Measuring Impact in GhanaSarah Bartlett, M&E Manager, Esoko 

CIRAD – March 2010

MIS research dominated by affects of the introduction of mobile phones…

Jenny Aker in Niger—grain price dispersion reduced by 6 4% mean prices dispersion reduced by 6.4%, mean prices reduced by 3.5%

Robert Jensen in IndiaRobert Jensen in India—Fisherman profits up by 9%, fish prices down by 5%

CIRAD – March 2010

down by 5%

But nothing on Data Driven MIS…

T d f E k i GhToday, users of Esoko in Ghana are giving us this opportunity

CIRAD – March 2010

Early results of Data Driven MIS—SEND & Esoko

• West African NGO• Market Information Access Project (ECAMIC)

SEND

• Market Information Access Project (ECAMIC)• Created 3 farmer cooperatives• Paid licence fee to use Esoko• Trained and registered 300 farmers • Subsidized 200 Nokia Phones

CIRAD – March 2010

3 Esoko trips over 1.5 years to see impacts….

Because SEND just not doing M&E

CIRAD – March 2010

MIS Survey Methods Emerging…

• Latest trip September of 2009• Latest trip September of 2009• 12 farming communities targeted

62 i di id l i t i ith t l t• 62 individual interviews with translator• 82 questions on mobile usage & Esoko

CIRAD – March 2010

Results 

Increased revenue based on:Increased revenue based on:

Knowing time to sellgKnowing place to sellBetter negotiations

All 62 reported somehow benefiting from Esoko

CIRAD – March 2010

“I now direct buyers to my community to buy from me

when prices are good”Anecdotal Evidence

“I now wait for goodI now wait for good prices before I sell my

products”

“I used to sell my groundnuts in bowls ingroundnuts in bowls in the local market, now I

send it to Accra per

CIRAD – March 2010

bag”

Willingness to Pay

If yes, average of GHC 2 per month

If yes, average of GHC 2 per month

Yes

Maybe

29%

68%No3% In an industry where the 

assumption is that small farmers will not pay for information, these numbers are promising 

CIRAD – March 2010

So what does a real M&E approach look like? 

CIRAD – March 2010

Impact Evaluations in Ghana

• Work with associations who join Esoko

• Track members over time—quarterly surveys for 3 years (2 harvests)surveys for 3 years (2 harvests)

Research partners to help in data analysis• Research partners to help in data analysis

CIRAD – March 2010

Methodology

• Baseline surveys• Baseline surveys

T t d d t t d iti • Treated and untreated communities, untreated communities to be phased in at 1 5 year mark1.5 year mark

• Quantitative data on the following• Quantitative data on the following…

CIRAD – March 2010

Increased Revenue

• Increased monthly income • Increased monthly income • Items in the household (type and amount)

H i • Housing • New acquisitions

B i di ifi i • Business diversification • Number of children in school

CIRAD – March 2010

Increased Bargaining Power 

• Changes in interaction between farmers • Changes in interaction between farmers and traders during harvest periods

• Increased ability to negotiate prices• Increased ability to negotiate prices• Increased market knowledge

Increase in business partners • Increase in business partners inside the community

CIRAD – March 2010

Creation of New Market Networks

• Farmers and traders (either individually or in groups) working with new contacts in groups) working with new contacts obtained through Esoko

• Increased trust over time

CIRAD – March 2010

Increased use of SMS & Usability of Esoko

• Recipients of SMS alerts and their families increasing the use of SMS for other increasing the use of SMS for other purposes

• Esoko messages understandable and usefuland useful

CIRAD – March 2010

Increased Market Efficiency

• Farmers and traders changing who they • Farmers and traders changing who they buy and sell from along the supply chain

• Increased efficiency (reduction in time and • Increased efficiency (reduction in time and actors)

• Reduction in waste • Reduction in waste • Easier access to transportation

CIRAD – March 2010

Price Dispersion Across Markets

• Price dispersion across markets on targeted commodities (using price reports targeted commodities (using price reports from Esoko Ghana enumeration)

CIRAD – March 2010

Challenges 

C t• Cost• Time

Diffi l h i f i i• Difficult to gather information on income• Isolating the affects of market information• Following supply chains to see impacts

beyond the producer

CIRAD – March 2010

Next Steps

• Find support• Find support• Finalize Methodologies and tools

C t l bl M&E ti• Create scalable M&E practices• Share methodologies & results with the

MIS community MIS community

CIRAD – March 2010