Project information
| Status | Finalist |
| URL | Go to website |
| Category | Economic Development Agriculture and food security |
| Country | Ghana |
| Operational areas | Urban, Rural |
| Target groups | Women, Men |
| Fixed connection | DSL, IDSN, Cable |
| Wireless connection | Satellite, GSM, CDMA |
| Access points | Government office, Business, Home, Telecenter, Cafe |
| Interact | Landline Phone, Desktop Computer, Cellphone, Laptop |
| Software License Types | Open Source, Proprietary |
Project location
Random images Challenge 2008
TradeNet: Business Networking for Trade & Agriculture in Developing Countries
- Brief description
- Africa's first mobile2mobile trading platform, providing market information and SMS communication tools to producers and traders and their representative associations across the continent.
- Vision, Objectives and Goals
- Our goal is to increase revenues for farmers and traders by making markets more transparent, and by shifting the balance of power slightly towards producers who suffer from the thinnest margins on what they trade. We also aim to assist projects and associations to serve their members with better and current information to sell more and buy better, and to market their products to a global audience. More recent tools enable producers to enhance their yields and find better buyers by managing their information networks more effectively.
- How does ICT contribute to the organisational objectives
- Our entire project is based on leveraging communication networks to distribute critical market intelligence and information. We use mobile networks in Africa, now reaching 60% of the population, to distribute the data and initiate trade contacts. We are a web-managed SMS platform.
- Transferability
- Any individual can setup a webpage on tradenet, describe their goods and services, and post offers to buy and sell. Some basic computer skills are required... we are training cybercafes to help people do this and earn revenue for the service. Groups can also register and setup online. No intermediaries are 'required' but they help in awareness creation and assist with the configuration of the site.
- Project summary
- Currently in 13 countries in Africa - we are the largest market information service in Africa, we are also the largest private sector MIS system, with a clear strategy for sustainability, transitioning to a private service. We have pioneered SMS to WEb to SMS services which enable participants in rural villages to post market price and offers in realtime to a world wide audience. We have also pioneered relationships with mobile operators to share the cost and revenues. We are the first project that does not require an enduser to touch a PC to get data feeds on their mobile at no cost. Easy to use, cheap, ubiquitous, sustainable: key aspects of our project.
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