The Agricultural Marketing Information Center (AMIC)

Author : Edwin Zulu
Date added : 2002-04-15

Brief Project Background

Agricultural marketing of both inputs and crops in Zambia by 1990 and before was done by the Government run National Agricultural marketing Board (NABOARD).Here the NAMBOARD had distributed and marketed the agro-inputs and produces through Cooperatives Societies and Government determined or instituted price controls. This is to say all the prices of the designated agro- inputs and produces were being implemented uniformly Countrywide.
Therefore, Agricultural marketing information on prices of various inputs and crop products were communicated through the radio and T.V pronouncements, newspapers and circulars to Namboard depots Countrywide. at this time prices were announced through the President’s office.
In view of the Advent of privitilisation and liberalization of the Economy by the MMD- Government in 1992 and indeed the subsequent Liberalization of the Agricultural sector. It was therefore realized that the role of Government in Agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing had to change. This change saw Government taking the role of creating an enabling environment for the private sector to efficiently carry out Agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing. Key to creating this enabling environment was the need for private sectors i’e; traders, farmers, producers and manufacturers to have access to the rightful information on cost and selling prices of agro inputs and produce and other market trends at the right time.



2. The Agricultural marketing information center ( AMIC)

The agricultural marketing information center is a section in the market -development wing of the market-development and Cooperatives Branch. AMIC come into being in the early 1990’s following the Liberalization of the Agro- marketing system of agricultural inputs, produce and other commodities. This was necessitated by the fact Government had assumed the new role of facilitator ,of the enabling environment for efficient private sector deriven agricultural inputs delivery and produce marketing. Key in creating a level and profitable competitive environment for the the private sector efficient agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing countrywide, Was the need for equitable and timely delivery of agricultural marketing information on inputs and crop prices to Districts and provinces to agro-market stakeholders.
AMIC has an agro-information Data analysis, collection, processing and dissemination Network administration Center, located in room G7, at Mulungushi house at Ministry of agriculture and Cooperatives.It is headed by a principal planner,one senior planner assisted by two marketing officers in the running of the Network administration center.



AMIC is further supported by the nine provincial and seventythree district market-development and Cooperatives officers.Currentely all the nine provincial and seventy-three District market -development and Cooperative officers who have all been equipped with a computer and fax machine each. Eventhough only the Amic -Network administration center in Lusaka is connected to the internet and has the Email address and it’s respective officers.

The AMIC -network administration center receives it’s Data from provinces and Districts respectively via faxes,phones,physical delivery by road and email were available.Here AMIC produces ;Bi-monthly bulletins which are circulated to stakeholders back through it’s provincial and district focal point persons . Inaddition to the provincial and district market-development and Cooperatives officers,AMIC has extended it’s collaborations to other National and International networks i.e; FAO, Zimbabwe marketing information services, South Africa Grain Information Services and Mozamique’sSIMA.Other local networks and partners includes;Bank of Zambia , Agriculture Commodity Exchange , Food Reserve Agency ,ELIAD International Corp and others.

Agricultural marketing of both inputs and crops in Zambia by 1990 and before was done by the Government run National Agricultural marketing Board (NABOARD).Here the NAMBOARD had distributed and marketed the agro-inputs and produces through Cooperatives Societies and Government determined prices. This is to say all the prices of the designated agro- inputs and produces were being implemented uniformly Countrywide.
Therefore, Agricultural marketing information on prices of various inputs and crop products were communicated through the radio and T.V pronouncements, newspapers and circulars to Nambord depots Countrywide, at this time prices were announced through the President’s office.
In view of the Advent of privitilization and liberalization of the Economy by the MMD- Government in 1992 and indeed the subsequent Liberalisation of the Agricultural sector. It was therefore realized that the role of Government in Agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing had to change. This change saw Government taking the role of creating an enabling environment for the private to efficiently carry out Agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing. Key to creating this enabling environment was the need for private sectors i’e; traders, farmers, producers and manufacturers to have access to the rightful information on cost and selling prices of agro inputs and produce and other market trends at the right time.

2. The Agricultural marketing information center ( AMIC)

The agricultural marketing information center is a section in the market -development wing of the market-development and Cooperatives Branch. AMIC come into being in the early 1990’s following the Liberalisation of the Agro- marketing system of agricultural inputs, produce and other commodities. This was necessitated by the fact Government had assumed the new role of facilitator of the enabling environment for efficient private sector deriven agricultural inputs delivery and produce marketing. Key in creating a level and profitable competitive environment for the the private sector efficient agro-inputs delivery and crop marketing country-wide, was the need for equitable and timely delivery of agricultural marketing information on inputs and crop prices to Districts and provinces to agro-market stakeholders.
AMIC has an agro-information Data analysis, collection, processing and dissemination Network administration Center, located in room G7, at Mulungushi house at Ministry of agriculture and Cooperatives.It is headed by a principal planner,one senior planner assisted by two marketing officers.

AMIC is further supported by the nine provincial and seventy-three district market-development and Cooperatives officers.who have all been equipped with a computer and fax machine each. Eventhough only the Amic -Network administration center in Lusaka is connected to the internet and has the Email address and all it’s respective officers.The AMIC -network administration center receives it’s Data from provinces and Districts respectively via faxes,phones,physical delivery by road and email were available.Here AMIC produces ;Bi-monthly bulletins which are circulated to stakeholders. Inaddition to the provincial and district market-development and Cooperatives officers,AMIC has extended it’s collaborations to other National and International networks i.e; FAO, Zimbabwe marketing information services(ZIMIS), South Africa Grain Information Services (SAGIS) and Mozamique’sSIMA.Other local networks and partners includes;Bank of Zambia (BOZ),Agriculture Commodity Exchange (ACE), Food Reserve Agency (FRA),ELIAD International Corp and others.

These National and International Networks are meant for Agricultural, Financial and various Agro-trends information exchange between and among Network stakeholders for enhanced efficient ago-inputs delivery and produce marketing locally,regionally and Internationally. AMIC in it’s information dissemination uses various media channels i’e;radio and TV broadcasts,Newspapers, price Boards, informal, Bi-monthly bulletins and email. AMIC has also put all it’s staff at Lusaka,provinces and Districts respectively on computer training programmes i’e;excel and lotus software and SPSS. But there is need for advanced ICTs-training for all stakeholders to help enhance the application and performance of AMIC.

Objectives

AMICs activities and programmes are guided by the below listed objectives as follows;-

· To contribute to National Food Security and Social Economic Empowerment of our majority rural poor & farmers through the provision of Agro-marketing information.

· To establish and maintain a variable agricultural marketing information system.
· To carry out research to facilitate improved provision of agriculture market information to all stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
· To provide agricultural market information to stakeholders in the agriculture sector and any other interested parties.
· To maintain a database of marketing nature on selected inputs and produce.
· To promote liaison and collaboration with other agricultural market information providers i.e. Government departments, NGOs, Local & International Agro & Financial Institutions.

Results

Since the inception of AMIC in the early 1992, so much has been done to contribute to the establishment of an enabling environment for efficient private sector, Agro-inputs delivery and produce marketing countrywide.This has been made possiple by the establishment of the AMIC network focal point persons being the nine provincial and seventythree district market development and cooperative officers,all equipped with a computer and fax machine each.

Therefore, all the provincial and district AMIC focal point persons, first collect data from their respective locations for subsequent sending by fax, phone or e-mail to the AMIC- network administration center for data analysis, processing and dissemination to various stakeholders. Secondly the provincial & district focal point persons receive the processed information for on ward circulation to all stakeholders in their respective locations.

Unlike in the past, the senior provincial & district market development & cooperative officers will help to integrate agro inputs and produce marketing information, as a cross cutting issue in agriculture extension and cooperative development at all levels. Here it has also been realized that agricultural & rural development is about nothing, but efficient agro- marketing which can only be achieved through effective agro marketing information delivery.

USER GROUPS
1. Traders and Farmers
2. Small Farmers
3. GRZ/MACO and cooperate partners
4. All

INFROMATION NEEDED
Ad.1 Wholesale Agro inputs and produce prices at urban/district centers.
Ad.2 Retail prices at near by local markets.
Ad.3 Retail prices, supply and demand conditions
Ad4. Market prices and marketing developments

DISSEMINATION CHANNEL
Ad.1 Radio broadcasting- Newspapers- Price boards
Ad.2 Radio broadcasting- Price boards
Ad.3 Monthly/quarterly price bulletins. Early warning bulletinsInformal.
Ad.4 Television broadcasting.Annual crop reviews.


INFROMATION OUTPUT
Ad.1 One weekly retail/wholesale price reporting - Once weekly market commentary.
Ad.2 Once weekly price reporting.
Ad.3 Monthly/quarterly price trends.Periodical price analysis.
Ad.4 Annual crop analysis.Market and marketing issues.

As earlier indicated that AMIC maintains a database on selected agricultural produce and inputs. This consists mainly of price information obtaining in the districts through out the country. Analysis of the prices and quantity supplies is done from time to time to establish the seasonal trends at any given time and location and indeed countrywide.


AMIC’s CHALLENGES TODATE

- Communication barriers in agricultural marketing information dissemination to the intended beneficiaries i.e. the rural small-scale farmers at block and camp level. This is particularly so, as it pertains to agricultural marketing extension. Most of our colleagues in agricultural extension would want to treat marketing aspects as an extra duty for which allowances should be drawn separately. Therefore, there is a strong bias towards concentration on production extension.

- Also despite efforts having been made to provide all the nine provincial and seventy- three-district market development & cooperatives officers with a computer and fax machine each. It has been very difficult to have all the computers connected to Internet and to even sustain the whole year round operations of the fax machines, because of budget constraints.
- The other challenge that AMIC has been faced with is the lack of adequate appreciation of ICTs by many people. This is to say most people in our country despite being educated, they are ICTs illiterate and mostly our Government leaders and our elders who in their time did without ICTs.

Lessons

It has been learnt that ICTs effectiveness, like any other development is dependant on the infrastructure development status in a given location. In this case ICTs success will depend on the status of the Telecommunications system and other related infrastructure. Therefore the involvement of Government or political will at all levels is greatly vital for ICTs development.

Enhanced use of ICTs, unlike the postal services & telegrams information delivery system, The use of modern ICTs is quicker and cost effective. This is to say you are able to transfer information with in the press of the button i.e. Fax, e-mail, website, Internet and phone. At the same time you expect to spend less money to deliver or to receive the message with the modern ICTs locally or Internationally.

Using the modern ICTs i.e. Computers, e-mails, faxes, phones and websites, there are less or no chances of loosing information as it goes straight to the rightful inbox, website, fax machine or phone as required. Unlike the ordinary postal communication delivery system, which easily and is likely to face information loses or misdirection and distortion.


ADVICE


:
§ At the time of any ICTs project inception, the initiators should first of all identify all the possible stakeholders, inclusive of the main end beneficiaries. Here the examples of stakeholders in any possible ICTs project are: Government departments, the ministry of Finance & national development planning, private sector institutions, IT- experts, universities, colleges, IT- enterprise, NGOs, CBOs and individuals interested in ICTs.
§ Upon identification of all the possible stakeholders, it is time for the initiators to first send out project introduction documents to all possible stakeholders, highlighting the vision, goals and objectives of the project. Other details should include: benefits, beneficiaries, possible would be required stakeholders involvement and the projects programmes details.
§ Therefore, at this stage after the various stakeholders have sent in their contributions and comments, then an all stakeholders forum could be held to chart the way forward. Here it should be noted that Government should be the key stakeholder and lead the way as facilitator.


§ For the successful implementation of the ICTs project, the initiators, government and all the other possible stakeholders should look at the available ICTs infrastructure, the required minimum and maximum ICTs/infrastructure development for possible government/private sector investment. Therefore, through an all stakeholders forum. All should be able to make their respective commitments.
§ Important in efficient ICTs project implementation is that when ever the new ICTs system or equipment is being introduced, subsequent/advanced ICTs training should be introduced to help equip the would be/end users with the rightful skills to operate the respective equipment..
§ To businesses and governments more especially in the developing world like Zambia. The use of enhanced ICTs as a tool of agro marketing information delivery, education, development, health and the entire e-commerce delivery as it contributes to efficiency and cost effectiveness in business transactions delivery. Therefore, the introduction of new ICTs equipment should be backed up with new advanced and the rightful ICTs education/training to all possible expected ed users or project participants.

Development Impacts

AMIC’s potential development plans include: the introduction of monthly and quarterly bulletins. This was as a result of a user-needs assessment, which was recently carried out, and this further helped to come up with a report with recommendations for some changes in the provision of agriculture market information as follows:
- Unlike the current bi-monthly bulletins contents, the would be monthly and quarterly bulletins are intended to be more encompassing to the extent of providing marketing information not only on few selected crops and prices and other products, but also livestock and fisheries.
- Other information to be provided in the monthly & quarterly bulletins is some new programmes i.e. e-learning, e-commerce,e- health information, district or provincial inter farmers debates via the internet on subjects like:- crop marketing, diversification, seed multiplication, fishing and livestock.

AMIC intends to also set up a detailed and all encompassing website. Other possible new products on the website will be agro import/export application forms, which traders countrywide and internationally can use to apply online, only as long as they would be AMIC/Agro- Import & Exports subscribers (Agro-e-commerce). In view of the current intended future plans by AMIC in its efforts towards poverty reduction among our rural farmers and national social economic development. AMIC is promoting the establishment of effective Agro marketing information delivery. .

These intended new information networks is expected to contribute to enhanced agro marketing information delivery between the AMIC- network administration center with provincial & district AMIC focal point persons and other stakeholders. Other linkages intended to be enhanced ,are with the field services department, in the ministry of agriculture & cooperatives, which has extension officers at block and camp levels respectively.

Therefore, it is important to note that agricultural profitability and development is based on the effectiveness of the agro marketing information system in place. This is because it helps farmers to make informed choices and indeed to be able to access the rightful profitable market for their agro inputs and produce and subsequetely creating a competitive ,profitable agro- inputs and produce market.

It is AMIC’s intentions to have all the nine provincial senior market development & cooperative officers with their seventy three district market development & cooperative officers, to have all their computers connected to the internet and working with their local NGOs, CBOs and other private sector enterprises to set up district & regional Agricultural marketing information centers ,to provide the bridge for information divide by providing all the necessary information services and other rural development information services to farmers, traders, NGOs, CBOs and to all on demand. This is expected to contribute to increased crop production, food security, job creation, access to education and national social economic development.

To sustain the intended would be established district & regional agricultural marketing information centers. It’s AMICs intended strategy to institute a cost recovery plan to help guarantee the continuity of the programme and that it should be fully implemented on a public- private sector partnership basis. Unlike commercial expensive ICTs - service providers .

Therefore, kindly find below is the list of some of the initial district/ regional agricultural marketing information centers cost recovery plan’s propossed activities as follows:

· Secretarial services
· Online consultancy services i.e. market linkages, proposal preparations/ business planning & others
· Photo coping and online contract marketing .
· Videoconferencing facilities hire services i.e. long distant learning, international debates, agricultural debates.
· Farmers’ cooperative annual cash/ in kind subscription for the monthly & quarterly bulletins.
· Email receiving & sending services and others.

Finally, it is AMICs intention to establish effective partnerships and collaborations with IICD and its partners to help set up the fore said district and regional agricultural information centers. AMIC through the author of this story, appeals to IICD and its’ collaborating partners to help it achieve its desired potential as highlighted above under future plans activities .

Therefore, to be able to carry out this plan, AMIC needs about five computers each for the proposed nine provincial & seventy-three-district network centers and five computers for the network administration centre. One copier printer and photocopier each per center. Six phone lines each and all computers connected to the Internet service. The other requirement is about US$ 550,000 for the running costs and other expenses for the next three years incubation period. At this level the project would be run by a public-private sector Board of trustees with Government represented by the permanent secretaries and directors of the Ministries of Agricculture and Cooperatives and Finance and National Development Planning.The other Representatives on the Board to be from ;NGOs, Corparating partners,Donors,private sectors and ICTs experts for Technical advice to the Board . Finally this is intended to serve as a good foundation for the subsequent establishment of an would be efficient Country Gateway Portal(National website with links to all in Development) and indeed to serve as a Model ,for possible replication mostly for the Developing Countries.

Project Information

Organisation : ELIAD International Corporation
Total budget in US$ : -
Country of activity: Zambia [ZM]

Are there any partners involved : yes
What is partners role?: The role of the food security research project (FSRP) is to also provide part funding in addition to the projects main annual government funding which is quiet limited. Here the support by FSRP is expected to end this September.

ELIAD International Corporation’s partnership with AMIC is in terms of information networking and trying to work together in coming up with innovative ways of enhancing AMICs operations i.e. Participating in the 2001 world bank group development marketplace innovations competition with a proposal in titled “ Information & Communication Technologies the Tool for Social-economic Empowerment of the rural poor.”.

Contact Information

Edwin Zulu
ezulucamp@hotmail.com

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