Using SMS for 2-way field communication and information services in rural Cambodia Cambodia Crop Production and Marketing Project (CCPMP): ASEM-200-130 Dr Robert Fitzgerald University of Canberra Presentation to the Northwest Agricultural Market Association (NAMA) Battambang, Cambodia, 25 November 2008

CCPMP Funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). Project Leader Professor Bob Martin (University of New England). Collaborators from University of Canberra, CSIRO, DPI, MJP and CARE The overarching aim of the project is to improve the functioning of the production – marketing system for maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia The project will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information between practitioners at all stages of the value chain Is a large ‘integrated’ project drawing on trans disciplinary understandings and participatory action research (PAR)

Funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). Project Leader Professor Bob Martin (University of New England). Collaborators from University of Canberra, CSIRO, DPI, MJP and CARE

The overarching aim of the project is to improve the functioning of the production – marketing system for maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia

The project will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information between practitioners at all stages of the value chain

Is a large ‘integrated’ project drawing on trans disciplinary understandings and participatory action research (PAR)

Cambodia

Objectives Objective C1. To exploit the potential synergies and efficiencies that can be obtained by the production component informing the marketing component of the value chain, and vice versa Objective C2. To enhance the adoption of improved technologies and practices for production of upland crops by integrating agronomic, economic, environmental and social factors Objective C3. To improve post-harvest management, communications along the supply chain and value chain integration for maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia Development of improved communications between different levels of the supply chain using SMS technology

Objective C1. To exploit the potential synergies and efficiencies that can be obtained by the production component informing the marketing component of the value chain, and vice versa

Objective C2. To enhance the adoption of improved technologies and practices for production of upland crops by integrating agronomic, economic, environmental and social factors

Objective C3. To improve post-harvest management, communications along the supply chain and value chain integration for maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia

Development of improved communications between different levels of the supply chain using SMS technology

SMS Low-cost mobile messaging system with good coverage in Cambodia Reliable in ‘patchy’ areas (i.e. store-and-forward) Send up to 160 characters per message SMS server can be available 24 hours/7 days Support for push and pull services Push: SMS server can send messages to phone user Pull: a user can request information (Information on demand) from SMS server Support for users to contribute (e.g. submit price information) and participate (e.g. complete surveys & ask questions/seek advice)

Low-cost mobile messaging system with good coverage in Cambodia

Reliable in ‘patchy’ areas (i.e. store-and-forward)

Send up to 160 characters per message

SMS server can be available 24 hours/7 days

Support for push and pull services

Push: SMS server can send messages to phone user

Pull: a user can request information (Information on demand) from SMS server

Support for users to contribute (e.g. submit price information) and participate (e.g. complete surveys & ask questions/seek advice)

Background Use SMS to improve communication by providing access to information Previous work done on the Electronic Marketing Communication System (EMCS) funded by ACIAR CCPMP - expand to market and production information Recent SMS evaluation trial has been successful Plan to use FrontlineSMS – an open source software designed for community groups and NGOs More about FrontlineSMS and Ken Banks

Use SMS to improve communication by providing access to information

Previous work done on the Electronic Marketing Communication System (EMCS) funded by ACIAR

CCPMP - expand to market and production information

Recent SMS evaluation trial has been successful

Plan to use FrontlineSMS – an open source software designed for community groups and NGOs

More about FrontlineSMS and Ken Banks

FrontlineSMS

Example 1 -----CCPMP----- 1. PRICE 2. WEATHER 3. NEWS & ALERTS 4. FARM TIPS 5. Q&A 6. SURVEYS 7. HELP -----CCPMP-----

Information Services (1) Stage 1 Price and market information by region Connect to Cambodian Agricultural Market Information System (CAMIS) database via SMS Farm tips - crop/production information Weather, news and alerts – e.g. TB warnings Requests for information (fax back or mail out) Price submission Will need to develop a simple coding system to facilitate SMS communication for farmers who do not read English. For example: MBBB500 = M aize B uy price in B attam B ang $ 500 USD per tonne

Stage 1

Price and market information by region

Connect to Cambodian Agricultural Market Information System (CAMIS) database via SMS

Farm tips - crop/production information

Weather, news and alerts – e.g. TB warnings

Requests for information (fax back or mail out)

Price submission

Will need to develop a simple coding system to facilitate SMS communication for farmers who do not read English. For example:

MBBB500 = M aize B uy price in B attam B ang $ 500 USD per tonne

Information Services (2) Stage 2 Question and answer services (FAQs) Send PEST – autoreply with pest information Send ‘What is the green worm?’ Extension Officer reply ‘Most likely podsucker. Contact XXX and treat with YYY’ Surveys and polls Farmer survey: Rate your maize crop from 1 – 5 Farmer sends: MAIZECROP 3 Trader survey: Rate soy bean quality from 1 – 5 Trader sends: SBQUALITY 3 Link buyers and sellers by region SMS MAIZEBUYER Mr Teo – 012 345 678 Ms Rattanak – 017 324 999 Local service directories

Stage 2

Question and answer services (FAQs)

Send PEST – autoreply with pest information

Send ‘What is the green worm?’ Extension Officer reply ‘Most likely podsucker. Contact XXX and treat with YYY’

Surveys and polls

Farmer survey: Rate your maize crop from 1 – 5

Farmer sends: MAIZECROP 3

Trader survey: Rate soy bean quality from 1 – 5

Trader sends: SBQUALITY 3

Link buyers and sellers by region

SMS MAIZEBUYER

Mr Teo – 012 345 678

Ms Rattanak – 017 324 999

Local service directories

A SMS Server Pailin Silo CAMBODIA FARMERS GOVT COLLECTORS SILOS NGOS FRONTLINESMS SERVER (PC, MAC or LINUX ) TRADERS GSM MODEM

Today’s workshop Discuss are you interested in using SMS? what more information you need? what other services would be useful (price, etc)? how should we train and support users? Proposal to establish an SMS server in Pailin develop an action plan and provide contact details for each officer establish another a server? Where?

Discuss

are you interested in using SMS?

what more information you need?

what other services would be useful (price, etc)?

how should we train and support users?

Proposal

to establish an SMS server in Pailin

develop an action plan and provide contact details for each officer

establish another a server? Where?

Micro payments by SMS Using SMS to make small payments (<$100) Like an electronic wallet Developed by Australian (Canberra) company mHits – www.mhits.com.au mHITs is a person-to-person (p2p) payment system which uses a mobile phone as the transaction device Users send and receive money via SMS message to make payments instantly Demonstration

Using SMS to make small payments (<$100)

Like an electronic wallet

Developed by Australian (Canberra) company mHits – www.mhits.com.au

mHITs is a person-to-person (p2p) payment system which uses a mobile phone as the transaction device

Users send and receive money via SMS message to make payments instantly

Demonstration

A peer-to-peer micro payment system PAY 012345456 10 Send User receives $10 credit in their account

How it works

More information Dr Robert Fitzgerald Associate Dean (Research) Faculty of Education, University of Canberra +61 417023539 (Australia) +855 12491503 (Cambodia) [email_address]

Dr Robert Fitzgerald

Associate Dean (Research)

Faculty of Education, University of Canberra

+61 417023539 (Australia)

+855 12491503 (Cambodia)

[email_address]