Smart phones to share agricultural information
CKW shares agricultual information from her ReadySet-powered Android phone.
As part of it’s Mobile Agriculture initiative, which leverages the power of the mobile phone to help fight “information poverty” among poor, rural farmers, the Grameen Foundation’s AppLab has deployed more than 900 Community Knowledge Workers (CKWs) across Uganda in 20 districts. The CKWs use simple Huawei IDEOS smart to get agriculture tips, market prices, weather forecasts and other information to poor farmers deep in rural villages.
A problem Grameen encountered in the early days of deployment was the lack of reliable electricity in those rural villages to charge the smartphones. Originally they gave car batteries to the CKWs as a means of charging their phones – but these batteries were limited in the amount of recharges they provided and were in constant need for maintenance.
ReadySet powering information to 62,000 farmers
In 2011, Fenix began small volume production of the ReadySet achieved its first sales to Grameen CKWs as alternative to using local car batteries.
Grameen gives each CKW a 2-year no interest loan to purchase an Android phone and a ReadySet. They then earn an income from conducting agricultural surveys on their smart phones as well as using the ReadySet to become phone charging entrepreneurs.
The ReadySet now powers over 900 Community Knowledge Workers, helping deliver valuable agricultural information to nearly 62,000 farmers.
Creating meaningful incomes through phone charging
Annette, a Grameen CKW, makes more than $40/month running a success ReadySet phone charging business.
With the ReadySet, CKWs can build a side business by charging their neighbors and friends a small amount of money to recharge their phones or run other micro-business opportunities that need reliable electricity. It also helps the CKWs personally because they can power a light bulb in their house, enable their kids do homework at night, ensure greater home security, and reduce the use of expensive, dangerous fuels like kerosene and paraffin that they typically burn for light.