Information technology has greatly benefited the agriculture sector. You’ve probably read multiple articles that say ‘mobile phones empower farmers,’ but I wanted to ask the farmers themselves. Last year, I conducted a research on how rural farmers in Tanzania were using Tigo Kilimo. To learn why farmers were using this SMS based agricultural service, I spoke to 10 farmers who use the service and 5 farmers who did not.

How does Tigo Kilimo work?
Tigo, one of the most popular mobile network operators in Tanzania, launched their mAgri service Tigo Kilimo in April 2012. Tigo Kilimo is an SMS-based value added service that provides information about weather, crop prices, and agronomy techniques to small-scale farmers. By October 2013, Tigo Kilimo already had over 40,000 subscribers. Users access the service by dialing *148*14#. After completing registration, which is free, one can consult a USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) menu and select the desired information. An SMS containing the required information is subsequently sent to the customer. Tigo now offers free and unlimited access to all kinds of agricultural information to its customers.Tigo Kilimo demo

So, why are farmers in Tanzania using Tigo Kilimo?

1. Access to information increases productivity
Access to relevant and up-to-date information is crucial for farmers to plan farming activities and to choose which kind of crops to grow. Respondents requested information via Tigo Kilimo in particular during the cropping season. Short and long term information on weather is one of the most important information in the producing stage. Farmers risk loss without appropriate weather predictions, for example, when seeding too early or choosing unsuitable crops. Combining weather information and agronomy advice provided by Tigo Kilimo enabled farmers to increase their overall productivity.

2. Improves the welfare of farmers and their families
Farmers limit their revenue when selling their crops to middlemen and customers without timely market price information. The use of Tigo Kilimo has reduced the cost of market price research: farmers obtain prices for different crops in different markets and can strategically decide what to grow and where to sell. Market prices received through Tigo Kilimo serve as a point of reference for negotiating. Farmers are still willing to bargain with buyers but cannot be fooled by customers or middlemen.

Generated surpluses were saved or used for family issues and household needs, thereby increasing security and stability towards unpredictable external events. Additional income was invested in education as well as in the expansion of economic activities.

3. Empowers female farmers
Female respondents stated that Tigo Kilimo helped them to gain not only financial independence but also knowledge acquisition. Since most agricultural information and extension services are targeted at male farmers, women happen to lack valuable agricultural information. Domestic workload reduces the time to research the required information. Tigo Kilimo allows women to request and read agricultural information whenever and wherever they want. However, it is important to remember that the effective use of Tigo Kilimo requires regular access to a mobile phone, which is less likely among women.

4. The benefit extends to the community
All of the farmers I spoke to stated that they shared information obtained through Tigo Kilimo with others in the community. The acquired knowledge is shared with community members such as neighbors, family members and friends who cannot access Tigo Kilimo due to lack of education or income. Information is discussed during group meetings, which encourages knowledge exchange. Tigo Kilimo can improve the social capital of a community since additional knowledge is transmitted by “infomediaries” to community members without access to it. Tigo Kilimo users also promote the service among their social network, convincing non-users to subscribe to the service.

Tigo Kilimo marketing

What are farmers’ suggestions for mAgri services like Tigo Kilimo?

  • Include farmers in the design process: Including farmers in the designing process of mAgri services would help to identify farmers’ needs. The indigenous knowledge from farmers into the service would help to better serve the community by providing information on the relevant crops.
  • Simplify the subscription process: Some of the farmers had heard about Tigo Kilimo but didn’t use it because they failed to subscribe. If the subscription process was simpler, they would also benefit from the service.
  • Expand their marketing to rural areas: Some of the farmers had never heard of services like Tigo Kilimo. By advertising their services to more farmers, Tigo Kilimo could really benefit more farmers.

While Tigo Kilimo’s reach may be restrained by hurdles like poor road infrastructure, the unavailability of farming inputs, lack of access to mobile devices, its benefits are undeniable. Tigo Kilimo has provided many farmers with relevant and up to date agricultural information, positively influencing their agility, security, and income.

What has your experience been with mAgri services? Do you know of other mAgri services that are benefiting farming communities? Tweet at us @TechChange or comment below.

Interested in learning about other ways mobile phones are being used in international development? Sign up for our Mobiles for International Development course that begins early next year!

About author

sophie stolle headshot

Sophie is an alumna of TechChange’s Mobiles for International Development course. She is an Entrepreneur in Residence in the field of product management for a Berlin internet startup. Sophie arrived in the Berlin startup scene three years ago and is very passionate about business solutions that make the world a better place. She loves Kiswahili and has been staying in Kenya and Tanzania for more one year where she is exploring the local (social) startup scene there. She has been working as product manager for an e-commerce company in Berlin. Sophie is about to get her Bachelors’ degree in African Studies and Economics with a thesis focusing on the impact of a mobile-based agricultural information service on rural livelihoods in Tanzania.

Meet Jennifer, she took her first TechChange course on Technology for Conflict Management and Peacebuilding in October and is now facilitating multiple TechChange courses.

Drawn by our teaching model, after completing her course, she wanted to become involved as a facilitator for our courses. She is currently co-facilitating TC111: Technology for Monitoring and Evaluation with Norman Shamas, and facilitating TC105: Mobiles for International Development. Jennifer will also be facilitating TC109: Technology for Conflict Management and Peacebuilding in the coming months, bringing her full-circle in her participant-to-facilitator involvement with TechChange.

Prior to joining TechChange, Jennifer participated in several research symposiums and conferences like the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Methods Research, the Association for the study of the Middle East and Africa Annual Conference and more. She has also served as a guest speaker for the American Red Cross and has mentored several high school and undergraduate students regarding school-sponsored and independent international development and peacebuilding start-ups.

Jennifer is an emerging comparative politics scholar and methodologist focused on answering questions related to individual and community involvement in conflict, post-conflict, and peace processes. She holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the Colorado College, a Masters in Public Health from Indiana University, and is a Doctoral Candidate in Political Science with the University of New Mexico.

Technology has been known to facilitate anonymous harassment online, but in India a non-profit organization is using mobile apps to fight harassment on the streets. I came across Safecity in my Mobile Phones for International Development course, and since I plan to return to India and pursue my career in promoting gender equality, the case study of Safecity reducing gender-based violence (GBV) caught my attention.

How Safecity Works
Safecity is a non-profit organization in India that offers a platform for individuals to anonymously share their stories of sexual violence or abuse. This crowdsourced self-reported data is then displayed on a map of India to show hot spots and patterns of violence in various parts of the country. Safecity collects this data through its website, social media platforms, and via email, text or phone to increases awareness of the various kinds of GBV, ranging from catcalling to groping to rape. It also allows Indian individuals, law enforcement agencies, neighborhoods, businesses, and the society at large to access this data and to use it to take precautions and devise solutions.

Safecity reports
Safecity reports

Why Safecity Works
As one of the founders of Safecity put it, the three main reasons that rape and other sexual harassments are underreported in India is because people are afraid to report it, the police manipulate the data, or because victims are deterred by the delayed justice system. This, along with the cultural stigma attached to talking about sexual harassments, makes anonymity for victims very important. Allowing for anonymous reporting, Safecity has collected over 4000 stories from over 50 cities in India and Nepal since it launched in December 2012.

How Safecity is Using Mobile Apps
Along with collecting and visualizing data, Safecity promotes a variety of phone applications to help sexual minorities feel safe in public spaces:

GeoSure (provides personalized travel safety content via mobile)
Nirbhaya: Be Fearless (emergency app that sends a distress call or emergency message to a specified contact or group)
SafeTrac (allows automatic monitoring and tracking of your journey)

Safecity also promotes services like Taxshe, a safe all-female driver service, and KravMaga Chennai, a self-defense teaching service.

Challenges and Looking Ahead
As with many ICT4D solutions, access to the technology remains an important barrier. Safecity and its advertised applications, products and services seem to only reach a very specific target audience (urban populations with access to modern technology), leaving behind illiterate populations from rural areas with no access to technology. With their missed dial facility, Safecity is hoping to reach out to women with limited access to technology by recording their reports of abuse and harassment over the phone and suggesting appropriate interventions.

I look forward to seeing how Safecity uses this form of community engagement and crowdsourced data to not just report, but reduce GBV in India. This course introduced me to a new and unique way to address the pervasive issue of GBV in India and I look forward to utilizing the tools and lessons learned in making India a gender equitable country one step at a time.

Interested in learning about other ways mobile tools are helping communities address different problems? Join us in our upcoming Mobiles for International Development online course that begins on May 11.

Author Bio

Nikita Setia Headshot

Nikita Setia is a M.A. candidate at the Elliott School of International Affairs in the International Affairs Program, concentrating in development. She previously earned her B.B.A in Economics, International Business, and Management at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan.

Photo credit: myAgro

The current financial model of banks cannot address what development experts call the “triple whammy” of poor peoples’ lives – they struggle with low savings, uncertainty of cash flows, and the inability to access formal financial instruments. Small farm holders in the developing world face similar struggles as they often have to purchase seeds and fertilizers in one large payment to improve their harvest. MyAgro, provides an innovative alternative to farmers, eliminating the need for banks and placing financial decision-making in the hands of small farm holders.

MyAgro helps farmers purchase agricultural tools on layaway via an SMS platform and a network of local vendors. Anushka Ratnayake started myAgro in 2011 as a pilot program in Mali and soon expanded it to Senegal. MyAgro’s success can be attributed to their approach of using a mobile phone platform to adapt current pro-poor financial methods to addressing the financing problem in the agricultural sector.

How does myAgro work?
MyAgro works much like someone going to top up their phone for additional talk time at their local store. Participating farmers purchase scratch-off cards (ranging from $.50 to $10) with a unique pin number. This pin number is sent to myAgro and is recorded in their database under the farmer’s profile. An SMS is sent back to the farmer notifying them of how much they have saved towards their goal (to purchase fertilizer, seeds, or agricultural training). Once this amount is reached, the farmer receives the tools or service they have purchased from myAgro.

Why does myAgro’s model work?
MyAgro’s model gives rural farmers access to key financial services including cash-flow management and savings, through this approach:

  1. Reliability
    Without the credit and collateral that banks require when opening a savings account, poor people have responded by forming rotating savings and credit funds (ROSCAs) within their communities. This has been replicated worldwide, helping families manage scarcities. However, this informal tool does not provide the accountability, reliability and privacy that banks would offer. MyAgro builds on the success of ROSCAs, where people save through small incremental amounts over the long-term, but with the security and reliability of a formal mobile platform.
  2. Convenience
    MyAgro clients don’t have to travel long distances to access banks, which is especially useful for rural farmers living in remote areas where bank branches do not exist. MyAgro also increases inclusion by making the system easy to use, especially for those who are illiterate. Getting the basic use out of myAgro only requires the farmer to SMS the numbers located on the card they purchased. In addition, no physical cash is involved. In mobile cash transfer platforms such as the successful M-PESA program, some local vendors run out of cash when a customer wants to conduct a transaction, myAgro only relies on digital transactions – a successful approach within cash-strapped countries.
  3. Flexibility
    By allowing farmers to choose how much to save on a given day, myAgro takes into account the variety of shocks that vulnerable populations experience, such as illness in the family or natural disasters. The mobile platform allows them to use their small-scale savings for large-scale purchases.

In just three years, myAgro has managed to address a debilitating financial problem in farming communities in the developing world by providing a reliable and accessible savings tool and allowing farmers to managing their cash flows on their own terms. I look forward to seeing how myAgro expands its current 6,000 farmer membership while also collaborating with other mobile technology platforms to continue providing information and financial services to the benefit of the poor.

Interested in learning more about other ways mobile phones are empowering people in the developing world? Join us in our upcoming course, Mobile for International Development that begins on May 11.

About author 

Ana Tamargo

Ana Tamargo is a development professional and recent graduate from the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. She recently received a master’s degree in International Development Studies. During this time, Ana completed TechChange’s “Mobile Phones for International Development” course in order to advance her knowledge in using innovative information and communication technologies to facilitate programming and data collection within the local context. She has worked at international NGOs such as Pact, World Cocoa Foundation, and the Rainforest Alliance and has expertise in program advancement, evaluation and research in the fields of sustainable natural resource management, rural poverty alleviation, and bottom-up development. Ana is eager to continue findings ways to incorporate mobile phone technology in helpingempower and provide services to vulnerable populations.

Kendra first connected with us almost a year ago while taking our mHealth online course. She was interning with the USAID Bureau of Global Health, mentored by the eHealth Coordinator of the Office of Health Systems. Having recently returned from Zambia, where she collaborated with ZCHARD and the Zambian Ministry of Health to scale Programme Mwana, an SMS test result delivery system to support early infant diagnosis, Kendra was interested in exploring how integration of mobile devices with public health programs could increase impact.

As a TechChange Alumna now team member, she has led facilitation of TC105: Mobiles for International Development and TC309: Mobile Phones for Public Health, coordinating live events, developing content, case studies and activities, and moderating discussion forum. With a background in global public health and project coordination, she provides content support and management for a variety of TechChange projects, while also supporting overall TechChange operations. Passionate about user centered design, she studies development and design in her free time, aspiring to ultimately improving mobile health and online learning user experience.

Prior to joining the team, Kendra completed an MPH with Boston University, as well as a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida. She also worked in the non-profit sector, supporting the mPowering Frontline Healthworker and mHealth Working Group initiatives with Jhpiego.

Welcome, Kendra!

Photo source: Amnesty International

In the latest session of TechChange’s “Tech for International Crisis Response and Good Governance” class, I learned about the Panic Button, the emergency Android app recently launched by Amnesty International. The app is a step in the right direction for emergency alert applications, and may prove to be useful in other types of emergency situations. It was initially designed for activists working abroad, and essentially turns a cell phone into an alarm. While the app is running, the user can send pre-programmed SMS and GPS coordinates to three trusted contacts by hitting the phone’s power button multiple times. This simple process can be executed while the phone is located in the activist’s hand or pocket, and with minimal effort. With beta testing in 17 countries, this open source app was developed through an iterative process by networks of developers and activists, with two critical factors in mind: security and speed.

Pros. The speed of sounding an alarm is a major benefit of Panic Button, triggered by the power button on a user-friendly interface. This trigger allows users to be discreet in sending out an S.O.S. before their phone may be taken away by an adversary. Also, the GPS functionality provides trusted contacts with detailed information of where the person (or at least the phone) is located. This notification assumes that the activist has prepared ahead of time to both discuss with their contacts what to do in the event that an S.O.S. is received, and that they have turned the app on.

Cons. Security – particularly the interception of texts – remains a major concern. The app may reveal information about one’s location and contacts that could put all parties at increased risk. One of the major benefits of the app is sharing GPS coordinates, which need to be manually enabled. In an insecure environment, these may typically be switched off. The app needs to be switched on to work, which also means that the user needs to anticipate that they may be in a dangerous scenario – something very hard to do. These stipulations, as well as its learning curve, are potential stumbling blocks that need to be addressed.

Implications for sexual violence prevention. Despite these kinks, the Panic Button is a powerful tool. In its current state, Panic Button is specifically designed for activists, but its technology has the potential for use in other emergency situations, notably for women and girls at risk for sexual violence. Panic Button is similar to the award-winning and widely-used Circle of 6 app, but appears to be easier to use in an emergency situation. The ability to trigger Panic Button’s alarm without having to open the app itself is a critical differentiator and timesaver when an abduction or act of sexual aggression is occurring (similar to a scenario a Panic Button user would face). Circle of 6 is already being used in India, where not only sexual violence occurs on a far-too-frequent basis, but also where users are already comfortable using smart phones, and thus could also easily use Panic Button.

Panic Button is useful in environments that are dangerous and highly variable. With the open source nature of the app, one can only hope that the app will be adapted further to better address more specific challenges presented by additional contexts, and save both activists’ and women’s lives worldwide.

About Jessica Soklow

Jessica Soklow

Jessica Soklow is working toward her Masters in International Affairs at George Washington University’s Elliott School and is alumna of TechChange’s “Tech for International Crisis Response and Good Governance” course. Her concentration at the Elliott School is on international development, with an emphasis on developing and implementing programming with a gender-specific lens. Jessica has conducted extensive research on gender-based violence in international contexts, with a specific focus on prevention mechanisms in both India and the United States. She is optimistic about how technology can be used in the future to help prevent violence on a global scale.

Learn about tools like Panic Button and other technology in our upcoming online course on Tech Tools & Skills for Emergency Management, which has an early bird discount that ends Oct 31!

The field of digital data collection is constantly and rapidly changing, and as we’ve seen in the many iterations of our online courses on Mobiles for International Development and mHealth, Magpi has been a leading innovator in mobile data collection.

That’s why we were not surprised to learn that Magpi has been ranked “Top Digital Data Collection App” by Kopernik, a Rockefeller Foundation and Asia Community Ventures non-profit that ranks technology for development tools in their “Impact Tracker Technology” program.

Rankings for this category were based on scoring for criteria including affordability, usability, rapidity – the “ability to send and receive large volumes of data on a real-time basis”, scalability, and transferability – “flexibility in using the services for different purposes, sectors, and contexts”. This is first time Magpi has appeared on this Kopernik list where the judges tested the tools in the field.

For those who might not yet be familiar with Magpi, it is a user-friendly mobile data collection application that works on various mobile devices. Magpi uses SMS and audio messaging, and is built specifically for organizations with limited IT and financial resources. The company formally known as DataDyne is now Magpi and they have retired the DataDyne name as well as updated their website here, which lists some of the new comprehensive features they’ve recently added. Magpi is led by Joel Selanikio, who is also an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s Department of Pediatrics

Congratulations to the Magpi team! We look forward to having you guys join us again in our upcoming online courses!

TC105: Mobiles for International Development alumna, Ivy McCottry is starting a job at AT&T after completing her TechChange M4D course and MBA at Wake Forest University.

Read on to learn how she broke into the mobile technology industry.

What interested you in taking TechChange courses?

I found TechChange when searching for ways to build up my technical background for using technology to improve lives. Through undergraduate Urban and Regional Studies courses, I knew I needed to demonstrate my interest in furthering technology and also be well-versed on current and emerging technical issues. I considered pursuing a tech-based MBA program and completed an MBA internship at a telemedicine startup. Later, I took a course on telemedicine with a clinical focus. While pursuing my MBA, I specifically sought out course work to supplement my business education with technology training.

Ultimately, I chose TechChange’s popular Mobiles for International Development course that offered a unique approach to learning with an international focus on the ubiquity of mobile phones. I saw this course as a great way to become familiar with various mobile initiatives at large, emerging mobile trends and major players in this space including GSMA and others.

What did you find useful from your TechChange course, Mobiles for International Development?

1. Demonstrating interest in technology with a credible certificate

Without an engineering background, the certificate I earned from completing the M4D course, together with my telemedicine internship, validated  my interest in technology. The certificate gave credence to my desire to work in the mobile technology industry.

2. Access to high quality guest experts

I knew that the guest experts for the course would be great, but the quality of these experts exceeded my expectations. For example, one of my favorite moments from the Mobiles for International Development online course was during a session with a Motorola phone designer who discussed literacy. I learned from him the importance of understanding customers’ literacy before you design products, and how design can promote literacy with intuitive user experiences. This layer of analysis for thinking about literacy in product development was new and fascinating to me.

 3. Diversity of resources and perspectives on global mobile use cases

In a class I took in my MBA program on Emerging Markets (BRICs), we discussed a Harvard case study on M-Pesa, which was covered in the TechChange M4D course in our discussions on mobile money. During this lecture, I was able to offer some different insights on M-Pesa that I had learned from the M4D course discussions on building products for the base of the pyramid. In my lecture, I cited materials on M-Pesa mentioned in the TechChange course and added to the MBA course materials.

What impact has TC105 had on you and your career?

1. Job offers from Fortune 100 companies

After finishing the Mobiles for International Development course, I received job offers from McKesson, which is involved with healthcare, and AT&T. I chose AT&T because of the opportunity to work on mhealth and more broadly, connected communities. It’s my goal to leverage my city planning and federal government experience to create smart/connected communities that improve life and safety matters. I recently joined AT&T to participate in a company leadership development program. In this program, I will be engaged in a variety of roles where I will learn about various aspects of AT&T’s business such as network operations, global products, and so forth.

2. Understanding the mobile industry landscape

Through the M4D course, I was able to better grasp what the drivers are for investment in mobile initiatives. I became very interested in learning about profitability and sustainability issues for mobiles from the perspectives of stakeholders like operators and the needs of mobile users. Additionally, I learned about the various business models being tested in this space and the various public private partnerships in place. This helps me have perspective about operators’ and users’ adoption factors.

3. Instant access to a well-connected global network

When I began my MBA program, I had no touch points with the mobile technology industry. Now, I have instant networks to various players within the field through the well-connected TechChange community.

What advice would you give to students taking TC105 or any TC course?

1. Know what you want to get out of the course.

The more you know precisely what you want to gain from the course, the more you will get out of it as you can prioritize those topics and ask questions that will focus discussions on areas you care about most.

2. Attend live sessions

The “live event” sessions are very helpful. Even though these sessions are recorded and archived, it’s good to sit in live because you can contribute questions in real time and process the context of what’s being presented. You also don’t have to mull over content independently – you can send questions immediately or expand on an idea that has been mentioned. When attending these events, I always made sure the facilitator knew I was there at the session so my private sector interests would be covered in the presentation.

3. Network with guest speakers and course participants

If speakers represent organizations that you want access to, definitely enroll in the course. The access that TechChange provides at this dollar value is unheard of and a great return on investment.

It also helped me to read profiles of other people who were taking the class and alumni as well. I was definitely inspired by the success stories of Carolyn Florey and Trevor Knoblich who advanced in their careers with the help of TechChange courses.

Interested in pursuing a career in mobile technology like Ivy? Enroll now in our Mobiles for International Development online course. Next round starts Monday, May 11.

Four months ago, we wrapped up our ninth TC105: Mobiles for International Development course here at TechChange. Fifty-eight participants joined us online from twenty-two different countries for our four-week course with guest experts, live events, and great discussions.

Our participants represented a variety of development and tech organization, including: DAI, Belgian Development Agency, UNICEF Nepal, Google, Vodafone, OECD, World Vision, Plan International, Mercy Corps  Yemen, NYU, Michigan State University, University of Denver, Helvetas, and more!

Some highlights from the course:

  • Collaborative Learning: After a session on M-Pesa, participants shared their excitement about the possibilities for M-Pesa, especially given the large migrant worker population abroad who send remittances back home and the influx of mobile phones in Cambodia and similarly in Albania. A participant from Tanzania wrote about the wide use of M-Pesa in Tanzania and also informed other participants about the outage of M-Pesa in Kenya during the post-election violence and other complications that come with mobile money regulations.

During the mobile data session with Democracy International, participants were asked to upload surveys on a mobile data platform and share their experience. They shared the ease and difficulties they experienced using mobile surveys in different platforms like Formhub, Textit, Magpi, and ODK providing insights for each other.

  • Guest Experts: The course was facilitated by Chris Neu with a line up of eleven guest experts. Guest experts included Amy Sweeney from GeoPoll, Arjen Swank of Text to Change, Kristen Roggeman of DAI (previously with GSMA mWomen), Gabriel White of Small Surfaces, and more! With access to a great panel of speakers, the participants enjoyed asking questions and interacting with them during our live events. One of the participants even interviewed a guest speaker for her final project.

Some of our participants summed up their experience with the course:

“The lineup of speakers is phenomenal, the tools are amazing, and the staff bring it all together on top of an online course platform that actually works. If you have interest in the ICT4D space, there is no better way to jump in than with a Tech Change course.” – Ian Reynolds, Ian Reynolds IT Services

“Week 2 had 4 great tools listed with videos/tutorials and a basic introduction to each which were very helpful for me. Being able to test them out was key for my understanding of how they worked. The background readings in week 1 were useful in understanding the context for this course. And the final project is a great way to synthesize everything from across the 4 weeks and put together something that showcases your learning.” – Kate DiMercurio, Monterrey Institute of International Studies

“Great survey course for the uninitiated. But if you’re interested in strengthening a specific area of expertise, the accessibility of experts and information is outstanding.” – Christina Eyre

“While I knew generally how mobiles could be used in development, this course really helped me realize the breadth and depth of how they can be used. Furthermore, it made realize how many considerations must be taken into account when designing a project that uses mobiles in order to create a product that is really useful for the target beneficiaries. I will be taking a lot of what I learned in this course and sharing it with colleagues for guiding future program development.” – Jacole Douglas, World Education Inc.

For our upcoming TC105 Mobiles for International Development online course, we are happy to welcome back Chrissy Martin and Amy Sweeney as guest experts in this course one more time and excited to hear from experts like Louise Guido, Steve Ollis, Jonathan Dolan, Jacob Korenblum, Louis Dorval, and Kelly Church.

Nearly two dozen people from ten different countries have already registered, representing organizations such as Task Force for Global Health, Management Sciences for Health, World Council of Credit Unions, Banyan Global, UNICEF, United Methodist Communications, Center for International Private Enterprise, Belgian Development Agency and many more!

Secure your spot in our upcoming TC105: Mobiles for International Development online course that starts on Sept 8th. Register now to save your seat!

For my final project for TC105: Mobiles for International Development, I decided to interview Amy Sweeney of GeoPoll, one of the guest speakers of our class. Working on global development issues, I am deeply interested in new opportunities offered by technology, particularly how it allows people living even in the poorest countries to share information through mobile devices. GeoPoll strikes me as one of the most innovative players in this field and for this reason I decided to go back to Amy and ask her to describe GeoPoll’s work in more detail.

Since the interview I have also been amazed to learn that some of my colleagues at the organisation I work for, the OECD, already collaborate with GeoPoll on a ‘data revolution’ project that will contribute to more accessible information on development in the next few years… one more proof that there are no coincidences in life. I am now in touch with them on a regular basis to see how the project will evolve.

Interview with Amy Sweeney, Director of Business Development, GeoPoll

GeoPoll is a mobile survey platform that allows you to carry out mobile surveys in any country in the world except North Korea. Technically GeoPoll is registered as a US small business but it sees itself more as a social enterprise. It is eligible for both grants and contracts by US and international funders alike.

GeoPoll Overview

1. How would you define your added value compared to your competitors? What is your unique approach to mobile surveys?

GeoPoll’s approach is to reach as many people as possible regardless of their income or status. While many mobile surveys require the use of the Internet or web-based applications, we offer the opportunity to take a survey just by using any mobile phone (e.g., feature phones all the way up to smart phones). We aim to reach a greater portion of the ‘bottom billion’ people through simple text or voice messaging. There are other players in our market, particularly local companies, but we are different in that we establish partnerships with mobile network operators. We serve as a platform but also serve as a “sample  source”. We have access to more than 150+ million mobile subscribers in Africa alone. We can achieve more reach, scale, and connections with these operators than anyone else.

GeoPoll – How Our Platform Works

2. Who are your primary clients? Do you foresee any major change in their composition?

Roughly half of our business is with the social sector, e.g. international organisations like WFP and USAID, NGOs, etc. The remaining half is with commercial companies and market research groups but this percentage is likely to increase this year due to recent media measurement products produced.

3. Are you planning to collaborate again with the World Bank and the UNDP My World Survey?

The collaboration with the World Bank in 2010 was for the World Development Report focused on community-based consultations on gender-based violence in DR Congo. World Bank’s annual World Development Reports cover a different topic and a different country every year. At the moment there are no plans to collaborate again on a World Development Report in the near future but we are exploring other opportunities with the World Bank. The same goes for the My World Survey.

4. How do you ensure free participation or even incentives for survey takers? And who covers these costs?

GeoPoll connects with mobile network operators’ billing systems allowing mobile subscribers to participate in mobile surveys at no cost (e.g.:. zero-rated or free to respond to). For example, those that do not have airtime credit on their phones can still participate. Each carrier is different but ultimately our agreement with them ensures that the survey comes at no cost to the survey taker, which reduces the economic barrier for participation.

5. Is there such a thing as an average response rate? Does it vary across regions, gender or any other big factor?

Responses to our surveys really depend on the country and the topic in question. We have noticed that the response rate increases over time as survey takers get to know GeoPoll as a reliable service. Once trust has been built people feel more comfortable taking the survey. Also, we have done some testing that shows that response rates tend to increase with incentives. Another approach we have taken which has been widely successful is running panel-based surveys, including measuring TV viewership and radio listenership ratings, in several African countries. In that case, response rates have been astronomically high because users are engaged on a daily basis.

I hope you will find this interview useful. I’m excited to see that Amy Sweeney is coming back as a guest speaker for TechChange’s upcoming Mobiles for International Development course! Also, feel free to connect with me via Twitter (@faridabena) to continue our discussion on mobiles for development.

Interested in mobile data and other ways mobile phones bring understanding to the world? Join our upcoming online course on Mobiles for International Development.

 

About Amy Sweeney

Amy Sweeney

Amy Sweeney is the director of business development for GeoPoll based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining GeoPoll, Ms. Sweeney spent nearly five years developing and honing her international development experience at Chemonics, where she held the position as new business director in Caucasus and Central Asia RBU. She previously served in the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan and worked in Afghanistan and Turkey. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

About Farida Bena

Farida Bena

Farida Bena is the Economist / Policy Analyst at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) based in Paris, France. She has more than 15 years of experience working in development, humanitarian aid, and global advocacy across four continents. Before joining OECD, Ms. Bena has worked as the director at the International Rescue Committee Belgium and led the Aid Effectiveness Policy team at Oxfam International. Ms. Bena holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Yale University.