Synergies: Moving Forward

It works for the better good if we join hands together. Among other stakeholders throughout the province, the work I have been doing as a project officer under the World Vision project has seen us worked closely with government departments.
Having market information with conditions that farmers cannot meet can be an issue, therefore, to have farmers perceive farming as a business entity, we work with the department of Ni-Vanuatu business and Cooperatives to set up Cooperative Savings and Loan Societies in communities I worked with to help farmers invest locally and cater for their financial needs.
So working together with other stakeholders not only creates synergies but a mutual relationship in this quest to empower and build the capacity of farmers to overcome challenges to markets. 

A New Dawn

Vanuatu today is growing rapidly in-terms of Information Communication and Technology (ICTs). With the islands geographically isolated, accessibility in the rugged terrains and rivers makes it hard for farmers to have access to market outlets and transportation becomes an obstacle to agricultural development in rural Vanuatu.

Having recently a mobile established network has made easy and cheap for farmers to have access to mobile technology which may have contributed to overcoming some challenges in accessing market information and market outlets.

The Government and some Non-Government Organization have attempt in employing some ICT strategies to help farmers overcome challenges to markets. The Livestock department have been successfully helping farmers from the islands to sell their animals at the Marobay Animal Market stall at Tagabe, through market contacts set up by the Livestock staff. Another example, would be the World Vision (WV) Sanma Community Economic Development (SCED) project currently developing a strategy to use the Digicel Mobile Network to help farmers get access to market information, that is daily update on Organic Copra prices, transport costs, dates on collective selling/buying days and also meetings with other farmer groups (community-based) to discuss issues or challenges their farmers are facing.
It is a challenge to work and see that farmers have accessibility in the islands and their needs are advocated for.

Market Information: Empowering Farmers

I am young agriculturalist entrepreneur with a vision to connect local farmers to market, overcoming challenges they face, advocating on their behalf and with a mission that one day they will stand up for themselves and play in the market. The bottom line is with provision of information and knowledge to the farmers, they become empowered and confident to trek the ever-fluctuating realm of agricultural markets.