Improving Agricultural Market Performance:
Developing Agricultural Market Information Systems
21
With the proliferation of accessible communication technologies and related infrastructure and
online platforms, methods for collecting data digitally have expanded considerably. Digital tools
have the potential to considerably reduce the work and lead times involved in collecting,
transferring and aggregating MIS data. In these cases, enumerators can conduct surveys using
pre-programmed questionnaires on smartphone applications (APPs) that populate data directly
to a shared database. In contexts where smartphones aren’t appropriate (due to cost, limited
connectivity, or lacking skills) short message services (SMS), interactive voice response (IVR) or
unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) can be used to create similar data collection
platforms. The proliferation of these technologies among agricultural stakeholders are also
opening up the potential to crowdsource market information. Crowdsourcing would involve
polling large numbers of respondents (farmers, traders, processors) via APPs, IVR, SMS on the
prices they have paid/received on agricultural commodities and aggregating these over location
and time.
Data collection is an iterative process involving the entire information chain of supply, thus
adaptations will need to take place in order for the MIS to be responsive and relevant. For
example, adjusting what commodities are covered, location and types of information which
clients might need/prefer (CTA, 2015). It is also suggested that an overall marketing strategy
which involves e.g. defining the product, researching the market/competitors and creating a
budget and brand are important and often overlooked (FAO, 2017).
2.5.2 DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS Reducing errors at the data processing stage is essential in providing accurate information to
clients. Timely transmission is also imperative thus a systemwhich effectively screens incoming
data is suggested. Training enumerators in how to spot mistakes will, of course, reduce errors
but appropriate software can also reduce this. For example, there are programmes that are able
to spot unrealistic prices Software programmes can be programmed to identify elements such
as unrealistic prices; fabrication or typographical errors (CTA, 2015). Data that is disseminated
to end users as quickly as possible can also be used for the preparation of monthly, quarterly or
annual reports that present time series and also provide analysis. The CTA (ibid) suggests it is
important then to provide not only the information but interpretation/analysis which is
meaningful for the user. This may be through comparing prices of commodities, highlighting
trends etc.
2.5.3 INFORMATION PACKAGING AND DISSEMINATION The main challenge associated with dissemination is the ability of the intended audience to
access the information affectively (FAO, 2017). Table 1 highlights that there are a number of
methods used to disseminate information to users including traditional approaches such as
through notice boards bulletins and radio. Other methods more commonly used by 2GMIS
systems include internet (many MIS have their own portal or website) and the use of
SMS/smartphones. Depending on the location, the purpose of the MIS/intended user different
modes of dissemination are likely to be needed.Recent advancements in mobile phone technology have seen the explosion of ‘push’ and ‘pull’
systems. A pull systems work through a method of user engagement whereby the user sends a
query by SMS and then provided with a response (e.g. related to a price in a certain location). In