Transcript Cairns-RML

A transformational business directly and positively impacting
the agri community
The power of RML..
A progressive farmer from Madhya
Pradesh set up a small dairy to
supplement the earnings from the
agriculture. He chose the Jersey breed,
quite unlikely in the area and set up a shed
for 10 cows. The decision was validated
when his monthly net profit went to Rs.
30,000. Reuters Market Light published
this information to their subscribers through
a simple SMS in Hindi:
बहादरु स हिं ठाकुर9981827471 ने 10ज ी
गायो े डेयरी फार्म खोला।दध
ू दे ने की
क्षर्ता16लीटर/ददन।जज े शद्ध
ु र्न
ु ाफा
Rs30,000/र्ाह कर्ाया.
Bahadur Singh was overwhelmed as he
received over 500 calls from farmers in
almost every corner of the state. Bahadur
Singh was exhausted but satisfied for he
had become the role model for hundreds of
farmers.
-Bahadur Singh Thakur
Madhya Pradesh
On publishing of News by RML about the
achievements in Organic farming and Vermicompost
manufacture, a farmer received more than hundred
calls from farmers belonging to different parts of
Karnataka to know in detail about the practices, few
farmers had even visited his farm to know about in
person. He was overwhelmed and happy to know
about his contribution and service to the farming
community
- Shivamma organic farmer from Shimoga
district in Karnataka.
RML SMS informed Maharashtra farmers of one of
the best rose farmers and he received over 700 calls
to know more about the floriculture that fetches Rs.
100,000 per acre. More than 200 farmers paid visit to
his rose farm to get first hand information and
knowledge about the floriculture.
- D. G. Kathe from Nasik district
Consumer Impact
Videos
Journey so far
About RML
Impact Assessment
The Need….
Nearly 60 percent of the
working population
makes its living from
agriculture
By one estimate, a farmer
in India gets only 20-25%
price of their final
produce vis-à-vis 40-50%
in the developed world.
Lack of timely, unbiased,
localized and accurate
information
Avenues to easily
purchase / access this
information in an easy
to use format
High dependency on the
middlemen and a
patchy network of adhoc information
sources
 What price should I expect
for MY crop?
 When should I harvest and
where should I sell MY crop?
 What is the likely weather
condition in MY district?
 How can I boost MY
productivity?
Economic
and
Emotional
pain for
the farmer
 Where do I get insurance,
loan or the subsidy from?
Hence, a need to develop a scalable agri information model that could reach millions of farmers in a cost
effective, self sustainable manner while providing for individual farmer level personalization of
information.
RML’s Journey…
2011 / 2012
• Rapid scale –up
2010
2009
2007 / 2008
2005 / 2006
• The Idea and
Research Phase
• Seed Funding &
Research with
hundreds of farmers
all over India.
• Small scale market
trials funding - A
small scale service is
run in Maharashtra
along with running an
ethnography study
• Launch in
Maharashtra in
October 2007 –
RML was launched
as a business
• RML launched in
Punjab
• Launch of RML Direct
- RML launches an
award-winning first
ever card for Microinformation Services
designed specifically
for the farming
community.
• Partnership with Idea
Cellular
• Partnership with
Biostadt
• Pan India expansion RML expands content
operations in 13 states
of the country.
• Launch of the first
crop specific
product – RML
Potato.
• RML wins six
awards including
The World Business
Development Award
(WBDA) from the
UNDP, ICC and
IBLF.
• RML Impact
validated through
studies conducted
by various
independent
organizations like
World Bank, USAID,
GIZ, LBS
• RML crosses the 1
million unique
registered
consumers mark
Journey so far
About RML
Impact Assessment
About RML
Impact Assessment
Reuters Market Light (RML) is a pioneering, multiaward winning service providing personalized agri
information over mobile phones to agri community
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1 million unique subscribers
estimated 50,000 villages
17 states
600 crop varieties
3,000 weather locations
1,300 markets
Service Highlights
 8 languages
 Local content
 Simple user interface
 On all telecom operators & handsets
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Designed to provide a very easy to use product
experience
Easy to use product experience
1. Purchase Card
2. Scratch Card
3. Call a toll free number
Service Starts
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About RML
Impact Assessment
RML creates, aggregates and disseminates best in
class agri content
Market Prices:
• Several hundred on-ground reporters
• World class data quality processes
Local Weather:
• Partnerships with IMD & private players
• Cross-validation of weather forecasts
Advisory & Intelligence:
• In-house experts at state and national
level
• Partnerships with agri research
institutions and universities
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Fastest and most accurate market
prices
Accurate local weather forecasts
along with weather based advisory
Relevant, actionable and easily
understandable information
Journey so far
About RML
Impact Assessment
About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Farmer testimonials
Crop advisory -“Anilbhai, Badla, Gujarat
I grow Cotton and Castor crop. I like RML
Crop Advisory. My cotton crop was
affected by red spot disease this year. I
got a message from RML to spray
pesticide to control the problem. On
spraying as recommended, my crop
recovered. My crop is better due to
messages received from RML. I have also
benefitted by the prices message that
RML sends”
Price information - Nathuji Singh Gaud;
Khargone .“he was puzzled when cotton
prices were low in mid December & he
didn’t know whether to hold or sell the
crop as the prices were fluctuating.
"Then I started getting news from RML
that the prices will increase. Its what I
was seeking for… he sold 40 quintal of
his crop at profit of Rs 76,000 when
prices were Rs 6,200/Q. I am so happy
with RML news that I extended the
services from one month to three
months’’
Weather based advisory - “I got
message on relative humidity
going up to 70%. As a
precaution, I put a spray of Rs.
500. My friend did not know
this. He lost nearly Rs. 4 lakh of
his crop that day.”
Agri information - “I received the
name and phone number of the
local officer to get the seed
subsidy. I was able to act on the
information immediately.”
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Farmer testimonials (Gujarat)
Raghavji Methabhai, Junagadh, Gujarat
I am doing lemon cultivation since last 17 year
but was not able to get right/good price for my
produce. Since last 1.5 year , I am RML consumer
and got tremendous benefit from the market price.
Earlier I was selling my produce in local market
but after activating RML, I have started getting
prices for other market which helps me to decide
the market and time to sell my produce. i have
got very good profit from getting information
related to my crop and
thankful to RML.
Pravinbhai, Jamnagar, Gujarat
I am using RML service since last 3 year.
During 1st year , I got it from GGRC. I like this
service and recharged 2 times. I got many benefit
from RML. I have asked query for wheat and I got
100% result from that. I get all information of
cotton and sesame. In sesame I got 17 mann per
bigha higher production, which was higher than
previous production. This service is useful
always. I will be continuing in it.
Pravin Singh Chandbha, Surendranagar,
Gujarat
My cotton crop had infested with Mealy bug
and I had got message timely message from
RML to control it. By adopting chemicals
recommended by RML , I could save INR 2
lakh. I am thankful to RML from providing
me timely information.
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Success Stories..
कक ान र्धु ूदन धाकड़ ने ड्रिप ईररगेशन का उपयोग लह ुन की फ ल पर ककया।उत्पादन 30% बढा।पानी
60%कर् लगा।गुणवत्ता बढी 8120617103.
This news generated over 150 calls and 7-8 farmers from Khargone, Dewas and Harda districts traveled
to his farm to know more about Drip Irrigation and how it enhances the production and makes economy
of water. “This visit of farmers to my farm enhanced my reputation in the village. It’s all because of RML,”
said Madhusudan Dhakad.
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According to P. K. Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, District Udham Singh Nagar, he received over 70
calls from the farmers when RML informed its subscribers via SMS that subsidy on paddy thresher
is available. The officer, who had initially consented to publish his telephone number, was taken aback
as the department did not have adequate supply of thresher to meet the farmers demand. He, however,
was excited with the power of RML and agreed to share relevant and important information with RML,
which would positively impact farmers in the state.
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Independent validation of RML impact 5-25% increase in income of RML Subscribers interviewed
-ICRIER study 2009
8% increase in price realization for RML subscribers who
sold directly to traders
-World Bank study 2010
80% farmers changed information sourcing behavior after
using RML
-USAID study 2011
90% of farmers believed they benefited from RML service,
over 80% willing to pay for the same
-GIZ funded study 2011
Marketing
7.6% reduction in price dispersion across markets due to
availability of RML service
-LBS study 2011
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Few other recognitions by institutions of
excellence in India and around the world…
“RML helps farmers get clarity
on the prices their produce
would fetch, when they should
harvest crops and the likely
weather conditions besides
availability of crop insurance.”
“This data suggests that
the RML service can
significantly increase the
availability of price
information for farmers”
“What we are seeing in
RML is the front end of a
learning curve where the
younger and more
progressive farmers are
learning to exploit the
technology,”
“Innovative work of RML in
India is spearheading a
service where farmers receive
information on the price of
crops at markets of their
choice…” RML recognized at
the WEF in Davos - 2010
“RML service was perceived as
providing information that was
better tailored to the subscriber
and was considered easy to
access” – ICRIER study (2010)
on agri information services
Case Studies…
Awarded to RML Card
as Runner-up in the Private
Sector - Agriculture & Allied
Activities
UNDP awards for
achievement of
Millennium
Development Goals
in 2008 and 2010
FT &
JustMeans
Social
Innovation
Award in
2010
Mention in Nandan
Nilekani's book
'Imagining India'
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Prof. C.K.
Prahalad's
path-breaking book
"Fortune at the
Bottom
of the Pyramid"
Accenture Report –
Masters of Rural
India showcases
RML as one of the 3
successful rural
brands alongside
Unilevers and Hero
Honda
And many
more…
For more information, please visit
www.reutersmarketlight.com
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For more information, please visit
www.reutersmarketlight.com
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Independent USAID – ACDI/VOCA
PIKA study – change in information sourcing behavior
Preferred sources of information for farmers
Before Project intervention
After Project intervention
Others
Agri Extension Officer
RML - Mobile service
Agri Extension Officer
TV & Radio
TV & Radio
Agri Retailer
Agri Retailer
Fellow Farmer
Fellow Farmer
0
20
40
60
80
0
100
20
40
60
80
More than 90% farmers showed willingness to continue the services
Hardoi
Unnao
Barabanki
Sitapur
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
% farmers willing to continue services
20
70%
80%
90%
100%
100
About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Independent GIZ study – change in
information sourcing behavior
Preferred sources of information for farmers
Normal Information Source
Information Source During RML Subscription
News
News
Government Schemes
Government Schemes
Weather advisory
Weather advisory
Storage and Post-Harvest
Storage and Post-Harvest
Market Prices
Market Prices
Crop advisory
Crop advisory
Tools
Tools
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Others
Trader
Kiosks
Newspaper
TV
Radio
Mobile SMS
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Almost 90% farmers showed willingness to continue the services
Total
Uttarkashi
Tehri
Nainital
Bageshwar
Almora
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Yes
No
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Maybe
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: NABARD IMRB study – highly satisfied
consumers
Whether would like to continue
Yes - 89%
Satisfaction
No - 11%
Extremely Satisfied
Recommend to other farmers
Somewhat Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Extremely Dissatisfied
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About RML
Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment: Few examples of Farmer Surveys –
actionable and relevant content
Farmer feedback on benefits realized
Farmers use various components of
RML service as per their needs
Content Which Benefited Most
Higher productivity
80%
2%
Direct savings realized
78%
7%
8%
23%
7%
Price benefit accrued
Value Perceived
Satisfaction
53%
80%
100%
100%
Key Insights
 100% farmers are satisfied and they took decisions on the
basis of RML information
 80% farmers fetched higher prices for their produce
 78% percent farmers could save their money
 80% farmers realized incremental productivity
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All Content
Crop Advisory
Market Prices
News
More than one Content
Weather
Key Insights
 Every farmer has been benefitted from RML
from one or more content
 RML Services brought in the behavioral change;
farmers are trying new things and calling up RML
toll free for additional information