AMITSA Brochure

AMITSA is a multi‐country, web‐ and mobile‐ based market information system on agro‐inputs for eastern and southern Africa implemented in collaboration with IFDC Esoko COMESA and EAC collaboration with IFDC, Esoko, COMESA and EAC. IFDC is a public international organization that focuses on increasing and sustaining food security and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient y p technology and agribusiness expertise. IFDC is governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing countries. The nonprofit Center is supported by various bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, private foundations and national ggovernments. Visit www.ifdc.orgg Esoko is a market information exchange that allows anyone to distribute or collect market information over their mobile phones. With up‐to‐date market information, businesses and individuals can access prices, browse offers to buy or sell, or advertise their own products and services. Results demonstrate that farmers and agro‐dealers are able to improve revenues by negotiating better prices or selecting more favorable markets for their produce.

Visit www.esoko.com

COMESA is a regional economic community (REC) with 19 member countries and a population of over 400 million. COMESA agriculture policy is implemented through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), which aims to increase market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade‐related f d h d l d interventions. Visit www.comesa.int EAC is an REC comprised of five member countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – and about 120 million people. The EAC Agriculture and Rural Development policy and strategy emphasize the achievement of food and strategy emphasize the achievement of food security through the promotion of appropriate use of agro‐inputs. Visit www.eac.int Contacts : Bridget OKUMU, MIS specialist | email: bokumu@ifdc.org | email: info@amitsa.org IFDC East & Southern Africa | Nairobi, Kenya | tel +254‐20‐8632720 | email: ifdckenya@ifdc.org

Improving access to market and technical information on agricultural inputs in Eastern and Southern Africa

www.amitsa.org www.esoko.com/amitsa info@amitsa.org

Improving access to market and technical information on agricultural inputs in Eastern and Southern Africa www.amitsa.org | www.esoko.com/amitsa | email: info@amitsa.org

Strengthening MIS to boost agricultural production

Building partnerships across the region

The role of the inputs market in promoting food security and agricultural growth is critical to the success of regional and national agricultural policies.

AMITSA has built partnerships to collect and distribute agro‐input market information with:  Regional programs implemented in COMESA and EAC countries such as ACTESA, COMRAP, etc.  Agro input trade associations such as CropLife, IFA, AFSTA and their regional and national members. g

Among the major constraints to increased use of agro‐inputs in East Africa is the lack of information about these agro‐inputs. g p

 Farmers’ groups including EAFF, KENFAP and ZNFU.

It is against this background that IFDC in collaboration with the East Africa Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have developed AMITSA, the Regional Agricultural Input Market Information and Transparency System. p y y

Compiling market information from 8 countries

 National, regional and commodity‐based MIS.  Ministries of Agriculture, shipping councils, customs and statistics, NEPAD and FAO.  NGOs and projects funded by DGIS, AGRA and USAID.

Serving agro‐dealers and farmers

Since April 2010, AMITSA has built a comprehensive regional network of KENYA correspondents in eight countries and correspondents in eight countries, and trained more than 230 agro‐dealers in MALAWI 120 towns in the region to share monthly MOZAMBIQUE retail prices and sales trends from their agro‐input shops.

RWANDA 50 fertilizer, seed and crop protection TANZANIA products have been selected which are products have been selected, which are UGANDA mostly used by smallholder farmers to produce food crops.

ZAMBIA BURUNDI

Sharing agro‐input market information

AMITSA gives free access to timely market data and information on agricultural input markets for the benefit of agro‐dealers and their associations the benefit of agro‐dealers and their associations, agro‐input traders and producers, and to farmers and their organizations.

AMITSA establishes business linkages among agricultural input importers from different countries and regions and international input manufacturers and traders manufacturers and traders.

In 2011, the AMITSA network comprises more than 5,000 agro ‐dealers and 100,000 farmers.

Launching AMITSA mobile services

AMITSA website’s free content includes:

The integration of Esoko mobile services to AMITSA in 2011 is broadening the availability of market information and services to nearly every farmer and agro‐dealer in the region by allowing data to be transmitted and received via text messages.

National and local prices for key fertilizers, seeds and crop protection products. International prices for fertilizers. Directories of major agro‐input dealers, producers, importers and associations.

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 SMS alerts (prices, offers).

SMS alerts (prices offers)

On line management tool for price, production, consumption and trade statistics.

 SMS messaging (prices, market news, technical and extension messages).

Regulatory, policy and technical publications.

 SMS polling for marketing and M&E uses.

Market news and events.

Register for free at www.esoko.com

 SMS inventory tracking.