boonanet by feedelix wireless boonanet sms & im mediated price information for crops in ethiopia...

BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

BoonaNET SMS & IM Mediated Price Information for Crops in

Ethiopia

Samuel Kinde Kassegne+, Ashenafi Assefa++ and Mieso Denko+++

+ Professor of Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

++ Project Coordinator, FeedeliX Wireless, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

+++ Professor of Computer Science, University of Guelph, Canada.

August 22, 2007, WITFOR 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia


What the project is all about ………….

BoonaNet – the use of SMS (text messaging) and IM (instant messaging) technologies in LOCAL SCRIPT (Ethiopic) for commodity market information collection and retrieval. Commodities considered: Coffee, Teff, and Berbere – Red Pepper/Paprika.

Images courtesy: Feedelix,WFP, LYIP, Savory,Oxfam

Ethiopic SMS

Ethiopic IM

Boona - Coffee


What we will cover in this talk ………….

1. Project Objectives

2. Enabling Technology

3. Unique Application – Localized SMS/IM for pricing info.

4. What We Propose

5. What We Have Done

6. Commoditization Models for COFFEE, TEFF, and BERBERE

7. Deployment of Technology – BoonaNET and Extended BoonaNET

8. Analysis of Data (Coffee, Teff, and Berbere)

9. Pilot Project Evaluation

10.Future Plans

11.Acknowledgments

Images courtesy: Feedelix,WFP, AFOZ


Goal 1 - Introduction of SMS

& IM in local script (Ethiopic)

Gondar – 2200 m

Sanka-Ber - 3240 m

Cheneq - 3600 m

Towards Ambiqo- 4000 m

Ras Dashen – 4620 m

Goal 2 - Build infrastructure for commodity price system (hardware – servers; software – client).

Goal 3 - Recruit, train and deploy team in coffee/teff/berbere regions.

Goal 4 - Build database of commodity price information – mobile

Goal 5 - Demonstrate Impact on Commodities Market.

Project Objectives

The Ras Dashen Model

[Highest point in Ethiopia]

Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory. WWGT1

5

is (this == ‘Model’ || this == ‘Metaphor’)


Technical Basis – Enabling Technology

Mapped to 12 keys345 char

New SMS traffic trans. protocol

Feedelix Server

1- Any device

2 - Anytime

Feedelix Core Technology:

BREAK the SCRIPT BARRIER - Make Mobile Content Available on Any Device – Any Platform – Anytime.

Existing Solution: Hindi, Ethiopic, Chinese (Q4-07), Arabic (Q1-08), More Indic (08).

Indic Scripts (Hindi, Marathi, Gujaratti, etc)

ChineseScript (Pin-Yin)

Ethiopic Script

Arabic Script + variants (Persian, Urdu, etc)

Mapping & Rendering Technology for Non-Latin Scripts – Mobile Phones


BROAD QUESTION: Can our technology be used to impact ordinary lives in developing countries now that mobile devices are ubiquitous?

FACTS ON THE GROUND

1.Farmers are getting paid a fraction of the value of their crops and continue to live in perpetual poverty [85% of Ethiopia]

2.Current commodity price information is based on radio and print media (Once in 2 weeks for coffee). No technology for real-time information is available. Need technology with Local Script (writing systems) support.

3.Successful model in the use of SMS (Roman/Latin script) for market information demonstrated in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, etc. [Kace Kenya]

Unique Application – Commodity Prices

Images courtesy: Feedelix, WHO


Provide market and price content using technology: Mobile as well as desktop. Languages/Script: Amharic, Tigrigna, and Afaan Oromo.

What We Propose………..

Merits:

1. Higher/Competitive prices for goods

2. Bargaining power for farmers

Broader Impact:

1. Empower networking effect

2. Make the Ethiopian farmer compete at previously out-of-reach levels – say regional & global markets.

3. Poverty Alleviation

Commodities considered: teff (Gojam, Bishoftu, etc), berbere, coffee (Jimma/Kaffa and Sidamo)

SPECIFIC QUESTION: What are the technology and infrastructure conditions unique to Ethiopia and other dev. countries such as India?


What We Have Done……….. Infrastructure Work

Logistics:

1. Fine-tune SMS/IM technology to Ethiopian conditions.

2. Selection of Commodity/Locations

3. Team Selection – Early technology adopters

4. Training and Deployment

Jimma/Kaffa

Dilla

Dejen

Images courtesy: FeedeliX.

Alaba

Mareqo

5 locations

Coffee – Jimma, Dilla, AA. Teff – Dejen, Berbere – Mareqo, Alaba.

ET TeamUS Team


Farmer

Workflow of Coffee Commoditization – Model 1 – Free Trade

Collectors Wholesaler

Value Added: Coffee sorting & washing

Sent to Addis

Ranking of coffee. Grade 1, 2, 3, etc.

AuctionPremium quality

Failed qualitySold in local market.

Export

Supermarket in local market.

Images courtesy: WFP, Oxfam.


Farmer

Workflow of Coffee Commoditization – Model 2 – Cooperatives

Cooperatives

Value Added: Coffee processing & transport to Addis

Unions

Sold in local market.

Sold to Fair - Trade

Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory.


Small-scale Farmers

Workflow of Teff Commoditization

Farmer Traders - (Aggregators) – Buy grain from small farmers at local markets. Twice/week. Stored till shipping to Addis.

Sent to Addis

Ranking of Teff Grades:

1st - Magna,

2nd – Sergegna

3rd – Abolle

4th – Qey/Tiqur

Sell Points – Ihil Berenda/Mesalemiya - Merkato Area

Images courtesy: Projects Abroad, MediaETHIOPIA


Small-scale Farmers

Workflow of Berbere Commoditization

Sent to Addis

Ranking of Berbere Grades:

1st -Zala,

2nd – Foshe

3rd – Tala

Sell Points –Berbere Tera- Merkato Area

Images courtesy: Projects Abroad, MediaETHIOPIA

Traders - Buy grain from small farmers at local markets. Thrice/week.

Sold by Feresula

= 17 Kg (Addis, Mareqo)

= 20 Kg (Alaba)


Technology Deployment – How Does BoonaNet Work?

Jimma

Dilla

FeedelMessenger

Feedelix Server (virtual Addis Ababa)

Amharic SMS/IM from desktop

Coffee Farmer

SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time

SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Dilla – Real time

Coffee Farmer

Feedelix data collectors in Addis

Images courtesy: IAS

FeedelSMS

Daily price manifesto posted to farmers/traders


JimmaJ1

J2

J3

FeedelMessenger

Amharic SMS/IM from desktop

SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time

SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Dilla – Real time

Feedelix Server (US)

Team in US

Coffee Farmer

SMS/IM price in US/Europe to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time

SMS/IM price in US/Europe to Farmer in Dilla – Real Time

Ad1

Ad2

Ad3

Ad4

Feedelix data collectors in Addis

US2

US1

DillaD1

D2

D3

Feedelix Server (virtual Addis Ababa)

FeedelSMS

Technology Deployment – How Does ExtendedBoonaNet Work?

Daily price manifesto posted to farmers/traders


Analysis of Data – Coffee

Images courtesy: Feedelix

Price/Kilogram in Birr

August 6-20, 07

Days

Days

Price – Birr/Kg

6-10% diff. Between AA & Jimma.


Analysis of Data – Teff

Images courtesy: Feedelix

Price/Quintal in Birr (100Kg)

August 6-20, 07

Does the onset of the Orthodox Christian Fasting season (16 days) on August 7/8 affect Teff prices?

BoonaNet - Magna Teff (Grade 1) Price in Nehase/August

350

400

450

500

550

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Addis AbabaJimmaDillaDejen20% price diff bet AA & Dejen

BoonaNet - Sergegna Teff (Grade 2) Price in Nehase/August

350

400

450

500

550

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Addis AbabaJimmaDillaDejen

< 5% price diff bet AA & Dejen

BoonaNet - Qey Teff (Grade 3) Price in Nehase/August

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Addis AbabaJimmaDillaDejen

15-33% price diff bet AA & Dejen


Analysis of Data – Berbere

Price/Kilogram in Birr.

August 6-20, 07


Pilot Project Assessment / Evaluation

I. Technical Challenges

1. Internet Connectivity/Reliability

1. Lost productivity time. App (FeedelMessenger) too big for bandwidth to install through web download. Thumb-drives and Hawala!

2. Data interruption on 20% of time. Worst last week.

3. Cost over-run for idle personnel during downtime. No bandwidth for debugging software problems.

4. Debugging of web-application easier (& perhaps cheaper?) in US.

5. National competitiveness in attracting business opportunities seriously affected. Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana benefiting. Why not Ethiopia?

6. Opportunities for our bright young men and women to be integrated to the global knowledge force seriously hampered.

7. New Millennium - new thinking – Allow competition in ISP.

2. Nation-wide SMS Gateway Availability

1. Work-arounds are possible; but affects scalability.

2. Will perhaps change in due time


Pilot Project Assessment / Evaluation

II. Data Validity

1. Duration of data collection – 2 weeks.

2. Classification of commodity not uniform. Dejen’s Magna teff can be sold as Sergegna in Addis, etc.

3. Collection/Harvest time for crops (October for coffee, December-January for Teff).

III. Commodity-Specific Issues

I. Coffee has a unique commoditization model.


Goal 1 - Introduction of SMS & IM in local script

(Ethiopic)

Gondar – 2200 m

Sanka-Ber - 3240 m

Cheneq - 3600 m

Towards Ambiqo- 4000 m

Ras Dashen – 4620 m

Goal 2 - Build infrastructure for commodity price system (hardware – servers; software – client).

Goal 3 - Recruit, train and deploy team in coffee/teff/berbere regions.

Goal 4 - Build database of commodity price information – mobile

Goal 5 - Demonstrate Impact on Commodities Market.

Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory. WWGT1

5

Project Assessment


Our Immediate Plan Calls for:

a) Completion and automation for repeat at coffee harvest time. Extended infrastructure needed.

b) ETCropNet – From Pilot project to brick-and-mortar presence in Ethiopia.

c) BharatCropNet – New Markets (such as India) – Pilot project – Q4 08.

Actively pursuing external fund to finance these

projects.

Future Plans

Deliverable: Pilot Project that launches a network effect to empower Ethiopian peasants

BhahratiFasalNet

Images courtesy:Feedelix


Thanks………….

Shiferaw Abebe – Addis Ababa (Former Graduate student)

Ted Kidane (Feedelix Wireless - USA)

Feedelix Team Members:

1. Ashenafi Assefa – Addis Ababa

2. Selamu Assefa – Addis Ababa

3. Hayat Regassa – Alaba

4. Jilalu – Butajira – Mareqo

5. Achenf Tamagn – Dejen, Gojam

6. Dereje Tafesse – Jimma/Kaffa

7. Shemsedin Nur – Dilla, Sidamo

8. Shantanu Chawla – San Diego, CA, USA

9. Samuel Kinde Kassegne – San Diego, CA, USA

Questions ??

boonanet by feedelix wireless boonanet sms & im mediated price information for crops in ethiopia...

Documents

feedelix wireless goal

feedelix core technology

ethiopia slide

extended boonanet

coffee jimmakaffa

smsim technology

ethiopia images courtesy

protocol feedelix server