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The future of information systems- e trade

By Elisha Wasukira

Coordinator, I-Network Uganda

Imperial Royale Hotel - Kampala

1st June 2010

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In this presentation

• Brief about I-Network Uganda

• Some definitions

• For who is MIS and e.trade?

• What is considered “success of MIS –

e.trade?

• Future of Information Systems

• Conclusion

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Relevant brief about I-Network Uganda

• Involved with knowledge sharing, promoting and advocating for successful ICT4D;

• Supported the Rural Information System in collaboration with IICD, UCE, SNV, MTTI – at over 20 centers across the country

• Our role was in the above was to build capacities in the appreciation and use of market intelligence in planned production

• Therefore we have an understanding of the challenges of the end users

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Definitions

• An information system (IS) can be defined as a set of inter-related components working together to collect, retrieve, process, store and distribute information in order to facilitate the planning, control, coordination, analysis and decision making in companies and other organizations

• Information systems – e.trade, refer to those information systems that facilitate trade.

• This presentation is in context of Marketing Information Systems (MIS)

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Definitions (cont.)

• Future of information systems could mean the form (technical) information systems will take, or whether they will have a future (be relevant). This presentation focuses on the relevance of MIS – e.trade

• The question is: how will this relevance develop? Will it remain static, reduce or grow? What are the critical success factors?

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For who is MIS and e.trade?

• For all value chain actors (farmers, traders, transporters, inputs suppliers, financiers, etc)

• Information systems need to be relevant to the characteristics of the actors in the agriculture value chain

• In the case of Uganda, 80% of the population derives their livelihood from agriculture related activities. The bulk of it by small scale farmers in rural settings

• The bulk of the agricultural produce traded (x%?) is from the small scale farmers in rural settings

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What is considered “success of MIS – e.trade?

• Improve efficiency of the value chain; lower “production” costs of all value chain actors, produce more, and most importantly EARN MORE. The success a value chain actor depends on the success of the other actors

• Unfortunately the Information systems are not relevant to the characteristics of one actors in the value chain; the rural small scale farmer. They main not be realizing the benefits of MIS – e.trade

• Success of MIS and therefore its future may depend on the weakest link in the chain; small scale farmer

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Future of information Systems

• The lowest denominator – the small scale farmer, is the critical success factor for the future of information systems

• Focus on “people” and not “technology”. Technologies will evolve, and databases will get bigger and better. However, that is not enough to succeed.

• Convert from “push” to “pull”• Work with content consumers to leverage SMS and Internet

technologies to “pull” content. Provide for interaction and feedback.• Warehouse receipt system• Invest in content relevance, reliability and accuracy

Question: How can the lowest denominator of the critical success factors get addressed?

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Some common characteristics of rural small scale farmers

• Low level of literacy• Not appreciating and approaching small scale

farming and production as a business• Very slow to accept change in methods of

working, technology

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Conclusion

The success of future information systems and their relevance to e trade will depend on their uptake by the weakest link.

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Thank you