Emerging Voices in ICT and agriculture - CTA Publishing

However, many mobile telephone applications
remain underused in the rural sector, thereby
limiting the potential of this tool to boost to primary
development. Short text messaging (SMS),
for example, is little known or used among rural
populations, despite being a relatively cheap and
effective means of communication. Furthermore,
the multiple SMS function and synchronization
via PC allow the user to reach a wider target
group, and can, for example, improve access
to markets and provide producers with more
accurate price information.
An additional potentially limiting factor in upscaling
its use is linguistic competence. Special
attention should therefore be paid to schooling
for children and literacy among rural populations
in their local languages. ICT localization, in particular,
the development of mobile telecommunications
in local languages, constitutes a major
strategic opportunity to improve market access
for farmers through the widespread use of SMSs.
Unfortunately, at present only a small number
of umbrella organizations are using multiple
SMSs to communicate with the leaders of farmers’
organizations. Yet, given the current rate of
mobile phone penetration in the rural sector, and
the increasing need for improved market access
for small-scale producers, as well as meteorological
information, the time is ripe for an expansion
of this service to a wider public, in particular, to
those at the beginning of the value chain.
For this expansion to succeed, however, it will be
important to lift the institutional and socio-linguistic
barriers that currently limit SMS use in
the rural agricultural sector. Expanding the use
of multiple SMSs via PC, for example, requires
simplified instructions and the creation of support
structures drawn from the local population.
Based on the original essay:
“Comment les TIC peuvent-elles être utilisées
pour améliorer l’accès au marché des produits
agricoles du Bénin?” by Babatoundé Rivaldo
Alain Kpadonou.
Key references
Stienen, J., Bruinsma, W and Neuman, F. (2007)
“How ICT can make a difference in agri cultural
liveli hoods”, International Institute for Communication
and Development (IICD).
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