Dear Assena, How effective is feedback from farmers on information dessiminated to them. I am aware that you also conduct field visits what are the coverage areas and farmer concentrations? Richard 

Dear all,

Thanks Asad for that analysis. Let me add to say that involvement of stakeholders in the design of ICT advisory services is important for sustainability . This makes the users ownership of the system. Many a times proffessions design ICT services for adoption by small scale farmers. Certain concepts like USSD and other concepts are not well explained to stake holders.
I would like to pose a question. Has anyone come up with an ICT advisory service with the involvement of stakeholders that is sustainable? Particulary i am more concerned with costs related to organising content which the beneficiaries access at the end of the day. Are these people paid from revenues generated by the system or a subsidy from external funds is used to pay them. As long as the advisory system fails to pay for its operation costs then we need more innovative thinking to mitigate this fact.
In Zambia we are working towards this goal of establishing a sustainable market information system based on strengthening symbotic relationship that exists between market agents and farmers through competition. More details on request as we are on pilot stage.

Thanks

Richard-Sangonet Zambia

Dear All,

Whilst i agree on the approach to implementing ICT advisory services to small holders, i feel connectivity of remote areas is key to achieving service delivery. I would like to suggest that it is cardinal to advocate to governments to prioritize connectivity to remote areas in their development plans by way of stimulating private sector ( service Providers ) invest in rural areas.

Coming to sustainability, my understanding is that provision of information costs money and if the users are able to pay for the service thereby making the system pay for its operation costs and continue to receive a service, then the business model is sustainable. Also i have seen projects funded and when the funds stop coming the project is taken over by a department and activities are funded within the department budget. Others have called such as project being sustainable.

My comment to both situations is that sustainability can be viewed both from these angles. The later, sustainability is seen by way that the activities have been enshrined in the main department which has a mandate to fulfill provision of those services. Richard

Dear all, Thanks Asad for that analysis.

Let me add to say that involvement of stakeholders in the design of ICT advisory services is important for sustainability . This makes the users ownership of the system. Many a times proffessions design ICT services for adoption by small scale farmers. Certain concepts like USSD and other concepts are not well explained to stake holders. I would like to pose a question. Has anyone come up with an ICT advisory service with the involvement of stakeholders that is sustainable?

Particulary i am more concerned with costs related to organising content which the beneficiaries access at the end of the day. Are these people paid from revenues generated by the system or a subsidy from external funds is used to pay them. As long as the advisory system fails to pay for its operation costs then we need more innovative thinking to mitigate this fact.

In Zambia we are working towards this goal of establishing a sustainable market information system based on strengthening symbotic relationship that exists between market agents and farmers through competition. More details on request as we are on pilot stage. Thanks

Dear all, Producer organisations can use technology to enhance their business. However, technology a lone cannot solve all the problems. There are usually other key ingridients on which technology is dependant on. For instance in Zambia we are piloting a market information system  called LimaLinks between producer organisations and market agents. We have realised that using the application alone is not enough but mending previous bottlenecks in their business transactions which all hinge on honest and trust. So we are building that confidence and trust by engaging these partners to look at the previous misunderstanding and find solutions before they can use technology to facilitate business transactions.
Need more contributions
Richard yona- Sangonet

Dear all,

Producer organisations can use technology to enhance their business. However, technology alone cannot solve all the problems. There are usually other key ingredients on which technology is dependant on. For instance in Zambia we are piloting a market information system called LimaLinks between producer organisations and market agents.

We have realised that using the application alone is not enough but mending previous bottlenecks in their business transactions which all hinge on honest and trust. So we are building that confidence and trust by engaging these partners to look at the previous misunderstanding and find solutions before they can use technology to facilitate business transactions. Need more contributions

Richard yona- Sangonet