The AgriTrade Kenya
Overview
The AgriTrade Kenya (ATK) project was conceptualized from a user needs assessment on improving agricultural market efficiencies in Eastern Africa. In 2004, ACWICT worked with a team of graduate students from the University of Michigan to design this innovation, which utilized technology as a tool to drive transparency, increase linkages, and enable farmers to gain more from their hard work. The project aimed to network fishing, livestock, and crop-producing rural communities in the Lake Victoria Basin Region of Kenya with entrepreneurs, processors, and agricultural service providers through an online web portal. This portal showcased goods, services, and best practices while also providing an online trade component, leveraging the most proven theories of market economy, efficiencies through technology, and communication.
The project was implemented by ACWICT in collaboration with LATPROC and the University of Michigan, with Digital Partners providing support in the initial stages. The first phase of the project, completed between November 2003 and August 2004, involved developing the ATK web portal’s Information Architecture (IA), creating training materials, hiring staff, and conducting an information needs assessment. The assessment, carried out jointly with three graduate students from the University of Michigan, sought to understand the information needs of agricultural communities around the Lake Victoria Basin and establish partnerships with government officials and local producers.
Phase II
In the second phase of the project, ACWICT focused on developing the AgriTradeKenya digital platform and establishing Community Multimedia Centres (CMCs) as access points for the agricultural portal. These CMCs served the general public, providing additional services, training, and access to ICTs, thereby contributing to regional technology literacy, education, and development. The project was piloted in the Mbita, Muhoroni, and Migori areas.
The problem statement identified that the economy of the Lake Victoria region, heavily reliant on fishing and agriculture, faced significant challenges due to the high costs and limited access associated with traditional market models, such as agricultural trade fairs. The ATK project strategy aimed to transform these physical-based approaches into real-time, virtual access, providing 24/7 connectivity to market opportunities and information exchange.
Throughout the project’s first phase, ACWICT worked closely with several stakeholders, including the University of Michigan team, LATPROC, and Digital Partners. As the project moved into its second phase, ACWICT sought additional partners to support the implementation of ATK’s planned activities, ensuring the project’s financial sustainability and continued success.
