Originally published July 24 2005
High-tech cell phones aid rural Africans
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Around 100 farmers in Makuleke, South Africa are testing cell phone technology that gives them access to national markets via the Internet, putting them on a footing with bigger players and boosting profits by at least 30 percent.
Mashva now dials up to a virtual trading platform on his new high-tech phone and sells his produce direct from his small thatched hut on the fringe of the vast Kruger National Park.
"I check the prices for the day on my phone and when it's a good price I sell," he told Reuters from his village in the remote Northeast of South Africa.
Mashva is one of around 100 farmers in Makuleke testing cell phone technology that gives small rural farmers access to national markets via the Internet, putting them on a footing with bigger players and boosting profits by at least 30 percent.
This cell phone enables poor rural farmers to get that same information," said Mthobi Tyamzashe, head of communications at South African cell phone operator Vodacom, which is sponsoring the project.
One of Mashva's neighbors said he had quadrupled his monthly income since using the phone, as he was now able to cut out a middle man who paid him far less than the market price for his cotton crop.
"Last year was really a disaster, I made around 800 rand ($120) a month and was having trouble feeding my family," Jeremiah Chauke told Reuters.
Manobi, a company that operates online systems for businesses in the developing world, first launched the trading platform for farmers and fishermen in the west African nation, and says it has signed up 40,000 customers there.
Manobi has teamed up with French cell phone manufacturer Alcatel and Vodacom to launch the project in South Africa, where it hopes 100,000 farmers will use the system if the Makuleke pilot project takes off.
Vodacom and Alcatel freely admit they do not sponsor projects like this out of the goodness of their hearts--the aim is to expand the cell phone market into rural areas and to sign up new customers before the competition.
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