On Specifics: Promising Trends and Challenges CRS ICT4D Annual Conference March 27 th -March 29 th, 2012 Cory Belden ROUND TWO!

On Specifics: Promising Trends and Challenges

CRS ICT4D Annual ConferenceMarch 27th-March 29th, 2012Cory Belden

ROUND TWO!

The basics on technology

• Almost 6 billion people use mobile phones

• Playing ‘catch up’ with developing countries

• 80% of farmers have cell phones (IFPRI)

www.ICTinAgriculture.org

• Internet is less accessible, but is making progress (new fiber optic cable)

• SMS: low cost, local language possible, & open source software for broadcasting

• Increases in app developers and IT capacity


The basics on farmer usage

Diversity in the ‘How’ and ‘What’


Mobile Phones (SMS and voice)•Real-time market research•Push and pull information, M&E•Hotlines for help or advice•Forestry and governance, relief mgmt

GPS, Spatial Data, GIS, Satellite Imagery•Soil and land use planning and management•Spatial data + social indicators (M&E)•Policy/infra. planning and analysis

Cameras•M&E, contractor accountability

Tablets and Internet•Data and research repositories•Social media and networking/info hubs•Accountability

Video and Radio•Extension•Learning/participation•Alerts

Empirical evidence: The Benefits• Kilimo Salama (Kenya): production increase 50% (by using insurance, SMS)

• e-Dairy (Sri Lanka): farmers earn up to $262 more a year for each of their calves by providing veterinary and extension services (SMS)

• AgriManager (Kenya): average income growth of 9%; Over 2 min reduction in transaction time (supply-chain solution, PDAs and Internet)

• Talking Books (Ghana): 91% of users applied new health or agriculture practice (voice, extension)

• Digital Green (India): Approach leads to adoption 7 times more often than conventional extension (video)


• RML: no price difference at public auctions. Plus, it employs more than 300 full-time content professionals (SMS)

• Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools (OLT): UNLIKE OTHERS, is a highly promising platform for m-ARD app providers– available in 42 countries.


Empirical Evidence: The Challenges

• Talking Book (Ghana): Despite equity goals, devices were not used or allocated equally across genders and ages. Women and the elderly used the devices least. Some farmers said they did not apply portions of the guidance because they could not afford to…


Only 16% of Apps have reached Sustainability

Becoming profitable or cost-effective!


85% of Revenue comes from noncommerical streams

Source of funding– will it matter?

Lessons Learned from Sourcebook

Understand your users and their constraints

•Language, time availability, literacy, capacity needs, etc.

The enabling environment matters

• Getting reliable data is difficult

• Regulations increase/decrease costs of SMS messages

Sustainable business models & partnerships is critical—but how?

• Platform problem and MNOs

• Innovation hubs, grants, and contests, more competition

Be aware of differential impacts

• Including gender, age, socio-economic status

Internet still lagging in developing countries, but new ‘smart’ tools



Annex 1: M&E & Extension Services

The GeoLocation Monitoring (GLM) System (Afghanistan)•11 districts of 11 provinces•Sample of about 5,000 assets (e.g. orchards, poultry).•Reduce falsification of reporting•Create accurate resource maps•Validate beneficiary participation•Create electronic platform for project monitoring


Digital Green (India)•Over 2,000 videos, 8-10 minutes long•Can be played on battery operated DVD players•Digital Green approach leads to adoption 7 times more often than conv. Extension•Reaches about 66,000 farmers

Annex 2: Marketing & Supply-Chains


Reuters Market Light (India) Virtual City AgrManager (Kenya)

Direct-selling approach; users register for the service for a specific amount of time. RML uses a bulk SMS service provider to push messages to users of any MNO.

Automates produce purchasing transactions and reduce costs and build trust btn buyers and suppliers. Uses SMS, PDA, Internet, email to exchange info

Customized weather information, crop advisory, and commodity prices.

Farmers weigh tea and get paid at local buying center, data retained

200,000+ subscribers in 13 states; expect 2-3 billion USD in new wealth

9% increase in income for tea farmers, transaction time reduced.

Crop advisory tips are sourced from the Indian Council for Agriculture Research and/ Punjab Ag. University

Virtual City and KTDA, others getting involved now (dairy supply- .75 mil)

Invested at least USD 2 million; expect that it will take a few more years to break even (Dingra, 2009).

No need for profitability because the solution was created for one-time only purchase

Location, product, medium Farmer Trader Consume

r

Peru, range of enterprises, public phones + 13%

India (West Bengal), potatoes, SMS + 19%

Philippines, range of crops, cell phones + 11-17%

India (Madhya Pradesh), soybeans, web-based e-Choupal

+ 1-5% (ave: 1.6%)

Sri Lanka, vegetables, SMS + 23.4%

Morocco, range of crops, cell phone + 21%

India (Kerala), fisheries, cell phones + 8% -4%

Uganda, range of crops, SMS and radio Bananas + 36% Beans + 16.5% Maize + 17% Coffee + 19%

Niger, grains, cell phones + 29% -3 to -4.5%

Ghana, traders, cell phones + 36%

Annex 3: Benefits, Marketing

Documents

On Specifics: Promising Trends and Challenges CRS ICT4D Annual Conference March 27 th -March 29 th, 2012 Cory Belden ROUND TWO!