IICD supported project: Agricultural Business Information Services (BIS) Cromabu

Countries: Tanzania [TZ]

Summary

The CROMABU project was set up in Magu on the shore of lake Victoria, where the most important sources of income are cotton farming and fishing. It aims to provide the rural community with relevant price information and to build ICT capacity within the community, particularly among young people, women and farmers. The project has three components: an internet café and provision of access to third parties; community development through information and training; and price information services. For the latter, CROMABU has linked up with another IICD project - Business Information Services (BIS) - which compiles and analyses agricultural information. In short, CROMABU provides farmers with timely and accurate information about prices and trade flows which helps them to make informed decisions about buying and selling and thereby increases their profits.

Update

Updated: 2008-03-03

President William Benjamin Mkapa visited the CROMABU office in June 2005 and was pleasantly surprised to find so many ICT activities taking place in a remote, rural area like Magu: the Internet café and training centre for farmers and youth clubs are now firmly established within the community, bandwidth is being provided to other institutions in Magu through the project, the www.cromabul.com website is under development, and a Mesh network is being set up - which in itself is a technical breakthrough for this part of Africa. CROMABU staff members also have strong ties with SwopNet Mwanza (the regional chapter of Tanzania’s national ICT for Development knowledge sharing network) and with the BIS project team with whom they are trying to find the best formula for working with farmer groups.

Introduction

The CROMABU project resulted from a Roundtable workshop held in Mwanza, Tanzania, in 1999. It was set-up as an NGO with the intention of bringing experts in rural development, business development and ICT together. Initially, CROMABU needed a project partner to create a network that would link Magu to a national network so it could benefit from economies of scale. The partner also had to be capable of providing information and analysing data. An ideal match was found in Business Information Services (BIS); a newly established daughter company of small consulting firm Business Care Services (BCS). Since 1999, BIS has been successfully running the Agricultural Price Information project; a project that compiles data for consumer price indexes. BIS generates revenues from setting up information brokerage as a business and has already established a small network. This network is in the process of being professionalised, equipped and expanded.

Objectives

CROMABU has three objectives:

• to provide local people with access to ICT services, e-mail and internet;
• to improve the economic development of farmers, micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing them with information on prices, volumes, logistics, best practices and intermediate services;
• To build ICT capacity within the community through organised group meetings and training.

CROMABU is centred in the Lake Zone where much of the cotton is cultivated. It ensures outreach to the grass root level through youth clubs and women’s groups. It also facilitates a two-way flow of information within the region and helps local groups to find the information they want. The concept will first be developed in Magu and will be replicated later on in other districts.

Planned outputs

The project is oriented towards cash crops in the selected areas including cotton, maize and rice. More general information, like figures on input supplies and prices, transport and so on, will also be made available. Farming information on best practices will be compiled and supplied on demand.

Development Impacts

The project is expected to improve farmers’ income and increase agricultural productivity by improving farmers’ bargaining power. Better prices are expected to increase productivity and to improve farmers’ decision-making capabilities. In addition, by working with groups of young people, CROMABU will contribute to their education and provide them with access to a wider network. In general, the wealth of information that has been made accessible as a result of this project will significantly empower the local population.

Management and organisation

CROMABU is managed by Ms. Naomi Maselle who answers to the Board of Directors of the Bureau. Ms Masselle is an agriculturist with experience in managing agricultural and industrial projects in rural areas. Her strong interest in women’s advocacy and environmental issues enable her to run the project to its full potential.

Market and finance

Income is generated from subscriptions, through the internet café and training activities, and by providing bandwidth to different institutions in Magu, for example NGOs.

Results

CROMABU has established a financially sustainable internet café that is now running at a small profit, a training centre for farmers and other local groups, and provides bandwidth to other institutions in Magu. Its website at www.cromabul.com is still under development.

Project Owner : Crop Marketing Bureau (CROMABU)

Project Partners : IICD, BIS

Project Contact : IICD