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 BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

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.

Ethiopic SMS Boona - Coffee Ethiopic IM Images courtesy: Feedelix,WFP, LYIP, Savory,Oxfam BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

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 BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Project Objectives

The Ras Dashen Model [Highest point in Ethiopia] is (this == ‘Model’ || this == ‘Metaphor’) Goal 4 Build database of commodity price information – mobile Towards Ambiqo 4000 m Ras Dashen – 4620 m 5 Goal 5 Demonstrate Impact on Commodities Market.

Goal 1 Introduction of SMS & IM in local script (Ethiopic) 1 Gondar – 2200 m Cheneq 3600 m Goal 3 Recruit, train and deploy team in coffee/teff/berbere regions.

Sanka-Ber 3240 m Goal 2 Build infrastructure for commodity price system (hardware – servers; software – client).

Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory. WWGT BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Technical Basis

– Enabling Technology Feedelix Core Technology: Mapping & Rendering Technology for Non Latin Scripts – Mobile Phones BREAK the SCRIPT BARRIER Make Mobile Content Available on Any Device – Any Platform – Anytime.

345 char Mapped to 12 keys Existing Solution: Hindi, Ethiopic, Chinese (Q4-07), Arabic (Q1-08), More Indic (08).

1-

Any device Arabic Script + variants (Persian, Urdu, etc) Chinese Script (Pin-Yin) Ethiopic Script Indic Scripts (Hindi, Marathi, Gujaratti, etc) New SMS traffic trans. protocol Feedelix Server

2 -

Anytime BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Unique Application – Commodity Prices

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] Images courtesy: Feedelix, WHO BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

What We Propose………..

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

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? 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 BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

What We Have Done……….. Infrastructure Work

Dejen 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 Alaba Mareqo Dilla 5 locations Coffee – Jimma, Dilla, AA. Teff – Dejen, Berbere – Mareqo, Alaba. US Team ET Team Images courtesy: FeedeliX.

BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Workflow of Coffee Commoditization – Model 1 – Free Trade Collectors Wholesaler

Farmer

Value Added: Coffee sorting & washing Sent to Addis Export Auction Premium quality Ranking of coffee. Grade 1, 2, 3, etc.

Supermarket in local market.

Sold in local market.

Failed quality Images courtesy: WFP, Oxfam.

BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Workflow of Coffee Commoditization – Model 2 – Cooperatives

Farmer

Cooperatives Value Added: Coffee processing & transport to Addis Sold to Fair - Trade Unions Sold in local market.

Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory.

BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Workflow of Teff Commoditization

Small-scale Farmers

Farmer Traders - (Aggregators) – Buy grain from small farmers at local markets. Twice/week. Stored till shipping to Addis. Sent to Addis Sell Points – Ihil Berenda/Mesalemiya - Merkato Area Images courtesy: Projects Abroad, MediaETHIOPIA Ranking of Teff Grades: 1 st - Magna, 2 nd – Sergegna 3 rd – Abolle 4 th – Qey/Tiqur BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Workflow of Berbere Commoditization

Small-scale Farmers

Traders - Buy grain from small farmers at local markets. Thrice/week. Sold by Feresula = 17 Kg (Addis, Mareqo) = 20 Kg (Alaba) Sent to Addis Sell Points –Berbere Tera Merkato Area Images courtesy: Projects Abroad, MediaETHIOPIA Ranking of Berbere Grades: 1 st -Zala, 2 nd – Foshe 3 rd – Tala BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Technology Deployment – How Does BoonaNet Work?

Daily price manifesto posted to farmers/traders Coffee Farmer Jimma Feedelix data collectors in Addis SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time FeedelMessenger Feedelix Server (virtual Addis Ababa) FeedelSMS Dilla Amharic SMS/IM from desktop Coffee Farmer SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Dilla – Real time Images courtesy: IAS BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

J1 J2 J3 Technology Deployment – How Does ExtendedBoonaNet Work?

Daily price manifesto posted to farmers/traders Coffee Farmer Jimma Feedelix data collectors in Addis SMS/IM price in US/Europe to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time D1 D2 D3 Dilla FeedelMessenger Amharic SMS/IM from desktop Ad1 SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Jimma – Real Time US1 Ad2 Feedelix Server (virtual Addis Ababa) FeedelSMS Feedelix Server (US) Team in US Ad3 Ad4 US2 SMS/IM price in Addis to Farmer in Dilla – Real time SMS/IM price in US/Europe to Farmer in Dilla – Real Time BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Analysis of Data – Coffee

Days Price – Birr/Kg Price/Kilogram in Birr August 6-20, 07 6-10% diff. Between AA & Jimma.

Days Images courtesy: Feedelix BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

550 500

Analysis of Data – Teff

BoonaNet - Magna Teff (Grade 1) Price in Nehase/August 550 500 BoonaNet - Sergegna Teff (Grade 2) Price in Nehase/August < 5% price diff bet AA & Dejen

Addis Ababa Jimma Dilla Dejen

450 450 400 350 1 20% price diff bet AA & Dejen 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Addis Ababa Jimma Dilla Dejen

9 10 11 12 13 14 400 350 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 BoonaNet - Qey Teff (Grade 3) Price in Nehase/August 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200

Addis Ababa Jimma Dilla Dejen

15-33% price diff bet AA & Dejen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 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? Images courtesy: Feedelix BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Analysis of Data – Berbere

Price/Kilogram in Birr.

August 6-20, 07 BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

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 BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

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.

BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Project Assessment

Goal 4 Build database of commodity price information – mobile Ras Dashen – 4620 m 5 Towards Ambiqo 4000 m Goal 5 Demonstrate Impact on Commodities Market.

Goal 1 Introduction of SMS & IM in local script (Ethiopic) 1 Gondar – 2200 m Cheneq 3600 m Goal 3 Recruit, train and deploy team in coffee/teff/berbere regions.

Sanka-Ber 3240 m Goal 2 Build infrastructure for commodity price system (hardware – servers; software – client). Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory. WWGT BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

Future Plans

Our Immediate Plan Calls for: a) b) c) Completion and automation for repeat at coffee harvest time. Extended infrastructure needed.

ETCropNet – From Pilot project to brick-and mortar presence in Ethiopia. BharatCropNet – New Markets (such as India) – Pilot project – Q4 08.

BhahratiFasalNet

Actively pursuing external fund to finance these projects.

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

Images courtesy:Feedelix BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless

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