This document summarizes statistics about the growth of internet and mobile phone use in developing countries like Africa and highlights the achievements of iCow, an agricultural information service in Kenya. It notes that internet and mobile phone use has increased dramatically in Africa over the past decade. It then provides details on iCow, which delivers agricultural information to over 4,500 service providers and smallholder farmers via mobile phones, resulting in increased milk production, incomes, and markets for livestock farmers.

1. Information creating Impact
Su Kahumbu Stephanou
Su Kahumbu Stephanou
Green Dreams TECH Ltd
www.iCow.co.ke

2. Fresh produce on the highway

4. Biovision Farmer Communication
Program (FCP)
( )
The Organic Farmer Magazine TOF

5. Evidence in the fields
Evidence in the fields

6. www.infonet‐biovision.org

7. Interesting Stats
Interesting Stats
• Th
The number of internet users in Africa has increased from 4.5
b fi t t i Af i h i df 45
million in 2000 (0.6%) to 110 million (10.9%) in 2010.
• AfDB, ‘The Middle of the Pyramid: Dynamics of the Middle Class in Africa’, Market Brief (April 2011) and
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm (accessed 10.5.2011)
http://www internetworldstats com/stats htm (accessed 10 5 2011)
• In Kenya, 99% of all internet subscribers accessed the
internet from a mobile in 2009.
• World Economic Forum, The Global Information Technology Report 2010‐2011 (2011), p.71.
World Economic Forum The Global Information Technology Report 2010 2011 (2011) p 71
• Developing nations account for 80% of all new mobile
subscriptions worldwide.
• World Economic Forum, The Global Information Technology Report 2010‐2011 (2011), p.xiv.
World Economic Forum The Global Information Technology Report 2010 2011 (2011) p xiv
• In 2010 there were an estimated 5.28bn mobile handsets in
the world; 3.84bn of them in the developing world (67.6 per
100 population) vs. 1.43bn developed world (116.1 per 100
100 population) vs 1 43bn developed world (116 1 per 100
population). There were 333m in Africa.
• http://www.itu.int/ITU‐D/ict/statistics/at_glance/KeyTelecom.html
• P ki t K
Pakistan, Kenya and Indonesia have surpassed 100% mobile
dI d i h d 100% bil
penetration within the 20‐29 year old demographic.
• http://ndn.org/blog/2010/09/mobile‐youth‐developing‐world (accessed 10.5.2011)

8. Cont d
Cont’d
• In India approx. 20 million new mobile phone
g p y y
subscribers sign up every month, nearly one‐
third of them in rural areas.
• World Economic Forum, The Global Information Technology Report 2010‐2011 (2011), p.80.

9. iCow is an innovative information platform
p y p y
accessed primarily via mobile telephony.
Delivering pertinent & timely information.
Delivering pertinent & timely information.
An eco‐system of agribusiness actors.
An eco‐system of agribusiness actors
9

10. REPUBLIC OF KENYA
MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT
P R O D UC E R S
CK ’A
TO S
ES
SO
LIV
CIA
KENYA
TION

11. iCow Achievements to date
82%
Retention
Retention
37
counties
rate
4,500
4 500
Agricultural
Service
Providers
56%
Increased
42% milk
Increased production
incomes 1.5‐3 lts
Per cow!

12. Other gains
Other gains
• Reduced cost of feed due to knowledge on farm
d d ff dd k l d f
production
• Increased markets for livestock and their by
products
• Increased customers reported by AI providers
• Reduction of animal mortality and disease
Reduction of animal mortality and disease
• Preservation of feed for future use
• Increased production of fodder
Increased production of fodder
• Healthier livestock

14. Su Kahumbu Stephanou
p
Creative Director
Green Dreams TECH Ltd
www.iCow.co.ke
su@greendreams.co.ke