Ghanaian software developer Busylabs has released Tradenet, a suite of cellphone tools, to assist the agricultural sector find accurate market information and generate trade leads through SMS.
"We have created a platform that allows farmers and traders to communicate with each other quickly and cheaply, using SMS technology," says dot-com tycoon Mark Davies, founder and CEO of Busylabs.
Users can request automatic SMS updates in their particular areas of business, as well as alert other users when they are selling their products. "The technology creates a real-time experience for users who otherwise would be unable to access or relay information in such niche areas of business."
The platform covers 380 active markets across the continent, says Davies. "Although we are focused on building local trade in Africa, the tool has attracted international buyers in the Middle East, the US and Japan looking to find African producers and traders."
There are content managers working within agricultural trade organisations Mistowa, in West Africa; Foodnet, in Uganda; and CGIAR, in Honduras and El Salvador, uploading market information, says Davies.
Low fixed-line penetration
Content managers in all these countries have been trained to use the system and upload market information that is then freely available to the public on the Tradenet Web site or via mobile phones, according a Ghanaian newspaper.
To date, more than 540 000 prices have been collected, 2 132 users added, 1 934 news stories submitted and over 200 files uploaded for distribution so far, says Davies.
According to Rob Mathot, sales director for sub-Saharan Africa at Airwide Solutions, Africa has such low penetration of fixed-line communications that mobile phone users are very active. "Mobile telecommunications becomes the only form of contact to the outside world."
Ghana already has over 3.5 million mobile phone subscribers, while there are only 500 000 fixed-line subscribers, Mathot says.
The growth of mobile telephony in Africa makes this medium interesting for agriculturalists in the region, says Davies.
Share
