www.mercycorps.org/research-reso...gri-fin-mobile
Half of the billion people affected by undernourishment worldwide earn their primary living from smallholder agriculture. The productivity of these farmers remains very low. A major issue in this context is the lack of access to technical and market information, and to financial services. Providing access to rural advisory and financial services through mobile phones – a highly promising medium to reach millions in remote areas – has a high potential to improve smallholders’ productivity, stabilise their incomes, thus contributing to increased food security.
Access to mobile phone networks is growing dramatically in rural areas of developing countries, providing a powerful channel of communication and the ability to link excluded rural communities to up-to-date information. The aim of the present project is to “bundle” key services of agricultural advice from private sector, research and extension institutions with financial services providers and telecommunications companies.