Dyke, P.

Gutta, J.

Kaitho, R.

Kariuki, G.

Kebebe, E.

Kingamkono, M.

Ndungu, J.

English

University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky UKnowledge International Grassland Congress Proceedings XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress Stimulating Market Led Livestock Production through Information Communication Technologies: Experiences from Pastoral Areas of Eastern Africa R. Kaitho Texas A&M University G. Kariuki GL‐CRSP LINKS, Kenya E. Kebebe GL‐CRSP LINKS, Ethiopia J. Gutta GL‐CRSP LINKS, Tanzania J. Ndungu GL‐CRSP LINKS, Kenya See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc  Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/22-1/11 The XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress took place in Hohhot, China from June 29 through July 5, 2008. Proceedings edited by Organizing Committee of 2008 IGC/IRC Conference Published by Guangdong People's Publishing House This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Grassland Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu. Presenter Information R. Kaitho, G. Kariuki, E. Kebebe, J. Gutta, J. Ndungu, M. Kingamkono, and P. Dyke This event is available at UKnowledge: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/22-1/11 　 Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World 　 Volume Ⅱ 　 瞯 ]1069　 瞯Grasslands/Rangelands People and Policies———Market andMarketing for Grasslands/RangelandsStimulating market led livestock production through information communication technologies :experiences from pastoral areas of eastern AfricaR . K aitho1 , G . K ariuki2 , E . Kebebe4 , J . Gutta3 , J . N dung�u2 , M . K ingamkono3 , P . Dyke11 Center f or Natural Resource In f ormation Technology , 2126 TAMU . College S tation , TX 77843‐2126 , USA , E‐mail :rkaitho＠ cnrit .tamu .edu , 2 ,3 ,4 G lobal L ivestock CRSP L ivestock In f ormation Network and K now ledge System (GL‐CRSPL INK S ) , 2 K enya , 3 Tanz ania and 4 Ethiop ia .Key words : livestock , information , communication , technologyIntroduction A reliable livestock market information system is a key element in supporting decision‐making of traders ,middlemen and policy makers and contributes to the development of the livestock sub‐sector . It enhances the capacity ofproducers and traders to anticipate and plan for their livestock business transactions . Policymakers will make use of theinformation as an integral component of their planning processes as countries strive to improve the capacity of the livestock sub‐sector to contribute to enhanced livelihoods and improved economic conditions . The objectives of the Livestock InformationNetwork and Knowledge System ( LINKS ) are to report livestock price and volume data consistently and in time , availinformation through various media to stakeholders in livestock marketing , establish a livestock marketing database for referencein planning , research and monitoring of marketing trends , and to provide early warning information for disaster preparedness .Materials and methods The spatial location of markets facilitates the integration of markets into a reporting network bothnationally and across different countries is the basis for building a regional decision support system based on spatial models oflivestock movement and marketing off‐take . Livestock market monitors are typically drawn from collaborating nationalinstitutions of each major livestock market location ( Stuth , et al . , ２００６) in each country . They collect data on livestock pricesand volumes through interviews with traders during the peak of a market day . The data is coded and sent using short messageservice ( SMS) , E‐mail or posted directly to the web .Results and discussion Through collaboration with all stakeholders , LINKS technologies were adopted and integrated indeveloping national livestock marketing information systems for Kenya , Ethiopia and Tanzania . This resulted to a basicnetwork of national , regional and international organizations integrating livestock marketing information in their systems .T raining workshops was carried out to sensitize the stakeholders . The focus of the training was to make them understand theimportance of livestock price information and equip them with simple , workable , evidence‐based systems for data collecting andanalysis , coupled with user friendly information delivery mechanisms . This led to an establishment of an effective andsustainable livestock market information system designed to serve the needs of producers , consumers , traders , processors andpolicymakers and elicit appropriate marketing behaviour . Currently we have １４ , １７ and ３２ active livestock markets in Tanzania ,Kenya and Ethiopia respectively . In Kenya at market level , training of traders , middlemen and producers were conducted in ３３markets within １５ districts reaching out to over ５ ,０００ people with over １０％ as women . It was noted that women participate indecision making in livestock issues , but they are nevertheless less visible due to cultural constraints .Livestock market information is now continuously generated and disseminated using print media , internet ( http :/ / www .lmiske .net ( Kenya) ; http :/ / www .lmiset .net ( Ethiopia) ; http :/ / www .lmistz .net ( Tanzania) and mobile phones accessible inall the three countries . There is evidence that stakeholders are benefiting from us of the LINKS services as there is increasingdemand for the products .Conclusions Basic communication technologies such as SMS can play a major role in improving connectivity among markets andthis can help communities of livestock producers identify markets for their livestock and improve their knowledge of prices inthose markets . Developing the technical and human capacity to meet market information needs and decision support forlivestock producers�helps to bridge the gap between markets and producers .ReferenceStuth , J . , Jama , A . , Kaitho , R . , Wu , J . , Ali , A . , Kariuki , G . , Kingamkono , M . , ２００６ . Livestock market informationsystems for East Africa : The case of LINKS/GLCRSP . In : McPeak J , Little P . Pastoral Livestock marketing in EasternAfrica .Research and Policy Challenges . Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd . ２０３‐２２５ .

Stimulating Market Led Livestock Production through Information Communication Technologies: Experiences from Pastoral Areas of Eastern Africa

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3886&context=igc

Stimulating Market Led Livestock Production through Information Communication Technologies: Experiences from Pastoral Areas of Eastern Africa

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