Question 2 (opens 21 May) Who are critical stakeholders and how do they use ICT?

From Afraca perspective, the key actors/stakeholders in agricultural and rural finance are it's membership base which include but not limited to Central Banks ( Regulators), Commercial Banks, Development/Agricultural Banks, Microfinance Banks/Institutions (service providers) and other Institutions involved in promoting or providing rural and agricultural financial services especially to bottom of the pyramid communities/actors.Many Afraca members have significantly expanded their outreach at greatly reduced cost by the use of ICT to disburse credit and collect repayments, provide extension services, market information/linkages and weather information among others. The potential of using ICT are huge and remain untapped among many Afraca members. However, With support from development partners in the areas of capacity building, infrastructure partining adoption and use of ICT to provide the required services, the agricultural financial inclusion campaign would be grately accelerated.

Should we understand that it is necessary in many cases to bundle several service types - not only financial, but also technical, meterological, etc. - together in order for the ICT-delivered package to be a sustainable business?

Good point Michael,
In fact, one of the more interesting ICT applications I have seen related to agricultural development comes from GeoTraceability Ltd.  They provide traceability and mapping solutions that record small holder farm size, socio economic and agricultural information, such as disease and pest prevalence and fertilizer usage.   This valuable information is attached to business models for new and enhanced smallholder production and AZMJ is exploring with GeoTraceability the possibility of using their information data sets to reduce risks associated with farmer finance.  One of the common concerns cited by agricultural finance specialists is that local financial institutions rarely have the tools or ability to determine the actual productive land size for which a loan proposal is made. GeoTraceability's system documents land size and conditions, primarily for certifications and traceability concerns, so this and other information collected could be used by local financial institutions to systematically reduce risks and make better loan decisions.

Agriculturist needs to meet unforeseen and unkown expences till such time the crop is cut and it is sold in the market.
[1]These expenses include unknown mid term pest[2] Unexpected water shortage for water in the middle of crop[3]Unexpected malaria ,typhoid extra which may make him not able to attend to crop cultivation in any phase[4]Unexpected family expenses for children education,marriage etc.All this excludes disasters and natural calamities.

If suppose an employee is in the situation and wants money he turns to the bank or his office,with gurentee of his job for re-payment.

Unless the crop is insured and the documents of crop insurence,crop sales are atleast  pleadged he cannot get a personal loan any where.

The least and last he can do is pledge his land,if he has not already done so for the capital for the crop sowing and other activities.

In essence it is imperative that assured financial institutions assess the money one can lend based on his assets and net worth and keep the record of his payments so that further money he can acess as and when needed.
This is where the ICT is a definite tool.

Similarly banks give overdraft payment to merchants,and Bank gurentees to the contractors.We all are aware how the banking and property[tangible and intangible assets] are valued.So why not the former world over get this benifit.

This is a case even in India also,where the business community,traders and contractors find favor while the farmer is at his mercy.

The last thing the governments ,even in developed countries does is announce a subsidy ,or a support price for the main produce of the agriculturist.

There are a number of Agriculture micro- Insurance who use ICT for various purposes and these include:

MFIs/ Banks- use ICT for marketing, policy documentation, enrollment, lend to more remote/ higher risk farmers, lowers risk of defaulting, more penetration of credit  

Farm input suppliers- use ICT for marketing, policy documentation, enrollment, sales promotion, extend outreach, increase customer loyalty and takeup, reduce risk of defaulting 

Meteorological services- VAS's such as crop advisories, pest warnings, flood warnings, seasonal forecasts, better data for validation and analytics

NGOs- use ICT for marketing, better farmer awareness, more access to credit, increased protection from livelihood shocks 

Farmer cooperatives- use ICT for marketing, better farmer awareness, more access to credit, increased protection from livelihood shocks

Government- use ICT for increased outreach, better explanation of policies, increased penetration of credit

Insurance companies- use ICT for better customer experience, efficient claims handling, better data for analysis, marketing

Reinsurance companies- use ICT for better, more transparent speedy data, speedy claims handling, improve transparency in product

Well no doubt that advanced technologies have to be adopted for gathering and dissimation of information.The proximity to maximum users and land owners and the extent of land and or other property held by them has to be brought to the digital format.This can be done by upgrading the services available at the Registar offices locally.
Thanks to all of you,for hearing my questions if not my suggestions.

Thank you for your suggestions! It is clear that ICT can play a role in many types of rural services and development activities. Do you know of examples where land or property information is directly linked to financial services through the use of ICT like mobile phones?

Not exactly but now in india the ownership of lands is on line in many states.Secure agencies can acess the data on line.

Last month i saw in,Phoneix, Arizona,USA that the ownership of property can be seen on the on line sites established for the same purpose.

The financer can view the same and can get what ever documentary evidence he needs on line to support the agriculturist.

But some countries in Eastren Africa are yet to finalise their land holding rights,verses property rights to the agriculture community.

Mr.Secgenafraca,Mr.Michael Riggs,Ms.Julie,Acampion

I am sorry i had not introduced.I am a charted engineer and a charted Valuer for properties[Tangible and intangible,including agriculture properties.]

I am a fellow of Institution of Engineers[India]another Fellow of Valuers,Fellow of Bridge engineers.

I passed my engineering graduation in 1976,prior to that i had a Engineering Diplamo.

I had over 40 years of experience in design of water retaing,agriculture systems,along with all other civil,structural and mechanical works.

I worked in Ethiopia in teaching construction management at Jijiga,Deddar in 2001-03,Kuwait-in 2005,Saudi Arabia-in 1998.

I had submitted more than a dozen papers in national and USA seminars,including a paper on strategies we need to adopt for Business in Africa[in 2005 in India,and in 2011 at USA].I wrote books on construction management.

I am also member of Forum for Heritage and Culture of The UNESCO,Forum-HIFA-2015,Etc

Thank you for the introduction and for participating in the forum! Please also tell any colleagues that you think are interested in this subject.