SMS text to complement picture based extension

Dr. Stefan KACHELRIESS-MATTHESSGerman International Cooperation ( )

African Cashew initiative (ACi)

Real Life Piloting – RCN TradeACi – Virtual Cooperatives

Jema

Painamisa

Pamdu

Subinsu

Tremeso

5 buying stations

Expected volume of up to 150 MT traded RCN via the system

20 zonal facilitators

Real Life Piloting - FarmersACi – Virtual Cooperatives

~ 380 farmers participating in the pilot

How is the training delivered in the field?

• Farmer training within ACi organized on the basis of picture material and key extension messages formulated as sets of question and answers. Dedicated training material for illiterate farmers is available and in use.

• Direct interaction between extension agents (public and private service providers) and cashew farmers limited to 3 to 5 times a year according to the cropping calendar, the availability of famers and the costs associated.

Training session Picture material used Practical application

Limitations of the interactive direct training

• Due to logistical constraints and work organization, not all topics are treated at the most appropriate time according to the cropping calendar and are „packed“ in one or two interactive learning sessions per training module ().

Time / cropping year

NB: Training module „B“ is held in two sessions

Sess

ion

A

Sess

ion

B1

Sess

ion

B2

Sess

ion

C

Approprite application of key messages according to cropping calendar

ToT

A

ToT

B

ToT

C

• Key messages are not always delivered at the most appropriate time

• Correct application of key messages might lack behind due to • non respect of timing (e.g. pest and disease control, pruning)• partial recall of content (dimensions of planting holes,

parameters of assessing dryness of RCN) when appropriate

Limitations of the interactive direct training

Opportunities

• Existing network of price information via SMS within the Wenchi Cashew marketing Union.

• Zonal secretaries trained in the use of mobile phones (bar code reading, manipulating smart phones with apps).

• Register of member farmers with their mobile phone numbers (currently 387 registered members for barcode selling and price information).

• High interest of members in receiving more information via mobile phone.

• „Value added“ being a member of the union by receiving information about cashew whole year round and not only during the marketing campaign.

Complementarity of communication channels and sources of information

Farmer

Interactive sessions- Practical application in the

field- Direct interaction between

extension agent and cashew farmer

Picture material

in order to re

ach

illiterate farm

ers

Fello

w farm

ers

disse

minate

good

prac

tices

SMS text on

technical content,

updates on market

prices etc.

Rural radioto reach farther

communities

Complementarity of key messages and sources of information

• Send SMS text messages at the appropriate time as a reminder and refresh key messages.

• Ideally the farmer remembers and/or refers to the picture materials for more details or asks fellow farmers or seeks advice from the unions representatives if in doubt.

• Zonal secretaries equipped with posters and flipcharts as reference materials.

Sess

ion

A

Sess

ion

B1

Sess

ion

B2

Sess

ion

C

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

Approprite application of key messages according to cropping calendar

Recalling of topics at the appropriate time complementing interactive sessions

Radio A

Radio B

Radio C

Complementarity of key messages and sources of information

interactive

one-way

+ Video?

ToT

A

ToT

B

ToT

CRadio message have to be delivered earlier than the application in the field, followed by interactive training and then complemented by sms text at the appropriate time of the respective field operation

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

SMS

2-w

aySM

S

2-w

aySM

S

2-w

aySM

S

2-w

aySM

S

2-w

aySM

S

2-way for M&E

Challenges

• Display (and scrolling) of text messages upon receipt (involvement of zonal secretaries and youth as facilitators).

• Formulation of SMS text messages in language easily understood by farmers (the current texts have been formulated by union executive staff and validated by agricultural extension services).

• Illiteracy needs translation of English text into local language.

• Ability and willingness to reply to SMS messages and send responses back to sender (biggest challenge as many are used to receive but few ever send/replied).

• Little existing knowledge and experiences with the concept and tool in extension in the country and in the sub region.

Test phase

• Converting key messages into „SMS suitable“ text using „farmers‘ language“

• Using readily available software (Frontline SMS)

• Training of union secretary in its use

• Involve buying agents of the union as resource persons and trainers for the use of mobile phones

• Involve buying agents and volunteers in monitoring and evaluation for feedback on use and usefulness of the service

• Introduce an incentive system (1 GHS scratch card) for replying to two-way messages

Test phase, using Frontline SMS and ultimatly SAP system

Test phase: Broadcasting calendar

every Wednesday each week is "message time"          Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Activity SMS text (one-way) Date (2011) SMS text (2-way)Date

(2012)                                        NEW ESTABLISHED

CASHEW FARM                                                Site selection Deep, fertile and well

drained soils are most suitable for your new cashew plantation.

4th January    18th January

1

Land clearing Remove all bushes and uneconomic trees from the land. Keep sticks for pegging, staking. Use stick for fencing to protect cashew trees.

1st February

   15th February

  1

Line & Pegging March and April is the right time for lining and pegging your new cashew plantation. Use 10m x 10m spacing between cashew tree stands.

1st February

Did you respect 10m x 10m for pegging and lining of your cashew plantation? Reply with 1 for yes or 0 for no. Thanks.

18th April   1 2

Digging and refilling holes

Dig holes for planting cashew 50cm deep and 50cm wide. It is best done before end of June. Separate top soil and sub soil.

4th April   18th April   1

• Every Wednesday each week is "message time“• Farmers registered the sender‘s number in their phone directory and know that they

received a message from their union

Running a test – up scaling possibilities

• Currently the test phase covers 150 farmers at a start covering up to 300 farmers after additional registration (limited to this number as sending of SMS, although automated, takes time with the current system (45 minutes for 130 messages);

• More than Ghanaian 24,000 cashew farmers of which ACi currently reaches at least 10,000; => possible service providers outside Wenchi Union?

• All zones of the union could be covered (currently only five);• Improvement of texting (very simple wording);• Evaluation of the willingness to pay (estimated cost per farmer ~ 2 GHS / year);• Further training of facilitators necessary (zonal secretaries, village youth,

buying agents, extension workers);• Test of an incentive system to use SMS replies for monitoring purposes

(adoption rates of technical recommendations);• Expanding it to an e-advice system to get replies by sending keywords;• Impact monitoring and feed-back und use, usefulness (first feed-back collected

in July and September);• Combination with radio shows;• 24/24 and 7/7 constantly running system necessary to capture responses

(currently not reliable)…

Communication PanelDraft by SAP Research

Architecture

J2EE Central Server

FLEX Desktop Application

for Cashew Union Secretary

https Synchronization https

SMS Gateway

Android Smartphone Application

for Cashew Buying Station in rural Areas

SMS

SMS

Requirements

• Local SMS Gateway Server (http://tigo.com.gh)

• Farmer Master Data (mobile numbers)

• Feedback of FrontlineSMS pilot

Proposed notification panel