FarmerNet is a result of the R & D efforts of Fusion to improve its services to target community. Journey begins as early as 2006, and contributed by many volunteer experts, and fusion friends.
2005 – Agri-Clinics
Targeting the rural farmers, Fusion had carried out Agri-clinic project in partnership with Department of Agriculture, (Ministry of Agriculture), CABI (CAB International, UK), with the financial support of UNESCO – Appeal. Objective of the agri-clinics were to deliver Pest & Disease related information to the rural farmers in order to improve their cultivations.
2006 – telecentre.org involvement
A field visit to Anuradhapura (Yaya 11) – Village Information Centre supported by Agri-clinics, had been the entry point to Farmer-net. By this stage Fusion was not interested about Mobile applications, as it was primarily concentrating on telecentres. Along with Mark Surman and Florencio Ceballos (of telecentre.org), Fusion’s Agri-clinic project staff took an extra effort to explain the project benefits to the farmers. Yet, farmer responses were not convincing. Yes, they were enthusiastic about the project. But, there was a ‘missing link’, farmer-interaction was not happening to the desired degree.
On the way back, Florencio had strongly argued around the ‘missing link’ – and tried to expand the Fusion’s perspective into Mobile Phone applications.
2007 – LIRNEasia @ National Telecentre Alliance
National Telecentre Alliance gathering, 2007
At the National Telecentre Alliance gathering organized by Telecentre Family Project of Fusion, Prof Rohan Samarajiva of LIRNEasia, had made a presentation – ‘Mobile penetration in Sri Lanka: implications for telecentres‘.
Presentation had been an eye opener for Fusion.
2008 – eZ pay and NDB Bank
Fusion had explored multiple discussions together with the team who had introduced eZ pay mobile payment package under the guidance of Eran Wickramaratne, CEO, NDB Bank, Sri Lanka. eZ pay being the first ever mobile based application, that had provided confidence and new insights to further shape up emerging concepts.
2008 – Microsoft Research Group, Seattle
Anchored with Sarvodaya-UK, Fusion’s Managing Director had started carrying out multiple brainstorming processes with Fusion’s expert friends at multiple countries to explore the opportunities of introducing mobile technologies to telecentre network. The mobile application projects funded by IDRC Pan Asia at Africa region has been extensively taken to studies.
Initial concepts included Application of PDA’s (Personal Digital Assistant) & MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) technologies to farming sector. Such concepts had been exposed to Research Team at Microsoft, Seattle, lead by Karishma Kiri, that had helped to recognize the limitations and feasibility, at contemporary Bottom of the Pyramid mobile applications.
2008 – meeting Mark Davis of Trade-net
Short stint with Mark Davis of Trade-net (www.tradenet.biz), Ghana, had been a great inspiration to shape up the next phase of the journey. Initial intentions were to build up a partnership between Tradenet & Fusion. Under the donor influence, that had never been materialized, though the influence greatly helped to shape up the Farmer-net.
2008 – Sanjana Fernando and Spot Trading concept
Under the influence of Sarvodaya-UK, Sanajana Fernando of UK had been a critical contributor to the Farmer-net’s final shape up. As a volunteer expert to the project, Sanjana has intensely contributed to formulate the Spot Trading Concept, that constitutes the core strategy of Farmer-net. Prof. Abhaya Induruwa at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK and Madu Rathnayake of Virtusa, Sri Lanka had been other contributors at these critical stages.
Sanjana and SEEDS team presenting concept to farmers
2008 Pilot testing with rural farmers & small traders at Nuwara Eliya
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Curious farmers at first pilot testing
The final concept had been introduced to the farmers at two selected villages in Nuwara Eliya district. SEEDS (Sarvodaya Economic Enterprise Development Services) had organized the villages, and took part closely at the designing stages of FarmerNet pilot.
The responses observed with Farmer’s had been very encouraging. Though it had been quite a challenge to take the initial attention of busy traders at Nuwara Eliya, wholesale market, subsequent responses confirmed the potential that FarmerNet has to offer in upcoming months and years.
Harsha Liyanage, MD, Fusion
