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.