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Delivering ICT for Farmers in Nigeria (ICT For Farmers Project) November 2012 Presented by Abdullahi Maikano Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund. Content. Introduction Concepts What we have done to date Findings from what we have done Next steps Appendix - Clusters.
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Delivering ICT for Farmers in Nigeria (ICT For Farmers Project) November 2012 Presented by Abdullahi Maikano Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund
Content Introduction Concepts What we have done to date Findings from what we have done Next steps Appendix - Clusters
Introduction The innovative project, dubbed ‘ICT for Farmers’, is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology, aims to provide farmers with access to pertinent agriculture-related information, advice and research that will help them make better decisions about their crops, increasing the productivity of their yield, as well as their potential income through the use of ICT. It will also help create a farmer community within which peers can share experiences and exchange information about social gatherings, events, and opportunities. The initiative aims to facilitate the rapid scaling of the use of mobile phone to provide farmers across the country with agricultural information.
Project Concept Objectives: The project is focused on projects/services that provide agricultural related information to farmers directly, through the use of ICTs. The project is aimed to achieve the following: • Extension mobile network coverage and ICT services through mobile phone to farmers across the country • Provision of mobile phone to registered farmers • Establishment of CUG (Closed User Group) for the registered farmers in order to provide them with lower calling tariffs • Building of information centres in each state of the federation Strategy: • To partner with the FMARD and GSM/CDMA operators to achieve the project objectives • To provide subsidies to the GSM/CDMA operators to extend their network to farmer locations and provide the necessary ICT tools Project Phases: The project is proposed to be implemented in two phases: • Pilot Phase I: 37 LGAs in 13 states and FCT across the six geo-political zones in the country are to be selected for the pilot phase • Phase II: Other LGAs not covered in the pilot phase
418,744 farmers have been targeted for the pilot phase NOTE: Source of data – Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development No data for Bayelsa state as of the time of this report was compiled Registered farmers with phones will be migrated to the new platform/CUG
What we have done to date… In order to deliver ICT service to farmers across the country the following tasks were done to date: • A Committee was established and met with the representatives of the FMARD & their Consultants • All LGAs of the federation with registered farmers have been grouped into clusters. • Cluster maps were generated for all the un-served states • Preliminary responsibility matrix has been drawn for the contributions of the USPF, FMARD & LGA.- See Appendix I • Pilot LGA sites have been identified in all the geographical zones of the federation. • Outcome: Verify the status of telecom service in the Pilot LGAs, which were selected based on high number of farmers registered by the Fed. Ministry of Agriculture with low number of farmers with phones.
… to achieve the goal of extending ICT to farmers, 37 pilot sites were selected across 13 states and the FCT Sokoto (Kebbe, Wurno & Sokoto South) Kaduna (Giwa, Lere & Birnin Gwari) Gombe (Balanga, Dukku & Yamaltu Deba) Kwara (Asa, Pategi & Illorin East) Adamawa (Fufore, Jada, Mayo Belwa & Demsa) Ogun (Remo North, Obafemi Owode, & Ewekoro) FCT (Kuje) Ondo (Akure North, Ondo West, Ondo East & Ile Oluji/Okeigo) Benue (Oturkpo, Gwer West & Ado Igumule) Ebonyi (Ikwo, Abakaliki, Izzi & Ohaukwu) Delta (Burutu, Patani & Ethiope West) Anambra (Ayamelum, Aguata, Anambra West, Anambra East, Onyi, Njikoka & Anaocha) Bayelsa (Burutu, Patani & Southern Ijaw) • Outcome: It was noted that most of the LGA headquarters are served by two or more operators; however the surroundings are un-served or under-served.
Findings from the verification of the 37 locations • The teams identified 1 un-served LGA, 5 under-served LGAs and 31 served LGA Headquarters. • The adjoining towns and villages of most LGA headquarters were under-served because of low signal strength emanating from the BTSs that are located in the LGA headquarters. • The LGA headquarters are covered by at least two (2) Operators, however the coverage in fringes are poor. Recommendation: All the operators identified in those areas and others are to be invited to bring their proposal of extending their services to the adjoining villages and communities, which will include the provision of Closed User Group (CUG), mobile broadband internet facilities and other value added servicesfor registered farmers and others in the LGAs.
Typical Findings: Most LGA headquarters proposed in the pilot sites were found to be fully covered but the fringes were either unserved or under-served BirninGwari LGA Kaduna State Nigeria Note: Indicates area with mobile network service Indicates area without mobile network service
Typical Findings…continued • Our findings typically indicate that • Most of the LGA headquarters. are fully covered. • The fringes are either unserved or under-served. • Significant number of farmers reside in the surroundings and not LGA headquarters. • Only 2 CDMA operators are present in 3 LGA headquarters. • 98% of the Operators with coverage at the LGA headquarters are GSM operators like MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat.
Next steps • Invite the GSM operators for discussion on the findings (see slide 10) • Operators to verify the findings • Operators to survey and design BTS coverage/extension to cover the extend LGAs in the pilot sites • Operators to upgrade network in areas with coverage • Operates to create CUG, and Special SIMS & locked Phones • Migrate farmers already possessing GSM phones to the new platform. • Conclude on RFPs, Tenders and Contracts • Negotiate with Network Operators on Subsidy/Services • Estimate a realistic time frame for project execution
Next steps May 2013 Nov. 2012 Dec. 2012 Jan. 2013 March 2013 Meet with Operators to explain the concept of the project and their contributions vis-à-vis USPFs intervention and other stakeholders. 19th 119th Operators carryout survey or pilot areas 31st Deadline for operators to submit proposals. 28th Evaluated proposals and implementers selected by this day 14th Issue letter of award to successful implementers 18th Public announcement of implementation is made to the Nigerian public Implementation and rollout of services/phones commences 1st • Outcome: All pilot sites and targeted farmers completed by May 2013
USPF – Responsibility Matrix • To facilitate the deployment of Infrastructure that is interoperable for the extension of wireless telecommunication services to un-served and under served locations - The Infrastructure will be opened to all group of people (irrespective of their professions). All groups will have access to the Infrastructure and services that will be rendered by the telecom operators • Provision of Subsidy to Operators (To deploy BTS & other Services) • Provision of ICT tools at Help Desk/Data Centers • Facilitate the creation of CUG • Connectivity to Data Center • FMARD – Policy facilitation • Provide support for Farmers already possessing GSM phones to migrate to the new platform • Facilitate the provision of mobile phones to farmers • Provision of Staff for Help Desk/Data Centers • Facilitate the installation of Software , E-wallet, Information and other extension services • Ensure Farmers registration, Fertilizer distribution etc • Provide accommodation for Data Centers
Major financial contributions • USPF – Provision of Subsidy to Operators • Provision of ICT tools at Help Desk/Data Centers • Subsidies for CUG • Connectivity to Data Center & Farmers • FMARD – Policy facilitation • Provide support for farmers already possessing GSM phones to migrate to the new platform • Provision of Locked mobile phones to farmers • Provision of Staff for Help Desk/Data Centers • FRMIS Software , e-wallet, Information and extension services • Farmers registration, Fertilizers etc. • FARMERS – Partial cost of Handsets • Partial cost of CUG & data services • Note -50% cost of handsets may be subsidized by FMARD to enable sustenance of project.
