expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050. It will require a 70% increase in food production above current levels. Most of this increased yield will have to be achieved in less developed countries (LDCs), many of whose farmers operate on a small scale and are highly exposed to crop failure and adverse commodity price movements. This month, Vodafone, Accenture and Oxfam released a report on mAgriculture. The report titled “Connected Agriculture” assesses the potential benefits of new mobile data services such as mobile financial services, weather forecasts, and agriculture information and advice for smallholding farmers operating in marginal circumstances.
…
The financial and information opportunities at the base of the pyramid (BOP) in themselves hold significant untapped value for the private sector. The BOP has both intricate financial and information needs, which have the potential to be met through mobile money and information-based mobile services. Mobile Money can reduce the financial gap for farmers by giving them access to savings and insurance, which in itself reduces the impact of extreme weather and allows for greater investment in improving production.[1] Meanwhile, m-information services have the potential to open up significant markets opportunities, by relaying sales prices, GIS-based commodity demand information, as well as more basic yet essential information on agricultural best practices and reliable weather forecasts..."

Title: Connected Agriculture : The role of mobile in driving efficiency and sustainability in the food and agriculture value chain
Pages: 42 pp.
Publisher: Vodafone
Date (published): 11/10/2011
Date (accessed): 17/11/2011
Type of information: report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"Mobile communications can help to meet the challenge of feeding an estimated 9.2 billion people by 2050. The 12 specific opportunities explored in this study could increase agricultural income by around US$138 billion across 26 of Vodafone’s markets in 2020.

They could also cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 5 mega tonnes (Mt) in these markets and reduce freshwater withdrawals for agricultural irrigation by 6%, with significant savings in water-stressed regions. These benefits assume there will be around 549 million mobile connections to relevant services in 2020.

This report aims to stimulate the necessary engagement between mobile operators, governments, NGOs and businesses to realise these opportunities and explore others.
Benefits Mobile services can enable companies to

The opportunities studied here would improve the efficiency of the agriculture and food sectors as well as helping to raise the incomes of millions of poor farmers in developing countries. Increased efficiency is also expected to lead to fewer food losses – an important aspect of meeting the world’s growing demand for adequate and affordable supplies of nutritious food.

These mobile services enable companies to access and interact directly with different participants in the value chain, helping to build visibility of issues, capacity and quality. They will support company sustainability objectives, and in particular, progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals by helping to reduce poverty, improve health and increase funding for education.

The greatest potential benefits can be generated by enabling mobile financial payments and mobile information provision, each delivering almost 40% of the total estimated increase in agricultural income.

Opportunities
Mobile telecommunications can connect farmers to markets, finance and education, making it possible to monitor resources and track products. This unlocks productivity potential while helping to manage the impacts of increased production, such as increased water use and greenhouse gas emissions.

This study focuses on 12 opportunities that deliver broad socio-economic and environmental benefits. They are grouped in four categories that were identified through stakeholder consultations as the most important.
…
Conclusion
The systems required to deliver these opportunities are both complex and fragmented and, as such, need the collective support of key stakeholders across the agricultural supply chain. Mobile network operators are well-positioned to act as a catalyst for action. They have the technology, the distribution channels and the customer relationships to drive these initiatives forward. However, NGOs, private enterprises and governments must agree to contribute their knowledge and expertise in order to ensure the delivery of the benefits to their full potential.

Critical success factors include the development of local relationships and understanding, testing solutions and a sympathetic regulatory environment. Consolidating these elements will help to ensure that the content and methods of delivery are tailored to both markets and crop types, optimising the value for farmers. Governments will also benefit through improved data collection and efficient, secure methods of subsidy distribution and other transactions. Pilot projects will provide an opportunity to test the technology, explore delivery partnerships, and create new business models for the rural poor and other underserved groups, such as women farmers. A regulatory environment that supports these innovations, in terms of both the technology and the required business models, will be essential.

The potential multiplier effects of the social and economic benefits that these opportunities could deliver will reach well beyond the immediate value chain. For example, improved agricultural income can reduce pressure on social support systems. It is clearly in the interest of all stakeholders to work together to ensure success."

Title: Technology retains talent : Internet and radio develop farms and businesses in rural Zambia
Author: Gertjan van Stam
Source: ICT Update, Issue no. 62, October 2011
Publisher: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) ACP–EU
Date (published): 12/10/2011
Date (accessed): 15/11/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"With little access to formal extension services, a rural Zambian community set up an internet connection to develop local agriculture, education and energy facilities. The community is now using local radio to encourage other villages to do the same.

There have been very few studies into the effects access to broadband internet can have on agriculture in rural Africa. The reason for that is simple: broadband internet is still very rare in rural Africa. But in Zambia, a rural community, called Macha, does have broadband. There, internet and agriculture – and much more – combine as part of an integrated project to inspire the local community to reach its collective potential.
…
In the past, the community relied on oral reports from travellers for its news and information about the outside world because Macha had no newspapers and no outside radio broadcasts reach this remote location. They rarely had visits from extension officers, so the travellers were mostly family members, or traders arriving from urban centres to buy the excess crops. Cell phone coverage only arrived at the end of 2006. But, by then, Macha was already connected to the internet.

In 2003, in a cooperative effort, community members came together to build a wireless network that would connect Macha to the internet via a satellite connection. They started with a VSAT link that offered download speeds of up to 128 kbps. The service soon became so popular that the bandwidth could not cope with the volume of internet traffic. The problem eased in 2011 when Macha upgraded the connection to a microwave link via a newly available cell phone network, which offers speeds of 2 Mbps, making it truly broadband.

The internet link is further distributed throughout the community via a wireless local area network (WLAN). There are more than 100 wireless access points, offering connectivity to both offices and homes. Surveys and measurements show that Macha has an active internet community of around 200 individuals, 67% of whom are on line for more than three hours a day. Half the users access the internet from home, and 71% use it frequently to surf the web for educational purposes.

As well as having a channel to communicate with friends and family outside of the community, access to the technology produced a discernible difference in agricultural practices within the first year. One community member found information on the web about sunflower farming, and decided to give it a go. A few years later, sunflower farming has blossomed in the village and it is now the community’s second most important cash crop."

Title: Accessible advice : Local language website provides information to Madagascan farmers
Author: Andrianjafy Rasoanindrainy
Source: ICT Update, Issue no. 62, October 2011
Publisher: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) ACP–EU ,
Date (published): 12/10/2011
Date (accessed): 15/11/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"A number of local organisations, including Farming & Technology for Africa (FTA), have been working for several years to develop methods of using ICTs to reinforce extension services and improve the farming industry in Madagascar. In April 2011, they launched a website called the Advisory for Change in Agriculture in Madagascar (AKAMA), which provides information for farmers in the local Malagasy language.

Initially, the site collected details of projects, organisations, institutions and farmers’ associations that practise, disseminate and/or provide agricultural training, along with the types of courses offered. The themes covered on the site relate to both general and more specific agricultural topics, from natural resource management, to processing, post-harvest preservation and marketing.

The website presents the information with text, graphics, audio and video in Malagasy in an effort to be as accessible as possible. The idea is that small-scale farmers would be able to research any agricultural theme in the format most suitable for them, and even download multimedia content for later viewing or listening.
However, estimates show that only 2% of the population in Madagascar has access to the web. The internet does not yet cover the whole country, and is often too costly if a connection is available. Low levels of literacy make it difficult for farmers to make good use of text on the web, even if it is in the local language. Because of this, AKAMA has started working with farmers’ associations, related organisations, the media and existing projects that have the financial and logistical means to convey the information to farmers."

Title: ICTs for the exchange of information among female producers - The story from Cameroon
Author: Appolinaire Tagne
Publisher: e-Agriculture
Date (published): 27/09/2011
Date (accessed): 09/11/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Agriculture is the back bone of the economy of many developing countries, and these activities have a direct impact on their Gross National Product (GNP); with the distribution of roles in society in the western region of Cameroon, women are highly involved in the production of food crop.

Farmers, and particularly female farmers of the western highland region of Cameroon, lack good market information, and for this reason they are obliged to accept the low prices paid by "buyers and sellers" (these are the middle agents). In addition, information from agricultural advisory systems and research is not well disseminated. Under the GenARDIS round (PDF), three small grant projects were aimed at facilitating the access to such information through the use of ICT, and especially the mobile telephone.

The activities were conducted in 2009 at Kamna, Bafoussam, Bagang and Santa in the Western region of Cameroon. The learning approach was sensitization and practical training. The practice involved 3 sub-topics:

* the access to prices of input including fertilizers and pesticides,
* the access to technological packages (advices, improved seeds for maize) and
* the increase of bargaining power of producing farmers."

Title: mAgri programme case study - India
Pages: 6 pp.
Source: GSMA
Date (published): 07/06/2011
Date (accessed): 18/10/2011
Type of information: report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) is a tri-lateral joint venture between the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), the largest farmers’ cooperative in India and airtel, the largest mobile network operator, along with Star Global Resources Limited, rural telephony experts who acquired 25% shares. IKSL provides voice-based agricultural information to empower rural farmers and reinforce the cooperative through the mobile network. After a successful pilot, the service launched in 2008.IKSL distributes airtel SIM cards branded ‘Green SIM’ to its IFFCO members and other farmers.

The Green SIM functions as a normal SIM as well as providing the agricultural valued added services (Agri VAS). The user receives 5 recorded voice messages, free of charge, each day covering both local and national agricultural topics. Green SIM users access an Agri Helpline where they can get answers from agri-experts to any farming question they care to raise.

The GSMA mAgri Programme provided a grant and technical assistance to IKSL. Our work aimed to strengthen the service and improve the ICT content systems to ensure efficacy and relevance for the end user - and to leave the project ready for further scaling. Today, the IKSL Green SIM service has 3 million users."