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PROJECT PROPOSAL

DEVELOPMENT OF RUARAL AGRICULTURAL MOBILE INFORMATION SYSTEM (RAMIS) FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Mobile Technology for Sustainable Rural and Agricultural Development

A Collaborative Partnership Between

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Orange Labs Centre (Mobinil Mobile Service Operator)

1. INTRODUCTION ICT applications across the developing world that support agricultural development use radio, the Internet and increasingly, cell phones. Cell phone networks have opened up information flows to millions of rural communities. Cell phone services and the applications that take advantage of them (sometimes called mobile value-added services or m-applications or mobile applications) can provide solutions to many value chain constraints. The basic argument to invest in mobile applications for development is in part based on the following: Between 2000 and 2012, the number of mobile phones in use worldwide grew from fewer than 1 billion to

around 6 billion1

Mobiles represent the largest existing platform for the delivery of development applications. Mobile phone access/use is increasing in most rural areas and regions of the world

Mobile applications not only empower farmers and individuals but have important effects stimulating growth, entrepreneurship, and productivity throughout the economy.

Mobile penetration has increased greatly over the past few years and now reaches well above 100% in many countries of the Arab States. Mobile penetration has increased rapidly in the past 12 years, from just 3% in 2000 to 105% in 2012, representing an average annual growth rate of over 32%. As such, today there are more than 391 million connections in the region. The telecommunications sector has been partially liberalised and competition has increased service affordability. This has generated a remarkable rate of growth in the mobile market across the region, the second highest worldwide after sub-Saharan Africa. The increased access to mobile services has brought significant benefits to the populations of the Arab States, in terms of economic impact, support to employment, social development and productivity growth across the economy. Mobile phone users in Egypt grew at a rate of 5.24% to reach 96 million users in January 2013, for a penetration rate exceeding 115.92%. Most internet users in Egypt (44%) access the internet via mobile internet and USB modem, yet ADSL isn't far behind, at 38%. Mobile internet use, which reaches over 10 million subscribers, dwarfs that of USB and ADSL, which reach 2 and 3 million respectively. A 10 percent increase in mobile penetration increases total factor productivity in the long run by 4.2 percentage point. In agriculture, mobile applications using cell phones can provide better access to farmer advisory services directly on-farm and facilitate information sharing on a large scale. They could be used to deliver advice, education, pest/disease early warning and marketing information to small-holder farmers through the Collecting and Exchange of Local Agricultural Content (CELAC) using SMS to send farming tips to small-holder communities. Mobile applications make it possible for farmers to network and share knowledge and experiences with other small-holders on best practices, appropriate crop varieties, and good pest management tools (including tracking disease and pest outbreaks). In turn, farmers can improve crop yields, expand market possibilities, and improve their overall food security. Current market information helps strengthen linkages between actors both horizontally (e.g., among firms) as well as vertically (between buyers and sellers). Increased flow of information resulting from ICT also can change the relative power of value chain actors, often strengthening the role and “voice” of smallholder farmers in value chains. In distributing and managing supply chains, cell phones have increased efficiency and predictability and reduced waste, benefitting all actors. Farmers’ decision-making processes have been improved by applying ICT-provided information at six key stages: (1) what to plant, (2) seeding, (3) preparing land and planting, (4) growing, (5) harvesting, packing, and storing, and (6) selling.

1 World Bank and Info Dev (2012) Maximising Mobile - Information and Communications for Development 2012 (Conference Addition)

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FAO has recognized the value of expanding the use of mobile technology as modern ICTs in agricultural research and extension for development and strengthening the linkages between research, extension and farmers particularly in Egypt and generally in Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region in order to facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge among smallholder farmers and other certain key stakeholders, and thereby facilitate the sustainable development of the region. To this end, FAO in collaboration with Orange Labs (Mobinil) has taken the initiative for the Development of Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System (RAMIS). The proposed RAMIS platform for farmers is an open platform like Facebook that allows any third party to build and customize applications that may leverage the market networks and distribution strategy built by Mobile service provider. 2. PROJECT RATIONAL Farmers in developing countries struggle to get information about agricultural best practices and new developments because poor transport and communications infrastructure in isolated rural areas inhibit access to information sources. Using mobile can bridge this information gap. Research conducted by Vodafone in 2009 indicated that mobile services, including mobile-enabled information services, were already used in agriculture and starting to improve farmers’ knowledge and deliver productivity improvements. Mobile phones make it possible to call a helpline or receive SMS alert messages, giving farmers tips and advice to improve practices and productivity. Text and voice-based services include weather forecasts, advice on tackling pests or diseases, agricultural techniques, optimum times to plant crops, available subsidies, local fairs and crop prices. Voice-based services also overcome the difficulties faced by those unable to read or write, greatly improving their knowledge of good farming practices. Using mobiles to increase access to expert agricultural information has the advantage of providing real-time support, and could be a more cost-effective way of distributing updates as well as complementing or reinforcing other sources of information that help farmers. Introducing new farming practices, securing better prices for crops and increasing the productivity of farms improves communities’ standard of living. It also helps to save farmers time, making it possible to supplement their income with other employment. A mobile helpline can also help support services. By analyzing the calls, agricultural specialists and research organizations can build up a more accurate picture of the challenges rural people face and the trends in agriculture. 1. Farmer helpline Farmers call a helpline and speak to agricultural experts who can provide quick and accurate answers to agricultural queries. The experts and researchers can use information on the issues raised to improve their understanding of agricultural trends and the challenges facing farmers. Using their mobile phone, farmers call a helpline staffed by agricultural experts to ask about problems they are facing, such as the appearance of new pests or the use of chemicals. They could also send photos via their mobile to get more specific advice, particularly on identification and treatment of pests and disease. Experts answer their queries immediately if possible, or call back when they have found an answer. Farmers benefit from cheap and immediate access to advice which is more reliable than word-of-mouth and local community knowledge that typically informs local practices. This service provides expert sources of information to illiterate people – more than half of the adult population in less developed countries, many of them women who cannot benefit from printed material. Access to this advice improves agricultural productivity as farmers can grow crops more efficiently. Data on subjects raised in calls and sources of calls can provide agricultural specialists and research organizations with direct exposure to problems facing smallholder farmers. This data can help improve understanding of the challenges farmers face, help specialists to compile trends for different regions and develop effective responses. Vodafone has made an analysis that estimates that 58 million farmers could be using helpline services in 2020, generating an additional US$18 billion in agricultural income

2. With farmers using better techniques, machinery

and products, and using fewer agricultural inputs, 0.6 Mt of carbon could be saved in 2020.

2 Global Vodafone Social Responsibility Foundation, 2013

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Potential barriers and recommendations: - Obtaining locally relevant agricultural information:

partnerships are needed between helplines and agents including agricultural extension workers with local knowledge.

- Managing operating costs of staffing helplines with agricultural experts: governments, NGOs and private enterprises such as agricultural input distributors and call centre need to work together to find the most cost-effective solutions.

- Providing required communications infrastructure: partnerships between mobile service providers and call centre are needed to provide the infrastructure.

2. Mobile information platform Through mobile information platforms, farmers receive texts with news and information that help to improve the productivity of their land and increase their incomes. Governments and agricultural support organisations can use the platforms to provide information about available subsidies and programmes. There are a number of services providing agricultural information via mobile already available to farmers. One model is for users to pay a monthly fee to subscribe to the information service through their existing mobile tariff. Other models include applying a standalone charge. Farmers register their location and the type of crops they grow so they can receive tailored text alerts specific to their needs. The service providers work with partners such as commodity traders and government meteorological departments to get the most up-to-date and relevant information. Updates on local weather patterns help farmers plan planting, irrigation and harvesting, while information on market prices and consumer trends helps them choose which crops to plant and to get the best price for their produce. Technical advice can improve farming practices to promote more sustainable agriculture and better hygiene and processing techniques to reduce food wastage. The information service could also cover government regulations and subsidies. Better-informed farmers not only achieve higher productivity but may also save time, which they can use to supplement their income with other employment as well as improving yields, receiving weather forecasts can help farmers save water because if they know it is likely to rain, they can use less fresh water for crop irrigation. In 2020, better information for farmers could reduce freshwater withdrawals by 6% across the 26 countries included in the scope of this study. The greatest potential for water savings is in countries with expected high uptake of mobile information platforms and high freshwater usage for agricultural purposes (relative to total freshwater availability). The Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Mozambique, India and Lesotho all have the potential to achieve more than 10% savings in total freshwater withdrawals through provision of weather-related information and spread of agricultural best practices through mobile information platforms. Potential barriers and recommendations: - Obtaining sufficient high-quality, relevant and local information from a large number of agents. - information service providers need to recruit trusted partners to provide high-quality content and find ways

to make the advice as local and relevant as possible. Companies that are sourcing information will need to build their capacity by scaling up existing business models.

This project will focus on two components: 1. Farmer helpline: farmers use their mobile phone to call a helpline staffed by agricultural experts, giving

them immediate advice. 2. Mobile information platform: farmers receive text alerts direct to their mobile phone, tailored to their location

and the crops that they grow.

3. DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS: FAO and Mobinil (Orange Labs Centre)

4. TARGET BENEFICIARIES FROM FARMERS: 5 Villages, 200 family farmers per village (1000 family framers from Fayoum and Minia), 5 Extension workers and 25 Farmers Leaders. Two or more crops will be selected.

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5. PROJECT OBJECTIVE It aims at the fulfilment of the following :

To introduce an innovative Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System (RAMIS) platform as a mobile service to bridge the information gap that faced by Egyptian farmers, disseminate extension advices and agricultural advisory services, and improve overall productivity and efficiencies of selected farmers communities.

To leverage the mobile technology system in Egypt to serve the information and communication needs of the rural and agricultural development community.

6. EXPECTED RESULTS Project Impact Improved Food Security in Egypt due to availability and application of modern technologies (Mobile Applications) for farmers for increasing and improving the production of different commodities. Project Outcome Capacities of selected key institutions and small-holder farmers community in Egypt developed to share knowledge and information effectively and efficiently in support of farmers/producers’ livelihoods leading to increased productivity, lower costs of production, and enhanced quality of outputs. PROJECT OUTPUTS and PLAN OF ACTIVITIES OUTPUTS It is expected to produce the following specific outputs:

1. Institutional foundation for an agricultural mobile technology call centre (Farmers Helpline) established and

will function as the coordinating unit of a pilot agricultural mobile technology platform/ system, drawing on inputs from existing departments within NGO.

2. A Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System platform (RAMIS) developed to serve the

information and communication needs of the agricultural development community and to bridge the information gap that faced by Egyptian farmers, disseminate agricultural extension advices and advisory services; facilitating access to other agricultural information services relevant to the Omani agricultural sector; and enabling the exchange of information among stakeholder groups.

3. Professional staff (agriculture specialists and extension workers) trained in the use of RAMIS and modern

agricultural mobile technology and services to train 1000 farmers as a means of accessing relevant information and knowledge using modern ICTs.

4. A follow-up proposal on Linking Farmers to Market to expand the Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile

Information System (RAMIS) platform and to ensure its sustained functioning, prepared. PLAN OF ACTIVITES 1. Institutional foundation for an agricultural Mobile Technology call centre (Farmers Helpline)

established and will function as the coordinating unit of a pilot agricultural mobile technology platform/ system within FAODA/FAO for Collecting and simplifying agricultural information to be disseminated to farmers.

1.1 Strategy Visit: To help establish a rollout and business plan customized for the project. Key industry players will be met and interviewed, the business model behind mobile service provider platform, and an assessment of resources/personnel required for a successful and sustainable business deployment of Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System (RAMIS). Strategic partnership will be explored and negotiations with mobile operator begun. Responsible Party: FAO and Mobinil.

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1.2 Select local NGOs that will spread information via direct awareness session. Responsible Party: FAO and Mobinil.

1.3 Survey current farming situation. Identify locations and gap areas – OR – situations where RAMIS would have fastest and most effective results. Responsible Party: FAO.

The first 2 months will include all project planning and resource a allocation. In collaboration with the FAO and other partners, the project and mobile service provider will identify key implementation and information partners. Partners will be contacted and must agree to participate. Responsible Party: FAO and Mobinil.

1.5 Start awareness sessions. Target customers: crop growers, land owners, agricultural societies. Expected number of attendants: 1000+. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

1.6 Stakeholders Needs Assessment and Profiling session: Questionnaires, documentation and marketing tools will be prepared. Assessment will be conducted with information partner and Target customers. This will survey the existing capacity of participant organizations, as well as each crop growers and farmers and information needs, and what metrics exist that could be used to measure impact over time. Responsible Party: FAO and Mobinil in collaboration with NGO.

1.7 Collecting and simplifying agricultural information on ideal farming practices for 2 crops [so far Tomatoes and Bardakush] that includes all what’s necessary: fertilizers, pesticides, planting, harvest times, tips, etc. to be disseminated to farmers via the upcoming programs using mobile sets, with special focus on the actual needs and the applicability. Responsible Party: FAO. 1.8 A call Centre Establishment: Establish a call centre (Farmers Helpline) as the coordinating unit of a pilot agricultural mobile technology platform/ system within NGO . Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

2. A Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System platform (RAMIS) developed to serve the information and communication needs of the agricultural development community.

2.1 Consultative workshop on the development of functional specification for the RAMIS Apps with a phased and prioritized development plan that includes Farmer Guide and Extension Bulletins, Farmers and Grower Problems. Responsible Party: FAO, Mobinil and Orange Labs.

2.2 Prepare an implementation plan & operational framework for RAMIS development. Responsible Party: Mobinil and Orange Labs. 2.3 Prepare complete conceptual design and requirement specifications documents for the implementation of RAMIS Apps. Responsible Party: Mobinil and Orange Labs. 2.4 Establish mobile application | tool where farming info is entered and sent to intended recipient based on set schedule and other criteria. This is technology essence of the project. The App | Tool has the same concept as VRT, currently in pilot phase. Responsible Party: Mobinil and Orange Labs. 2.5 Make the various products and components of RAMIS Apps available in trial mode via Internet and notifying project participants of the release. Responsible Party: Mobinil and Orange Labs. 2.6 Complete any upgrades to the RAMIS Apps to better reflect the priorities established by the stakeholders and recommended by the Steering Committee. Responsible Party: Mobinil and Orange Labs.

2.7 Deploy RAMIS Apps to be available for the stakeholders. Responsible Party: FAO, Mobinil and Orange Labs.

3. Professional staff (agriculture specialists and extension workers) trained in the use of RAMIS and

modern agricultural mobile technology and services.

3.1 Awareness Training sessions: The training begins with an overview of the Mobile Information System industry, a history of Mobile service provider and high level benefits of the RAMIS platform. The training will assist participants in shaping their own detailed methodology based on the local context, and trainees

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will learn how to perform key functions related to data retrieval, display and collection on RAMIS. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

3.2 Field Deployment training: needed field work. Must also record the ‘before’ situation to compare to ‘after’ situation, thus showing success [or lack of] the project. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

How do you reach farmers or traders in the field? How will farmers adopt these new technologies and use them to transform their lives? The Field Deployment training will address these key questions and show trainees practical solutions for deploying Mobile service provider in the field and working closely with stakeholders who are using Mobile service provider to improve their livelihoods.

3.3 Advanced Modules and Sustainability Training: The Advanced Modules and Sustainability Training will allow trainees to explore newer functionalities including Scout SMS, SMS Push!, Networks & Contacts, etc.. Participants will also learn how to pitch Mobile service provider to a variety of different clients, as well as provide support & training to those clients once they have purchased a subscription. This is a hands-on training with role-plays and simulated scales & support meetings. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

3.4 Efforts to encourage people to register in the program – free of charge. Target participants: 1000 persons. Target area addressed: 5000 Acres [Feddans]. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

3.5 Sending SMS to recipients via third party specialized in mobile marketing [Mobinil’s responsibility to recommend supplier and guarantee their performance]. Responsible Party: Mobinil.

3.6 Run the project for 4-6 months. The crop growth duration. Responsible Party: Collaborative effort FAO, Mobinil and OLC.

3.7 Developp a questionnaire that will be used in a survey – aiming to get users feedback and evaluate effectiveness of project. Responsible Party: FAO with help from Mobinil.

3.8 Conduct the survey. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

4. A follow-up proposal on Linking Farmers to Market to expand the Pilot Rural and Agricultural

Mobile Information System (RAMIS) platform and to ensure its sustained functioning, prepared.

4.1 Project Component Reports: Reports will highlight the progress made with the implementation of the RAMIS, main achievements, difficulties encountered and actions (proposed or enforced) taken to overcome them along with expected results and follow-up actions. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

4.2 Customer Support: Throughout the life of the RAMIS project, mobile service provider will provide a Help Desk to support the beneficiary organizations. Responsible Party: Mobinil.

4.3 Evaluation: Evaluate the outputs and outcomes, assess resources so as to ensure sustained functioning of RAMIS, and assist in the formulation of an action plan for its expansion at national level. Responsible Party: NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil.

4.4 Publicize project – via digital media and other channels. Responsible Party: Mobinil 4.5 Prepare final critique report for the way forward. Responsible Party: Collaborative effort lead by FAO.

4.5 Proposal for expansion: Preparation and submission of an action plan for expansion of RAMIS at national level and proposal for expansion to Government Authority. Responsible Party: FAO and Mobinil.

4.6 Publicize project and ‘sell’ idea to governmental agencies. Responsible Party: FAO .

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7. PROJECT DURATION The project is expected to extend for a period of Eight (8) months. 8. SUGGESTED PROJECT WORKPLAN The work plan covers a period of 8 months and comprises of the following key actions:

OUTPUTS MONTHS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Institutional foundation for an agricultural Mobile Technology call centre (Farmers Helpline) established for Collecting and simplifying agricultural information to be disseminated to farmers.

1.1 Strategy Visit

1.2 Select local NGOs

1.3 Survey current farming situation

1.4 Start Up & Project Planning

1.5 Start awareness sessions

1.6 Stakeholders Needs Assessment and Profiling session

1.7 Collecting and simplifying agricultural information on ideal farming practices

1.8 A call Centre Establishment

Development of a Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System platform (RAMIS)

2.1 Consultative workshop on the development of functional specification for the RAMIS

2.2 Prepare an implementation plan & operational framework for RAMIS

2.3 Prepare complete conceptual design and requirement specifications documents

2.4 Establish mobile application

2.5 Make the various products and components of RAMIS Apps available in trial mode via Internet

2.6 Complete any upgrades to the RAMIS Apps to better reflect the priorities established

2.7 Deploy RAMIS Apps to be available for the stakeholders.

Training & Capacity Development, Professional staff (agriculture specialists and extension workers) trained in the use of RAMIS and modern agricultural mobile technology and services.

3.1 Awareness Training sessions - (5 workshops)

3.2 Field Deployment training - (5 workshops)

3.3 Advanced Modules and Sustainability Training - (5workshops for extension workers) - (5workshops for farmers Leaders)

3.4 Efforts to encourage people to register

3.5 Sending SMS to recipients via third party

3.6 Run the project for 4-6 months

3.7 Develop a questionnaire

3.8 Conduct the survey

A follow-up proposal on Linking Farmers to Market to expand the Pilot Rural and Agricultural Mobile Information System (RAMIS) platform and to ensure its sustained functioning, prepared.

4.1 Project Component Reports

4.2 Customer Support

4.3 Evaluation

4.4 Publicize the project via media, leaflet, brochures

4.5 Proposal for expansion

4.6 Publicize project and ‘sell’ idea to governmental agencies

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RAMIS: Rural Agricultural Mobile Information System

SN Description of task Responsible party

01 Select local NGOs that will spread information via direct awareness session

FAO and Mobinil

02 Baseline Survey for current situation and needs assessment. Identify needs and gap areas and situations where RAMIS would have fastest and most effective results. We are looking for areas where we can have a quick win..

+ needed field work. Must also record the ‘before’ situation to compare to ‘after’ situation, thus showing success [or lack of] the project.

Establish a call center (Farmers Helpline) hosted in the premises of NGO and operated by two full time agricultural experts from NGO.

NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil

03 Identify, collect and simplify technical information and knowledge on ideal farming practices (content development) based on needs assessment for 2 crops [so far]: Tomatoes and Bardakush. Includes all what’s necessary: fertilizers, pesticides, planting, harvest times, tips, etc.

FAO/Consultant

04 Establish mobile application | tool where farming info is entered and sent to intended recipient based on set schedule and other criteria. This is technology essence of the project. The App | Tool has the same concept as VRT, currently in pilot phase.

Sending SMS to recipients via third party specialized in mobile marketing [Mobinil’s responsibility to recommend supplier and guarantee their performance]

Mobinil and Orange Labs.

05 Run the project for 4-6 months. The crop growth duration. Collaborative effort FAO Mobinil and OLC

06 Awareness sessions. Target customers: crop growers, land owners, agricultural societies. Expected number of attendants: 1000+

Needed field work. Must also follow-up to record the progress situation to compare to ‘after’ situation, thus showing success [or lack of] the project.

Efforts required to encourage people to register in the program – free of charge. Target participants: 1000 persons. Target area addressed: 5000 Acres [Feddans]

NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil

07 Conduct a questionnaire that will be used in a survey – aiming to get users feedback and evaluate effectiveness of project, Implement the survey, and Prepare final critique report for the way forward.

NGO – supervised by FAO and Mobinil

08 Publicize project – via digital media and other channels Mobinil

09 Publicize project and ‘sell’ idea to governmental agencies FAO