Research on ICT-based Marketing Information System

Research on ICT-based Marketing Information System

Institute of Economics Research (IER), at BDU, jointly with Bureau of Trade and Transport (BoTT) of the Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) has conducted an ICT-based Marketing Information System (IMS) needs assessment on Mecha and Fogera woredas.

The objective of the study was to assess and analyze the opportunities and challenges of implementing ICT-based MIS in Mecha and Fogera Woredas of the region and to propose a better ICT-based MIS.

ICT-based MIS helps farmers in planning production to meet market demand and negotiate prices on equal footing with wholesalers and retailers in relation to procurement, marketing and distribution. It also helps to reduce the risks and lower the transaction costs of farmers and other actors in the agricultural value chains.

The study has shown that the existing system was not designed based on predefined MI model, and it has technical and functional drawbacks.

Thus, to meet these challenges, the study has proposed new Integrated Market Information System (IMIS) for the bureau in general and the two Woreda’s in particular. The new system will support web, SMS and voice communication for MI dissemination and delivery.
The system will be full-fledged and fully functional to disseminate and exchange information. It will be expandable and upgradable to the specified sites based on capacity and demands enabling the office provide regional, national or global wide market information delivery.
The system will provide permanent data storage and analysis. The system will provide online data encoding using smart-phones or computers. It will also provide MI using multiple interfaces like web, voice and SMS.

The system will provide MI based on location and context of users. Specific information on market prices, market price trends, production inputs, supplies and demands can be searched using the system. Supervision for policy makers and administrators in addition to having interface to integrate with other software systems will be offered by the system.