Solution to Support Marketing Activities for Agricultural Extension Officers and Farmers
（Examples of Expected Solutions）
A solution to allow agricultural workers (agricultural extension officers, farmers), using their own tablet computers and mobile phones, to obtain and accumulate market information, and share it with other agricultural workers who need it
MA (marketing automation) and CRM (customer relationship management) tools for agricultural workers to use in their marketing activities
A solution to generate data from market information that farmers are currently keeping in a paper form
BACKGROUND
In Tanzania, JICA is undertaking the Project for Strengthening DADP Planning and Implementation Capacity through Use of SHEP Approach (TANSHEP; discussed below), with an aim to help increase the income of horticultural farmers by changing the mindset of fruit and vegetable farmers, from “grow and sell” to “grow to sell,” and improving their skills in agricultural management and farming.
With the SHEP approach, it has been demonstrated that encouraging farmers to collect and share information in an active and assertive manner is an effective way of helping the farmers take the initiative in keeping themselves motivated. However, a challenge is that only a few farmers have had an experience of conducting market research. If they would be able to share the results of their market research, actual sales results, and other information within their farmers' group or with other farmers' groups in the neighboring areas, it may create advantages, helping them recognize market opportunities in their neighboring regions and selling their crops as a group.
The team is particularly seeking for approaches that will help local agricultural workers who have familiarized themselves with the after-mentioned Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach to gather and accumulate information (varieties of crops and their quantities, quality, etc. that are in demand) as it is acquired through market research, and share it within/between farmers' groups. Thus, the solution should be intended to promote a change in the farming mindset to “grow to sell,” and increasing income levels for agricultural workers.
If the technology is established following the verification testing, it may potentially be applied to other agricultural support SHEP approach-related projects that JICA is undertaking in other countries.
What is Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Approach?
Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment & Promotion (SHEP) Approach have developed in Kenya through technical cooperation project by JICA which started from 2006 and succeeded in increasing farmers' income. SHEP is an approach which realizes "Market-Oriented Agriculture" and converts farmers mind from "grow and sell" to "grow to sell". In Kenya, with this approach, the project achieved doubling income of 2,500 smallholders only within 2 years (2007-2009).
JICA has set the wide implementation of the SHEP Approach to countries throughout Africa as one of the pillars of Agricultural cooperation in Africa. In this page you will see how SHEP has been expanding.
For further details：https://www.jica.go.jp/activities/issues/agricul/approach/shep/index.html
Source：https://www.jica.go.jp/activities/issues/agricul/approach/shep/index.html
WHY PARTICIPATE?
- JICA will provide PoC opportunity (Users are expected to be agricultural extension officers and farmer groupsb) JICA will provide Proof of Concept (PoC) opportunity by providing the PoC fund of up to 3~5 million yen
- If the PoC is successful, there are possibilities for technologies/services to be introduced in JICA projects
- JICA will support the PoC by introducing the government agencies and public institutions in the country
POINTS TO CONSIDER
- 4G network is available, especially in the metropolitan areas; however, connectivity is poor in a number of areas, and it is desirable that a proposed solution should be applicable in such areas
- There are several preexisting market information services by private companies in Africa. The solution that this RFP calls for is as listed below:
| Service | Information | Method of collecting information | Method of delivering information | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic market information service | Market price per market, buyer or middlemen information and others | Agents visit markets and collect information | Uses messages using USSD and SMS | - Users with mobile phones can access (however, users must deliberately access the information) - Price information are limited to large market’s wholesales price. - Information is not frequently updated due to agent’s limited mobility |
| Current SHEP approach | - Market research: collects information on contacts, market location, market price from wholesalers, middlemen and others. - Actual selling price |
- Farmer conducts market research and input data in a paper format - Actual selling price is researched through agricultural extension officers to farmers. - The results of above research in inputted into excel sheet and analyzed by local government officers. |
A delegate from a famers group shares information of the market research paper form to other members If necessary, local government introduces buyers to farmers based on the excel data form (There are currently no communication methods to share information between farmers groups. ) |
- Effective method for farmers’ active engagements - Small markets are also included in the market research. Actual selling price is also recorded. - However, information exchange is limited to the members of the belonging farmers group - Information exchange and input is done manually - Market research is required to be done frequently. |
| Solutions welcomed for this RFP | 【Same as current SHEP approach】 | Ideas are welcomed (Devices that farmers and agricultural extension officers have are mentioned in the PoC section) |
Ideas are welcomed (Devices that farmers and agricultural extension officers have are mentioned in the PoC section) |
This RFP calls for a collaborative feature of a basic market information service and current SHEP approach. |
- Provides incentives for users to collect and share information
- Matches a user with wholesalers/brokers
- Provides recommendations for users on wholesalers/brokers
- Supports different units of sales
- Allows wholesalers/brokers to enter information on the crops they wish to purchase, quantity they require, conditions of purchase, etc.
- UI/UX that is intuitive to operate even for users without information technology knowledge
- PoC Period：Approximately 3 months within Feburary to June 2021
- PoC will be conducted remotely in case of travel constraints due to COVID-19
- Location of PoC: To be selected from among the 12 Priority Districts within 25 districts in 3 regions (Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Tanga) that “Project for Strengthening DADP Plannning and Implementation Capacity Through Use of SHEP (TANSHEP)” operates.
- Verification users: Prospective users include agricultural extension officers and farmers' groups in the target areas
Agricultural extension officers
- What they do: To provide agricultural management and technical guidance to producers
- Devices used: While some agricultural extension officers own smartphones, ownership is low district-wide. Likewise, district-wide levels of internet connectivity and personal computer and other equipment availability are bare minimum, with many still using outmoded desktop PCs.
- Purchase of tablet computers is planned within the framework of TANSHEP, and five will be leased to districts, of which three will be for agricultural extension officers. As the project covers 12 districts, a total of 36 agricultural extension officers will have tablets. The operation system for the tablets will be Android; their HDD capacity is small (32 GB) as the capacity will be concentrated according to the guidelines on the SHEP approach (6 GB in total), but proposals that make effective use of tablet computers will be welcome. Because users are charged for mobile data usage, a proposed solution should be designed to offer a wifi-only mode, etc.
- Support provided to: Approx. 1,080 farmers (3 farmers' groups, each consisting of 30 farmers, per 12 Priority Districts)
- Devices used: While some farmers own smartphones, many use feature phones
- English will be needed for communication with local counterparts
- Languages of use: Swahili and English; Swahili is required especially if agricultural workers themselves are to use the proposed solution
- Project：Technical cooperation project
- Area：Agricultural development/ rural development
- Period：January 2019〜December 2023
- For further details：https://www.jica.go.jp/oda/project/1700376/index.html
- Overview：
In Tanzania, agriculture represents an important sector that involves around 70% of its population and makes up for approximately 25% of its GDP. While some 80% of the population in the rural areas relies on agriculture for livelihood, it is low in productivity and profitability, and a shift to higher value-added agriculture is required to improve their levels of living and close a gap with the urban areas. The SHEP project is aimed at increasing agricultural income in the target areas through the establishment of the SHEP approach in Tanzania (TANSHEP), among others. - Potential of the proposal as a solution to the given challenges
- Feasibility of the proposed solution
- Competitive advantage of the proposed solution
- Validity of the PoC plan
- Any relevant experiences of proposer
- The secretariat and JICA will not disclose any evaluation details or results related to the selection.
- The ownership of the materials and equipment procured by the proposer with the budget allocated by JICA shall belong to JICA, and in principle, JICA will transfer the materials and equipment to the government agencies of the project implementing country after the completion of the verification testing.
- The intellectual property rights of the prototypes produced by the proposer and other organizations related to the verification testing shall belong to the proposer even after the termination of the business consignment contract. However the proposer grants the license to JICA and the government agency of the project implementing country. (separately confirmed in writing by the proposer and JICA).
- The intellectual property rights of the report prepared by the proposer, which is the product of the business consignment contract, shall be transferred to JICA.
- In principle, JICA will disclose the submitted report to the public. If the report contains confidential contents for the proposer, the contents will be kept private. The contents of non-disclosure will be decided after discussion among the proposer, JICA, and the secretariat.
- The verification testing may suspended or canceled due to local conditions or the spread of COVID-19 infection.
PoC
FOR REFERENCE: PROJECT FOR STRENGTHENING DADP PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY THROUGH USE OF SHEP APPROACH (TANSHEP)
Farmer group developing a plan for market research (Moshi)
TANSHEP workshop for farmers and agricultural extension officers (Meru)
Market research for wholesalers (Market in Arusha prefecture)
Baseline research by Farmer groups (Karatu prefecture)
Map of Project Operating Areas
Source：https://www.jica.go.jp/oda/project/1700376/index.html
SCHEDULE
November 4th ～
December 7th 2020
Apply from entry form
Early December 2020-Late January 2021 Proposers will be notified of the results by December 18th Proposers will have a meeting※1 with JICA in mid-January 2021 Final presentation※2 will be conducted in late mid-January 2021
PoC will be implemented for about 3 months between February and June 2021
June ~July 2021
※1 An online meeting (less than an hour) will be set up with ZOOM or other tools.
※2 Selected proposers will be asked to brush up the PoC plan in consultation with JICA and make an online presentation about your company, the details of your solution, the PoC plan, etc.
ENTRY
Click on the "Apply" button, go to the entry form and fill in the required information.
The evaluation criteria for proposals will be as follows. Please note that we will not disclose any evaluation results.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below. The secretariat will reply to your inquiry.
The secretariat for Africa Open Innovation Challenge powered by JICA
E-mail: jpopeninnovation-jica@tohmatsu.co.jp
NOTE
Contract for PoC
This verification testing will be conducted based on the business consignment contract, and the proposer will be required to submit the report specified in the contract as a product of the business consignment contract.
The management of this process is carried out in the Africa Open Innovation Challenge powered by JICA Management Secretariat (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretariat"). The secretariat is operated by a joint venture of Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd., which is entrusted by JICA. Thus the proposer will make a business consignment contract for the implementation of the verification testing not with JICA but with the secretariat (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu).