A Step Further

Prime Minister handing over a phone to farmer, witnessed by a WV Staff

World Vision (WV) through its project, Sanma Community Economic Development (SCED) project has been working together with Certlink to deliver better services to farmers from South Santo. The initiative of "100 'bisnis in a box' mobile phones for the launch of the VCMB “Information, Marketing & Management Systems” (IMMS), mobile and a cloud-based online database platform designed to deliver a track and trace system for people and product in the various commodity supply chains" (www.facebook.com/Certlink) is another step in developing ICT transfers towards innovative agriculture. The initiative was supported by the local mobile network provider Digicel, which have provided access to mobile networks in almost every island in Vanuatu and in Sanma Province.

Happy farmers with their mobile phones with the Prime Minister and his delegation

The Prime Minister, Hon. Moana Carcasses Kalosil, a delighted farmer and the Director of the Office of Government Chief Information Office (OGCIO)

Source:
World Vision Santo Office -  Sanma Community Economic Development (SCED) project
www.facebook.com/Certlink
         

Creating a Ripple Effect

The department of Industry (DoI) under the ministry of Tourism, Trade, Commerce & Ni - Vanuatu Business (MTTCNVB) currently working on an initiative which is similiar what World Vision (WV) through its Sanma Community Economic Development (SCED) project is doing. It is a Market Information System (MIS) set to connect farmers with respect to farm activities each is focused on, whether it be Cattle, Copra, Forestry, Vegetable farming, Freshwater Prawns. WV has laid down critical ground work that should emerge as the foundation to which ICTs can paly a vital role in-terms factors affecting such commodities - prices, weather, transport and so forth.
The department is looking at connecting farmers across the province whereas WV is concentrating on the southern region, creating one less area to work with. The MIS is set as a platform where farmers and buyers or vendors can interact directly through the use of mobile devices, eliminating usual cost of transport, fluctuating weather patterns and price. It is the hope that, with such initiative farmers would greatly benefit from ICTs and many developments concerning innovative approaches to agriculture.

The MIS set-up is feature below:

Marketing Information System (MIS) Flow Chart

Source:
Department of Industry - Promotion and Marketing Division

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.