enabling the rural poor to overcome poverty agricultural marketing systems development programme...

Enabling the rural poor to overcome poverty

Agricultural Marketing Systems Development Programme (AMSDP)

Linking local learners for improved market linkages

First Mile Project implementation


AMSDP

• 7 year programme for a total of US$48.9 million with an IFAD loan of US$16.3 million

• Goal is to increase rural poor people’s food security and incomes by improving the structure, conduct and performance of the country’s crop marketing systems


First Mile Project

People– small farmers– traders– processors

Building capacity to form collaborative partnerships along market chains


The challenges

Access by rural poor people to:– Information and knowledge– ICTs such as mobile phones, the Internet and

email – other key people in the market chain, including

traders, processors and even consumers


What does the First Mile do

• Facilitates local learning

• Generates good practices in building market chains

• Empowers smallholder farmers to gain access to ICTs

• Links producers and buyers


How does it do it

• Ownership

• Appropriation

• Development of local content

• Networking

• Build on what exists

• Realistic cost and skill requirements


Three phases of activities

Phase 1:• Exploration and training• Facilitation of local learning Phase 2:• Training for on-line learning support• On-line mentoringPhase 3:• Identify commodities• Assessment


First Mile Linking Local Learners programme

Step 1Download First Mile Questions

file from Internet

Step 2Print out

questions form on village

computer

Step 3Local group discuss and

respond to first mile questions

Step 4Input

responses updating FMQ

file

First Mile Team

Step 5Upload First Mile Questions file to

Internet


The role of information broker

Step 1 Discuss questions

from First Mile team

Step 3Hand to

info person

Step 8Print out

information for local group

Step 6 Upload and

Download mail from LLL service

Role of Information Contact PersonRole of Information Contact Person

Step 2Write responses

and own questions

Step 7 Carry diskette to village computer

Continue round the circle

Step 4Type

responses in village computer

Step 8 Carry printout to local group

Step 5 Carry

diskette to internet cafe


Progress to date

• Direct market linkages achieved between producers and traders/processors

• Key partners identified to eliminate middlemen

• Farmer network created

• Information is being exchanged between district core teams

• Better use of “Linking Local Learner” network


Moving forward: immediate challenges to be addressed

• Building trust

• Poor Internet access

• Limited funds for field work


Questions

• What are the conditions that need to be in place for farmers, traders and processors to see the benefits of sharing information, ideas and working collaboratively to build fairer and more efficient market relations?

• What are the benefits for rural poor people of blending old and new technology? What is the potential impact for increasing the effectiveness and reach of market chains?

• How can local appropriation of ICTs make market chains more efficient?

• How can ICTs help rural poor people generate and share their local knowledge, particularly in relation to market chains?

• What is the role of publicly funded agencies in fostering collaboration among rural entrepreneurs along a marketing chain?

enabling the rural poor to overcome poverty agricultural marketing systems development programme...

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