ag markets – Integra LLC

Tag Archive for: ag markets

Tech Talk: Mapping ICTs Along the Ag Value Chain

New ICT solutions for agricultural development are being developed at break-neck speed, and its hard to keep track of what’s out there, what works, and how it best fits into your project. At this month’s Tech Talk, GBI will demonstrate how ICT applications can complement a value chain approach to agricultural development, and we will bring in users and developers of these apps to explain their tools and how they are implemented. We’ll also unveil a new and useful interactive tool “Ag Apps Along the Value Chain,” that maps a collected inventory of over 120 apps and ICT solutions along the agricultural value chain.

____________________________________________________________________________
Benjamin Addom is a knowledge management specialist with training and experience in the use of ICTs for development. He has over 9 years of experience in the field of agriculture, food security, ICT4D, teaching, training, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation. He holds a PhD in Information Science and Technology from Syracuse University School of Information Studies, masters in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University, and a bachelors in General Agriculture from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

With special presentations by

Stephen Sellers, CEO, Co-Founder SourceTrace
Jacob N. Maaga, CEO, Africa Commodities & Futures Exchange
Or Dashevsky, Solution Architect, Catholic Relief Services

Online event registration for Mapping ICTs Along the Agriculture Value Chain powered by Eventbrite

Make sure to check out our archives of previous GBI Tech Talks.

February 29, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Environment, Mobile, Originally posted on the GBI Portal, Sustainable Agriculture

Mobiles for Agriculture at the InfoDev Global Forum

Esoko application billboard in Accra, Ghana

The global movement to improve agriculture and natural resources management through ICT takes center stage this week at the fourth InfoDev Global Forum in Helsinki.

Though in its nascent stage, the forum attracts a wide cross-section of attendees (business incubator managers, policy-makers, SMEs, financiers and development agencies) from around the globe “for a unique South-South and North-South networking and knowledge-sharing experience”.

The four day forum, which ends on June 3, zeros in on mobile applications for agri-businesses and clean technologies. Yesterday, a high level panel discussion featuring experts from the World Bank, FAO, AgriCord, Uganda and Kenya examined the varied use of mobile technology in agriculture and the management of natural resources, namely forestry. The discussion was a prelude to the launch of a new virtual resource that the experts believe will function as a “living updatable document”.

The e-Sourcebook “Information and Communication Technologies for Agriculture” will be released in October. The resource will feature a plethora of ICT innovations and examine their potential to improve agricultural development.

This year marks the fourth staging of the bi-annual event, which is functioning within the framework of a joint program with the Government of Finland and Nokia to create sustainable businesses for a knowledge economy. The $17 million program seeks to enhance the competitiveness of the information and communication technologies (ICT) and agribusiness sectors in small and medium sized emerging markets.

A key feature of the two year initiative is the use of mobile technologies to provide content, services and applications for developing countries. This development comes less than a year after global mobile subscriptions topped five billion, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Despite improvement in mobile subscriptions, access to fixed phone lines and internet usage, the ITU says one billion people worldwide still lack connection to any kind of ICT. This is particularly problematic for the drive to improve agriculture as most people without access to any form of ICT depend on agriculture to some extent for their livelihoods.

The Global Forum was last held by Brazil in 2009.

June 1, 2011/by actualize

Agriculture, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

African Farmers Get Boost From IFC, Soros, and Esoko

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Soros Economic Development Fund have announced they will invested $1.25 million of equity into Esoko, a Ghanaian technology firm. The investment in Esoko will give small holder African farmers and businesses timely crop information that can be shared via text messaging, enabling farmers to increase their incomes.

Mobile phones allows farmers to access crucial crop and market informaiton

Esoko’s software takes advantage of rapidly growing mobile-phone usage in Africa. The technology allows farmers affordable and timely access to market information that can help them negotiate better prices and improve the timing of getting their crops to market.

“Our platform was developed by African software engineers here in Accra, Ghana, and has been a totally local, market-driven initiative,” said Esoko CEO Mark Davies. “IFC and SEDF have a strong track record of helping local companies get the funding and advice needed to expand into new regions and markets. With their support we hope to export this African technology all around the world.”

Esoko’s software allows different parties in the agricultural value chain to exchange real-time market information. Farmers receive current demands, prices of crops, and the location of seeds and fertilizers directly on their mobile phones. Businesses can track how their products are used and market themselves to new customers. Associations and governments can share critical information with thousands using a simple bulk-text messaging feature. Esoko’s technology is being used in nine African countries and expanding quickly.

“SEDF’s investment helps break the information barrier for African farmers so they can generate more income,” said Stewart J. Paperin, president of the Soros Economic Development Fund, a nonprofit investment fund that works to alleviate poverty and community deterioration. “A more transparent marketplace enables farmers to negotiate fair prices, improve their timing on getting goods to market, and move between markets to sell products.”

: Farmers receive relevant information directly to their phone

Esoko is also publishing the first commodities indices in Africa, a powerful tool in helping ensure that farmers are fairly compensated for their crops, as formal commodity exchanges are very rare on the continent. The company is initially publishing two indices that provide prices for 12 agriculture commodities in seven markets in Ghana.

“African technology firms are innovating and expanding beyond their domestic markets and we see a great opportunity to help ensure they have the proper financing for long-term growth,” said Kent Lupberger, Global Head of IFC Techonology, Media, and Telecom.