Affordable rural ICT
Can small-scale farmers use computers, and can they afford it? The answer is yes but not things are not done the same way as in metropolitan companies. For the solution provider all emphasis is on (1) true value added; (2) simplicity and usability; (3) low acquisition cost; (4) support, support, support. The CoopWorks Farmers Association Management software system seems to come close to these requirements. Has the CoopWorks team worked out the real costs and benefits for a farmers' society?
the site has a good
the site has a good interface.
it really engages the uses and has a good appeal to the eye.
it has a lot of stuff.
comment on the site
the site has a good interface.
it really engages the uses and has a good appeal to the eye.
it has a lot of stuff.
comment on the site
the site has a good interface.
it really engages the uses and has a good appeal to the eye.
it has a lot of stuff.
Total Cost of Ownership and Benefits of ICT in Coops
In my view, ICT costs in farmer Cooperatives have been worked out and shared in dicussion forums by Flametree Engineers in our dairy Cooperative. ICT has been proven to pay for itself - meaning that once the initial investment has been made, benefits will be realised among them
-Trust by the members in the Cooperative operations
-quick and report generation- farmers paid on time
- detailed financial reports for decision making by management
-overhead costs savings
-starting new line of business/dropping non profitable business
It costs less than 1-2% of turnover (cheaper than the cost of our delivery van!!
CoopWorks launch: are farmers ready to paly ICT?
On 16 December the CoopWorks project will be introduced to the coffee farmers co-operatives in Kenya. CoopWorks is free, open source software. We can hardly make computing any cheaper. But will the farmers co-ops be prepared to spend their money on computers and training? "ICT is the way to go" is what the Minister for Co-operative Development Joseph Nyagah states at every opportunity. The new Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Cooperative Development and Marketing (2008-2012) is aimed at enhancing good cooperative governance and improved capacity building for efficient service delivery. The ILO CoopAfrica programme with Flametree/CoopWorks on computerization in agriculture cooperatives is designed to promote just that. The 16 December launch event will tell whether the famers co-ops are ready to 'play ICT' now.
I am sure that outlining how
I am sure that outlining how they stand to benefits with regard to increased efficiency, cutting costs, and better service delivery will get them spending. But more than that, getting them to understand that with the country going online with introduction of Fibre, they will ultimately have no other choice than embracing ICT. They might as well start now and perfect it by then.
A better way to do this may be featuring or continuously writing about how they stand to benefit and giving links t those you have already worked with or ebven similar examples of cooperatives abroad that have gotten better.
Kind Regards
Marvin.
the site has a good
the site has a good interface.
it really engages the uses and has a good appeal to the eye.
it has a lot of stuff.
the site has a good
the site has a good interface.
it really engages the uses and has a good appeal to the eye.
it has a lot of stuff.
perez kai
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