Client: Southwest Development Authority / Africa Development Fund

Year Completed: 2007

 

Developing a competitive edge is highly dependent on obtaining timely, accurate market information. Especially in rural and isolated areas, where access to market information on agricultural inputs and outputs is extremely weak, efficiency in production is often not optimized and food and income security is threatened.

 

In Cameroon, IBI consultants designed and installed a rural market information system (MIS), through which stakeholders in rural areas are provided with timely market information on prevailing food crop prices. Following a participatory process bringing together farmers, merchants, and industry providers, IBI consultants completed an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of traditional MIS systems, updated existing systems, and introduced new, complementary ones that involve such innovative approaches as the usage of cell phones and email alerts where available and appropriate.