Whilst feeding my lightie early this morning in front of the TV, I was fortunate enough to catch the tail end of a story that showed how technology can be truly empowering. Unfortunately I was unable to find the article on the BBC World News site, but I will do my best to paraphrase…
The insert explained how Kenyan farmers are struggling to make ends meet because they rely on “produce brokers” to sell their products at produce markets. These produce brokers buy produce at the farm gate, for a pittance, and resell it at the city markets for a massive profit.
The farmers are left scraping through on miniscule profits, unable to capitalise on fertile lands and successful crops due to transport constraints and the subsequent dependance on brokers.
Enter the cellphone. A few farmers clubbed together to purchase a cell phone and some air time, and are now keeping brokers in check because they are able to source pricing direct from city markets. In fact, I may be lying, but I think the insert stated that their profits are up 40%, which results in better productivity, more crops, and the rest is history.
Word is spreading fast, and the farming community is being empowered.
Check out this article for more on technology in Africa…
When technology really empowers
Mike, I used to work for a large cellular network and I remember the CEO once telling us that what drives him is the fact that every day he see a new sign that says “painter, tiler, gardener, David – 082 340 789” and he tells himself that with our technology, we’re empowering people who previously had had no access to it.
Having said that, I suspect that even a 40% saving will not help our poor african farmers. The USA and EU are so scared of losing their means of agricultural production that they subsidise their farmers to the tune of $60billion a year. This makes sure that no african farmer can ever compete. The market forces in which we trust so deeply are being manipulated. As a matter of interest, the west spends more money on agricultural subsidies than aid. That is what was so disappointing at the recent G8.
So, when I hear how hard these african farmers are trying and the few opportunities they grab with both hands, I am reminded of how futile technology is in the face of such incredible injustice.
PS. I have issues… do you know that the Genetically Modified seeds that the West sells to africa produce crops which don’t produce their own seeds, thereby ensuring the perpetuity of african dependence on the west. They are being forced by the west to accept these terms as they won’t have a chance of competing if they don’t against the disease resistant, bigger yielding crops of GM seeds.