Mobile Technology

Innovation for Improved Farming

HEALTH | TECHNOLOGY | SUSTAINABILITYwww.ilabsea.org

Tharum BunCommunications and Digital Media Manager

May 18, 2016

We design and use open source technology tools to help partners enhance collaboration, share knowledge and improve information flow so partners can better deliver critical services in their communities.

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Increase Farmers’ Access to Improved Fragrant Rice Seeds Through the Introduction of Voice Response System (Verboice)

Challenge: how might we help increase

May - December 2014 (extended to March 2015)

Timeline

Challenge: how might we help increase

farmers’ ‘knowledge, attitude and practice’ toward their seed selection

and use?

Cambodia’s connectivity landscape

~ 3 - 4 million internet users in Cambodia as of 2014,

said Cambodia’s Commerce Minister

and a Googler

at BarCamp Phnom Penh

~ 19 million mobile phones~ 1.3 phones for each of the country’s 15 million people

source: Southeast Asia Globe Magazine,

November 2013

Mobile phone landscape: Cambodia

Approach: Access to information through mobile phone

Approach: the most basic & inclusive level of communication

Approach: the most basic and inclusive level of communication

Key Results: disseminated information

74% of farmers interviewed said they learned about the benefit of fragrant rice seeds over the phone call.

Key Results: disseminated information about

where to get fragrant rice seeds

Key Results: disseminated information about

radio channels and schedules that broadcast farming techniques

Key Results

More than 3000 minutes of the voice messages were

played

Lessons learned:

Most of the farmers told us that the voice is a little bit fast. Some time, some of them need to listen twice in order to understand.

Voice messages should be short, clear, and entertaining

Lessons learned:

Most of the farmers are not familiar with the keypad.

Farmers use phone for answering and receiving calls.

Interactive Voice Response: www.verboice.instedd.org

create and run applications via voice, thereby overcoming

literacy and geographical barriers

Interactive Voice Response: www.verboice.instedd.org

Interactive Voice Response: www.verboice.instedd.org

Contact?phnompenh@instedd.org

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