i-Network Presentation

ICT4RD: 7th Annual SANGONet
Conference
November 01 – 03, 2011
Wanderers Club
Johannesburg
South Africa

 The I-Network Uganda is an ICT4D knowledge
sharing and expertise organisation

 The I-Network has been in existence since 2002
with the support of The International Institute for
Communication Development (IICD) -
Netherlands

 More resources are shared on http://www.i-
network.or.ug , Newsletters and publications

Presented by: Richard Okuti

 I-Network has organised several thematic, topical
and learning seminars in the years

 The team has also worked with government at
policy level (National Planning, Regulation) & local
government level as well as various Development
Partners

 I-Network has largely encouraged the development of
other projects like the ICT Consumer Association among
others

E-Administration
 Capacity building of local governments in use of
desk top computers
 Optimising resources through network use

E-Society
 Capacity building in the use of ICT for
documentation, communication and transparency
 Creating opportunities for CSO’s, LG’s and Private
sector to collaborate in service delivery

RIS – Rural Information Systems in collaboration
with Uganda Commodity Exchange
 Capacity building of farmer groups in access to
and use of ICT

CME – Continuous Medical Education in
Collaboration with Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau
 Capacity building in the use of ICT for
documentation of learning materials
 Digitizing learning materials

Objectives;
 To improve understanding of the commodity
value chain
 Improve understanding of the importance of
market intelligence
 Increase commitment among beneficiaries to
generate accurate production information
 Provide other cooperatives with a learning
toolbox


Target;
 12 cooperatives with 8000 farmers around Uganda
as a pilot
 Local Government & community leadership

 CBO’s and NGO’s

Expectations;
 Improved access and use of market intelligence

 Informed decision making

 Increased participation in production planning &
production management, bulking and marketing
 Higher revenue and value addition


The Process, experiences
and lessons
of RUMI


Review of
High Level
Farmer Establishing a
Groups baseline
(HLFG’s)
Selection of
Awareness
sample
creation
farmers

Development
of Business Information
Plan collection &
Usage

Training Participatory
feedback


Activity & A due diligence was done to understand the nature,
Findings skills and knowledge of the HLFG’s leaders

 The groups were smaller than anticipated
 There was a high population in some areas

Lessons The review formed a good basis for further
preparation of the I-Network team

What emerged Leaders and sample farmers had to be involved were
selected for the pilot. A third group was included

Actions & Farmers were encouraged to select an enterprise as
Recommendations a team to be able to produce large quantities

Activity & Due to limited resources only three HLFG’s groups
Findings were selected for the pilot project further more with
in the groups were sample farmers
 Noted different locations faced
 Land fragmentation was a common practice

Lessons Land fragmentation created a productivity challenge
making it low and expensive

What emerged Language barriers were identified

Actions & Land hire was considered as an option in addition to
Recommendations joint enterprise selection and lead farmers for
translation

Activity & Assessment of availability, validity & usage of
Findings market information
 Farmers were aware of market information
 Use was limited due to access challenges
 Information more importantly was not specific
 Sometime late information

Lessons Specific information needs were poorly addressed

What emerged Weather had become a very serious information
concern, many were ignorant about irrigation
Actions & Farmers needed to learn to process more specific
Recommendations information and increase linkages with research
organizations and service providers

Activity & Awareness was created specifically in understanding
Findings how to apply information on especially in market &
intelligence aspect, the changing dynamics of
producing for the market

Lessons  Most knowledge sharing was exploitative and was
mainly shared by shrewd business people
 Farmers were more keen on handouts and not
knowledge

What emerged Practical demonstration of using market intelligence
became a key motivator for change
Actions & Attitude change & handholding was to be
Recommendations introduced

Activity & The groups working with I-Network developed plans
Findings  The groups didn’t have plans
 Groups were created for marketing and sales

Lessons  Planning was not popularly used
 Most farmers depended on nature

What emerged Another training item was to be included on the
agenda
Actions & Groups were advised & coached to research, plan,
Recommendations keep records, project production & market
appropriately


Activity & The training topics were jointly agreed
Findings
The training included;
 The farmers were trained to identify sources of
information and how to access it
 Repackaging & translation for members
 Accessing production data
 Business planning (Each group made a plan)
 Work plans, roles & responsibilities

Findings
 Knowledge in written format was not going to be
shared easily
 Many members had not studied business concepts


Lessons  Creativity was key in sharing knowledge such as
use of illustrations, translations and scenario’s

What emerged A need to create linkages with entire value chain
actors became apparent

Actions & Leaders and farmers were guided through the
Recommendations actions agreed including information collection &
dissemination, record keeping and marketing


Activity & Farmer groups moved to include information
Findings collection and use in their plans
 Interest was however low due to poor appreciation
of information at the moment

Lessons  Motivation to change was limited
 Linkages were to practically be arranged

What emerged Farmers needed more support in actualizing
linkages
Actions & A new part of the plan that was not originally
Recommendations included was activated


Group 1 I-Network worked with the group to develop a
funding proposal, it was to be used to lobby for
funding in the local banks

Group 2  Motivation to change was limited
 Linkages were to practically be arranged

What emerged Farmers needed more support in actualizing
linkages
Recommendations A new part of the plan that was not originally
included was activated


Activity & A workshop convened to discuss the project &
Findings documentation for other potential beneficiaries
 The approach was appreciated
 The process of change would take time

Lessons  Change is slow and painful
 The cost of access to information was quite
significant (fees, infrastructure, power etc)

What emerged A need for a bureau of continuous support

Recommendations Integrated extension services including all stake
holders may be key


Process This process should be guided by skilled &
knowledgeable persons

It involves mapping the farmers value chain and
working out a matrix of connections

Learning meetings For continuity the process must be integrated in the
day to day activities of the HLFG. Learning should be
continuous

 Experience sharing
 Handling of emerging issues
 Taking actions


To implement such an intervention one has to take into consideration
some underlying principles;

 Leadership & Governance
 Access to and use of market intelligence information
 Vision & focus in the group
 Knowledge sharing for decision making
 Appreciation of business principles
 Good infrastructure
 Access to technical services
 Access to finance


Implementing this intervention these were key learnings;

 Land fragmentation can be overcome by joint enterprise selection
 Re-packaging and translation of information is key
 Water source alternatives like irrigation must be explored
 Processing of region/location specific information is important
 Attitude towards farming must change
 A renewed approach to technical extension services
 Coaching and continuous business guidance
 Linkages contacts, terms of association/relation and roles key


Questions?


Thank you
okuti@i-network.or.ug
P. 0. Box 35112
Kampala Uganda
Mobiles: +256772725252
+256792725252


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