Market information through SMS is making a difference in rural Cameroon

Market information is an important tool that will help Ms FONKA to sell her potato better and improve her revenues.During the first six months of the project target groups were identified. They were five maize and potato women farmers group in four localities, Kamna, Ndiengso, Ndiandam, Santa and Bangang. The aim was to train them in the use of cell phones in order to obtain market information.

One of the challenges identified during this first phase was lack of electricity in some areas, which limited farmers in their use of ICTs. Those who owned phones had them operational only at certain times because they had to travel a long distance before they could access electricity to charge their battery.

A survey was carried out. The analysis of the data indicated that 87% of the decisions on farm activities are made by women. For purchasing of ICTs (TV sets, mobile phones, computers, internet assets), data indicated that 80% of the decisions are taken by men. This can be attributed to their poor financial contribution, when compared to men. Surprisingly however, 70% of the use of the items is made by women.

All those who were interviewed responded that they had never used any form of ICT to facilitate the acquisition of seeds, fertiliser and pesticides. A similar response was also obtained for market information including also agro-pastoral advice from extension service. It was found that 5% of men and no women had used the telephone to obtain market information.

In addition to the sensitization and education of women, attention was given to a number of men who showed an interest thanks to the use of ICTs involved. One of the examples was Tamessa, who started to plant maize and beans in his farm, while Mr NEKUE, a retired secondary school teacher planted maize and groundnuts. Traditionally, farming is seen as an activity carried out by women and after the sensitisation activities, other men decided to join their wives in the farm.

The use of cell phone for market information demonstrated a significant economic impact given that maize farmers found he subsidised seeds at 300 CFA compared to the 600 CFA they were getting at the open market. Other maize farmers were able to get the very scarce improved variety “kassai”.

The Gyendu potato farmer groups made a better harmonisation of the collection of their seeds from the main extension store, thereby saving on expenses that they would have spent on numerous unsuccessful trips to the store..

Other achievements have been made with fertilizer and pesticides. Farmers also learnt to collect market information o insecticides and fungicides to control maize stem borer and potato blight, the pest and diseases that most affect their crops. “This is cheap and easy,” Ma Theresa of the Gyendu group stated. With cell phones they can also buy from the neighbouring cities, where they can find better prices.

An analysis of the reason why men did not like to do planting also had to do with the equipment used. A new tool for planting was suggested, since the old planter is known in all the community as the women’s planter, so no man will use it. The new planter is manufactured and traded far in Yaounde, but since farmers could use cell phones to get market information and buy remotely the adoption was easy.

The project team concluded that computers should be brought in as an additional ICT tool for the project. Consequently the market information obtained by the group facilitator and shared among the group verbally and also through SMS will be filed electronically. Additionally, this information will be organized, edited and printed in the form of a technical bulletin and distributed to farmers with a special focus on those having limited access to cell phones.