Day One Report

Table of contents

• #Report_Day_One
• #Presentations
• #Blips

Report Day One

Objectives of Observatory

ICTs increasingly central to the strategies CTA develops to implement its agricultural and rural development agenda. This Observatory will explore and evaluate the ICT tools that an support the small CTA team in its work in the extensive ACP region. Mobile telephony advancing rapidly but there is a need to evaluate it in relation to rural development objectives in relation to it impact in the context of the digital divide. Access, user capacity, sustainability and appropriateness become keywords in this context. The lack of documentation of local experiences and in particular the innovative applications of for example mobile telephones make impact evaluation extremely difficult.

Observatory participants experiences were considered valuable in two ways: first in providing an overview of the applications available and second in describing and analyzing experiences with appropriate and complementary ICT tools. Experiences of NGOs that continue to take advantage of opportunities provided by the nearly 2 billion mobile phones in developing countries in the health, democracy and civil rights sector as well as in marketing, microfinance and banking, early warning and agricultural advice provide important indicators of where progress can be made in the welfare and livelihoods of rural communities.

To take full advantages of the potential of mobile phones for example in combination with radio requires a policy environment that addresses the current problems of imbalances in access, communication costs and the impact of monopolies. Investment in the industry are high but there is an absence of policy that could encourage these developments to also address rural and agricultural needs both in terms of individual and shared access to ICTs.

Other factors that limit the exploitation and sustainability of mobile telephony include limitations imposed by unstable and costly energy supplies and research that is more orientated to the northern consumer and entertainment than to building on the practices and innovations emerging in ACP countries. Here efforts should be made to extend EU ICT policy which currently focuses on health and education to agriculture. Here – if well informed - CTA could play a role in highlighting the speed with which potential ICT4D are developing and pressing for adequate EU-ACP policy support for the rural sector.

During Day One Observatory participants discussed mobile devices in a wireless world and the channels of access and content flow. Efforts were also made to identify how participants would apply learning from the Observatory, their target group and the technologies that were most applicable to them. Following a review of the changes and applications of Web 2.0 tools since the O’Reilly conference in 2004 – including, for example, the use of SMS to campaign for women’s rights, GPS to track herds, the growing use of social networking tools and experiences that show how mobile phones can deliver in-depth information on community issues and concerns current trend is towards a closer examination of use patterns and less emphasis on technical innovations than applying field information to assess and develop existing tools and applications.

A quick sample of participants mobile telephony practices confirmed the importance of the mobile phone in their varying degrees of sophistication. In exploiting the potential of mobile phones, however, the sustainability of service models had to be taken into consideration. Serious consideration had to be given to strategies that generated sufficient revenue to maintain services were needed and here it was suggested that harnessing multiple stakeholder support was essential. Participants experiences with donor funding indicated that this was often short term, characterized by abrupt terminations and frequently placed an unrealistic emphasis on the rapid scaling up of project innovations.

Whilst it was recognized that the scaling up of positive experience was essential to further development it was suggested that should be based on selectivity – people identify what they need - and carefully planned and administered testing. Private capital couldplay a role in this process.

Channels of access

Observatory participants exchanged experiences with:

• Indirect access;
• Smart phones;
• Mid range phones
• Basic phones
• Radio;
• Direct sharing
• Rural access

Indirect access

Major challenge cost of access, technology and geography. Also problems of infrastructure, government policy and the constraints of illiteracy and poverty result in under-serviced communities with no wireless or mobile access. A solution can be village networks and intermediary access. Experience with Info ladies that collect information from urban areas and other sources and connect back to local areas where there is no mobile access. At the same time information is gathered from communities and this can be passed on to government or other relevant organization eg research institutions, hospitals etc. Challenge in this situation is how to provide low cost communications in situation of zero profitability (public sector; donors).

Radio

Blending old and new technologies radio with Web 2.0; Radio with wireless technology. Allows for participation see the experience of the BBC use of twitter and Blog in the “Have your Say” programme. In Oman radio supported locust control operations; Pacific radio important in sharing content and information in local languages. Radio coverage 100% in the Pacific and used as an example of how even with the growth of mobile telephony (60% coverage in the region) the objective should be to seek complementarity. In Ghana farmers recorded radio programmes sharing and storing them in part to follow market trends. Problems with radio include FM not interested in agriculture; high transaction costs to get license for community radio. Suggested that given the value of radio governments should make space in their poverty reduction strategies for financing community radio.

Direct sharing

Not much reliance on technology. Example of Uganda where farmers collect information every month during forums on audio CD which is sent for compilation and the annual production of a collated audio CD. The challenges faced by this direct approach include verification and local languages. Opportunities are that farmers become familiar with peer learning and sharing information. Video used to record informative interviews with farmers can be sent to telecentres, shown via TV and computers and made available via public libraries. Talking book – similar to audio CD can also be used to help share information in a direct way. Record audio knowledge and can be connected to other talking books. At present still in the process of development but will eventually be available for US$10. For further information Cliff Schmidt …..

Basic phone

Provides voice, voice to text and Interactive voice response and SMS facilities. It is popular and widely available platform which should be promoted because it reaches everyone, is cheap and serves the purpose of those who have it. It is suitable for the illiterate and voice is more appropriate for certain groups such as blind. Can provide relevant needed information eg fertilizer prices. Suggestion to develop icons to guide users to information they require more easily. Local content using SMS to guide user to local platform where information can be accessed should also be looked at – social media. Basic phones important role to play in providing alerts and information in emergency situation and are suitable for different languages..Basic phones are affordable and require no expert knowledge to use. They offer networking potential and the potential for mass access is there. Voice web and SMS web that works in basic phones the way forward. There is also the potential for scaleability of projects – mass access - MxIT

Mid range phones

Can provide more facilities eg more interactions and characters. Payment required for data transfer. Lack of standardization perhaps a problem.

Smart phone

Offer more applications. PDA with voice added should be called mobile devices (netbook). This category of device computing facilities and can be used as a form of computer. Challenges for development use and adoption is cost which can vary between US$300-US$1000 and the level of sophistication of the tool itself which perhaps makes it difficult to use. Can be used as a tracking instrument (insect infestation) or to locate for example field officers. Suggestion that smart phones could have a sort of telecentre function. They have the advantage of mobility and specifically trained people could take these small devices to villages to provide the local communities with the advantages of a connectivity that can generate information and document issues.

Rural access

Infrastructure opportunity but difficulty in generating interest in cellular or satellite networks because of cost. Unfavourable regulatory environment in which licensing criteria do not distinguish between urban and rural areas. Socio-economic factors constrain service delivery and make it difficult to provide access to information and services required by local communities. Difficult from moving from pilot to sustainable operation. Need business model in which technology and media converge rather than technical solution. Sustainability could be achieved if interrelationships could be established between public sector, private sector and ICT. Question arises what is the most effective way of reaching rural population and farmers. Suggested that competition might bring costs down but as the network war in Uganda shows can also put initiatives at risk.

It was pointed out that the gender and age of the person managing the access centre can impact on deployment. Also the challenge of paying these operators should be recognized. Where owners cannot afford to pay operators enough they may find themselves being cheated as operators try to make up their low pay. The issue of facilitating content collection at telecentres also has to addressed and ways found to ensure that information not outdated or irrelevant. The primary role of telecentres seen as the distribution of agricultural information for example to agricultural centres. Suggestion that costs and infrastructure cold be shared with other service providers eg hospitals, education institutes etc.

Afternoon programme

The afternoon public session offered the possibility to take a look at the perspective on the subject (current trends future developments) and to hear firsthand 3 different experiences from the field.

The broader perspective

Dr. Neun (CTA)

Focus should be on peoples needs and coming up with solutions for areas that do not have connectivity. Information Impact review in 13 countries showed that many information centres had no up-to-date print information. Need for print materials as well as ICT capacity.

Roxanna Samii (IFAD)

[see presentation below]

Emphasized the way people selectively use mobile phones for specific purposes. Also highlight the strategic importance of the private sector in dealing with the problem of lack of infrastructure and connectivity. Need to dispel negative image of private sector and develop partnerships with stakeholders. Public sector alliance with private sector in risk taking, innovation and providing a challenge to donors.

Catalogued advantages of mobile telephones including catalyst for social inclusion, facilitating knowledge transfer, equitable and timely information, and providing access even for marginalized to health and education information for example as well as helping small business take part in local economy because they can access price information etc.

In future avoid too much emphasis on technology and need to make choices before investing in any of the competing applications. In addition important to document impacts of pilots something that hasn’t been done up to now and make strategic partnerships with content providers.

Challenges will emerge such as restrictions being put on m-banking by some financial institutions.
ICTs appropriate for small farmers are those that are affordable, self-sustainable (don’t need donors), scaleable to own situation and provide information that is trusted and accepted by farmers. One of the reasons why ICT adaptation has been held up can be found at government level. If the issues was included in national poverty reduction strategies this would give a positive impulse.

Stephan Boyera (World Wide Web)

[see presentation below]

Considerable interest in mobile phones in the development sector as 80% of worlds population now covered. Lack of knowledge and lack of tools hinder sustainability of services. Multipurpose facility that includes SMS, VOICE, social network, mobile web, etc. User barriers include illiteracy, trust, training, handset and infrastructure availability. At the service provider level barriers include inadequate investment and support and unsympathetic business models and cost structures.
SMS available on all phones and networks had advantages but also disadvantages including cost, inability to support non Latin languages, and no bookmarking and discoverability.
Voice: Calling number and interacting with keyboard is available on all phones and is a natural way of communication that includes illiterates. Problem needs real time connection and infrastructure as well as high cost to providers and users.
Mobile web applications: Use mobile browser on phone and data service GPRS. Is cheaper that SMS and Voce and web technology easy to develop, many free hosting services and powerful multimedia interface. Work is underway to make W3C mobile web a reality together with best practices. However problem with handset functionality and training and configuration required. Also the development of different type of browser.

Other technologies: USSD Native application and another form of texting service used for account information and subscriptions.
Future: Voice applications development should take into consideration user requirements and the requirements of the delivery service and developer. If budget gaps fill with recourse to traditional media.

Future trends:
Simple web applications
Widgets
Multimedia web applications (video)
Guideline interface for illiterates as well as guidelines and support for new languages in the ICT
world
Aim for a standardized language in for example the agricultural sector.

Experiences from the field

This broader perspective was informed by three different presentations, offering concrete examples of experiences from the field

Mark Davies (ESOKO)

[see presentation below]

Mark presented his experience with market information systems (MIS) for farmers

'MIS 1.0' - TradeNet
Set up in 2005 as an R&D project, 100% build in Ghana
It offered SMS/web prices as a consumer/retail service

It was built with a specific partnership focussing on specific value chains

What are the lessons learned?
First and foremost, local partners key to credible deployment [eg SEND Foundation in Ghana]

How did farmers use the system?

1. To transport product where better price
2. To time their sale when market prices were optimum
3. To negotiate better prices at time of sales

Other key points:

• farmers learned to use phones (never used before)
• farmers preferred text messages than voice - wanted to have data written down to compare historical and do trending
• 'social networks' carried the message - 1800 farmers were while only 200 had phones
• literacy among first adopters was not a problem
• farmers didn't expect prices to be accurate, but assumed that the margin of error would be constant
• farmers wanted weather info

As results, farmers anticipated some 68% improvement on their revenues

It is clear that technology can address the inefficiencies of the supply chains. People are willing to pay to have these information

What were the most significant challenges?

• farmers are hard to reach, few touch points
• no programme funds for MIS
• no expertise or methodology
• government hard to engage
• development partners are...unpredictable...

But the market was talking, and TradeNet was developed in a 'MIS 2.0' now called ESOKO

What are its main elements?

• more than prices:
  • weather; stock inventories; offers to buy and sell etc
  • also profiles & reputations
  • disease
  • crop activities
  • extension advisories
  • vouchers
  • health tracking

• it is not only mobile
  • also laptop and radio
• it is not about the push, but is more about what can you pull from the field
  • killer app is the ability to quickly get content from the field
• it is not just a public good
  • involvement of private sector
  • profitable business model
• there's a huge potential for it being profitable
• it's not about technology (5%) but it's about deployment (95%)
• it is not about the 'product'
  • it is about the relations between the people in the market, and how technology can facilitate those relations

What do we need to further develop this MIS 2.0

• local software capacity enhanced
• grants for innovation and R&D
• inventory of project and tools
• credible impact evaluation studies
• spreading the risk/cost (PPP)
• time for things to mature in the market and make the right programme - these projects have never been done before

Dorothy Okello (WOUGNET)

[see presentation below]

Dorothy presented the work her organisation is doing with 'rural mobile services'

What's WOUGNET? http://www.wougnet.org/
Women NGO in Uganda, working with 100+ women organisations in urban and rural areas to and support the use of ICTs by women and women organisation, to share info and address issues collectively What activities does WOUGNET promote?

• info sharing and networking
  • to provide relevant info to woman and sharing of experience to improve quality of lives
• technical support
  • how to use email and internet
  • online and f2f discussion fora
  • resource center
  • use of sms (campaigns, since 2007; also as pre-f2f conference; access to ag info using icts)
• gender and ict policy advocacy

What are WOUGNET mobile services?
Started integrating mobile services (mobile phones, wireless networking, community radio) since 2005

• Applications of mobile phones
  To reach extension workers, to connect with each others via phone or sms
  Pushing for SMS instead of voice: voice interaction requires more social conversation before you go discussing the matter
  When doing SMS campaigning, SMS are also posted on website; people feel more involved and able to participate and contribute to a particular topic
• Radio
  Weekly radio show on farming, in partnership with local community radios; also broadening the discussion
• Local wireless network
  Established at secretariat and Kubere info center - for sharing internet access and for demonstration purposes
• Wireless internet modems
  'Dongles' have been made available to project partners; this increased the online participation for the Citizen Journalism in Africa project, with BROSDI;
  Hands-on training made possible irrespective of location

What are the challenges?

• Infrastructure
  • cost of ownership of mobile infrastructure is an issue, prices are coming down but still long way to go (phones; radio sets etc)
  • availability and affordability of equipment for wireless network (more expensive on local market than on the net)
  • affordable and available energy solutions: experience with renewable sources, but need to look at more option available (eg. 'Kasana', mobile phone charging via the sun)
  • affordable broadband: dongles are good but depending on network; high costs of satellite bandwidth
• Services
  • cost of mobile services (airtime for phones and radio shows)
  • timing of radio shows (not all fit the needs, ex. due to multiple roles of women)
  • gathering, repackaging info
  • quality of service
• Skills
  • literacy (limiting opportunity for sms)
  • limited skills in info repackaging to format messages in manners appropriate for the channels being used
  • local technical people (e. to set up and maintain wireless networks)

What recommendation?
Capitalise on wireless/mobile ability to increase outreach of ICT services and opportunities

• Promote low cost, low energy devices
• Promote use of community wireless networks as 'last mile' solution
  
• Invest on capacity building in information repackaging and dissemination
• Advocate for favorable and affirmative policies
  
  

Jacqueline Nyagahima, Asareca

[see presentation below]

This presentation focussed on a different context: the use of ICTs to support KM in agricultural research and development in Eastern and Central Africa

What is ASARECA?
It works to enhance collective regional action in agricultural research for development, extension, and agricultural training and education

Area of work is quite broad, organised along 7 regional research programmes:

1. staple crops
2. non staple high value crops
3. livestock and fisheries
4. agro-biodiversity and biotechnology
5. NRM and forestry
6. advocacy and policy analysis
7. KM and upscaling

What are the challenges for African agricultural and food security?

• less water
• less arable land
• changing climate:
  • decrese biodiversity; reduce productivity; adversely affect human and animal health
• less labour (hiv/aids)

What are the challenges to African agricultural research?

• address water deficit problems
• produce diversified array of crops
• address soil fertility issues
• improve nutritional quality of food
• improve tolerance of crops
• combat emerging eg pests and diseases
  • info need to go out quickly
• reduce post harvest looses
• improve nutrient cycling
• improve food safety

This means that a lot of content need to be produces, packaged and disseminated

Knowledge management at ASARECA
KM is a "regional collective action"
Researchers in the 10 coutries work together and in partnership with farmers, extensions; private sector; scientist etc..to come up with new innovations

This calls for:

• a strong multidisciplinary and participatory approach
• incorporate the needs of stakeholders
• incorporating feeback
• generation and communication of timely, quality info and knowledge

It was set up through the African link project (1996- 2002) - email, internet for agr research institutes - and the Regional AgInfo Network (2003-2007) - aginfo management capacities.

Currently

• KM is a responsibility of all the 7 programmes: all programmes work on content
• Management on upscaling programme
• comms unit works on channels

• K is developed through research and learning
• K is captured and retained for use
• K is refined, organised and transformed
• K is disseminated in a variety of ways
• K is stored and can be retrieved
• K is used and serves as basis for further learning

ICT challenges

• enormous pressure in managing incrased info requirements, info volumes, info flows
• dot.com noise: which tools for what purpose? [people is the constant element]
  • what tech should we adopt, that help us but fit in our framework?
• public sector adapt and adopt to these tech?
• KM is resources intensive (finance and resource sets)
• inadequate commitment institutional, individuals (incentives)
• transfer of 'content' to and from the generators of science knowledge to intermediaries and users not well defined
• cost of refinement/repackaging/reproducing [rewriting for different audience]
• inadequate human capacity for content reproduction
• sustainability:
  • establishing collaboration frameworks - role for actors/orgs
  • structure and systems to support use?
  • tools that will stand?
  • introduced in a structured way?
  • tools adaptable to current work context?
  • tools with short learning curve?
  • how to introduce this into related training programme?

Presentations

• ICT Observatory 2009: Introduction, by Pete Cranston
• Getting to the root cause of mobile telephony’s success, by Roxanna Samii (IFAD)
• Developing, Deploying and Accessing ICT services on Mobile Phones, by Stéphane Boyera (World Wide Web Foundation)
• Mobile Information Services: The Esoko Initiative, by Mark Davies (Esoko)
• Rural Mobile Services: Experiences in developing rural services in Uganda, by Dorothy Okello (WOUGNET)
• Knowledge Management in the context Agricultural Research and Development in ECA, by Jacqueline Nyagahima (ASARECA)

Blips

• Mobile Information Services for agriculture and rural development: The Esoko Initiative
• Mobile Services for Women's Network in Uganda
• "Validating information is key for agricultural research"
• Mobile devices in wireless environments: Reflections on the first day