Article
An SMS market information service recently launched in Zambia could be the first step towards creating a mobile phone commodity market for the whole of Africa and link up previously isolated small farmers. After a year of pilot testing, the SMS trading system is showing great promise in Zambia’s rural regions. “From the beginning, we realised that there was a great potential for the system to develop and engage small farmers”, said Dick Siame, manager of the market information development programme in Zambia. “Because Zambia is sparsely populated, it is very difficult for them to get information and to be an active part of the trading process”.