BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless BoonaNET SMS & IM Mediated Price Information for Crops in Ethiopia Samuel Kinde Kassegne + , Ashenafi Assefa ++ and Mieso Denko +++ + Professor of Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA ++ Project Coordinator, FeedeliX Wireless, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia +++ Professor of Computer Science, University of Guelph, Canada. August 22, 2007, WITFOR 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless BoonaNET SMS & IM Mediated Price Information for Crops in Ethiopia Samuel Kinde Kassegne +, Ashenafi Assefa ++ and Mieso.
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BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
BoonaNET SMS & IM Mediated Price Information for Crops in
Ethiopia
Samuel Kinde Kassegne+, Ashenafi Assefa++ and Mieso Denko+++
+ Professor of Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
+++ Professor of Computer Science, University of Guelph, Canada.
August 22, 2007, WITFOR 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
What the project is all about ………….
BoonaNet – the use of SMS (text messaging) and IM (instant messaging) technologies in LOCAL SCRIPT (Ethiopic) for commodity market information collection and retrieval. Commodities considered: Coffee, Teff, and Berbere – Red Pepper/Paprika.
Images courtesy: Feedelix,WFP, LYIP, Savory,Oxfam
Ethiopic SMS
Ethiopic IM
Boona - Coffee
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
What we will cover in this talk ………….
1. Project Objectives
2. Enabling Technology
3. Unique Application – Localized SMS/IM for pricing info.
4. What We Propose
5. What We Have Done
6. Commoditization Models for COFFEE, TEFF, and BERBERE
7. Deployment of Technology – BoonaNET and Extended BoonaNET
8. Analysis of Data (Coffee, Teff, and Berbere)
9. Pilot Project Evaluation
10.Future Plans
11.Acknowledgments
Images courtesy: Feedelix,WFP, AFOZ
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
Goal 1 - Introduction of SMS
& IM in local script (Ethiopic)
Gondar – 2200 m
Sanka-Ber - 3240 m
Cheneq - 3600 m
Towards Ambiqo- 4000 m
Ras Dashen – 4620 m
Goal 2 - Build infrastructure for commodity price system (hardware – servers; software – client).
Goal 3 - Recruit, train and deploy team in coffee/teff/berbere regions.
Goal 4 - Build database of commodity price information – mobile
Goal 5 - Demonstrate Impact on Commodities Market.
Project Objectives
The Ras Dashen Model
[Highest point in Ethiopia]
Images courtesy: WFP, LYIP, Savory. WWGT1
5
is (this == ‘Model’ || this == ‘Metaphor’)
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
Technical Basis – Enabling Technology
Mapped to 12 keys345 char
New SMS traffic trans. protocol
Feedelix Server
1- Any device
2 - Anytime
Feedelix Core Technology:
BREAK the SCRIPT BARRIER - Make Mobile Content Available on Any Device – Any Platform – Anytime.
Existing Solution: Hindi, Ethiopic, Chinese (Q4-07), Arabic (Q1-08), More Indic (08).
Indic Scripts (Hindi, Marathi, Gujaratti, etc)
ChineseScript (Pin-Yin)
Ethiopic Script
Arabic Script + variants (Persian, Urdu, etc)
Mapping & Rendering Technology for Non-Latin Scripts – Mobile Phones
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
BROAD QUESTION: Can our technology be used to impact ordinary lives in developing countries now that mobile devices are ubiquitous?
FACTS ON THE GROUND
1.Farmers are getting paid a fraction of the value of their crops and continue to live in perpetual poverty [85% of Ethiopia]
2.Current commodity price information is based on radio and print media (Once in 2 weeks for coffee). No technology for real-time information is available. Need technology with Local Script (writing systems) support.
3.Successful model in the use of SMS (Roman/Latin script) for market information demonstrated in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, etc. [Kace Kenya]
Unique Application – Commodity Prices
Images courtesy: Feedelix, WHO
BoonaNet by Feedelix Wireless
Provide market and price content using technology: Mobile as well as desktop. Languages/Script: Amharic, Tigrigna, and Afaan Oromo.
What We Propose………..
Merits:
1. Higher/Competitive prices for goods
2. Bargaining power for farmers
Broader Impact:
1. Empower networking effect
2. Make the Ethiopian farmer compete at previously out-of-reach levels – say regional & global markets.