The decentralization of market information systems (MIS), an innovation designed to meet actors’ needs: The case of the Malian agricultural market (OMA) watch

Abstract

This report presents the operation and results of a vegetable market information and consultation system (MICS), set up between 2002 and 2005 in Hanoi, to address marketing problems faced by vegetable farmers. A MICS is a market information system (MIS) combined with debates organised among farmers, traders, and development agents to reach common visions and strategies on marketing. Information collected in the first years relating to indicators of origin and supply deficits was disseminated to farmers and extension agents through newsletters and consultation meetings. The process then focused on making daily prices available, as requested by the farmers. The system was based on a network of contact traders and dissemination was by television. The workshops made it possible to reach a consensus for market opportunities arising from periods of supply deficit for some vegetables and how to take advantage of this situation, especially for tomatoes and cabbage imported from China during the rainy season, which presented some quality differences compared to the local products. With regards to price information, the majority of farmers and traders, surveyed by a quick-impact appraisal, stated they had access through television on a regular basis and that they used price information mostly to bargain with traders. Back up for a permanent ''safe'' vegetable producer and trader association was one of the outputs of the MICS. Our experience shows that price dissemination was easier to sustain (with the involvement of the public sector) than the consultation workshops, generally due to low local capacity in terms of meeting facilitation and the present weakness of extension services and sector organisations.

Improvement for Better Impacts of the Market Information System or MIS in Developing Countries

“…These aspects can categorize the MIS as optional for other market actors. As it appears that the quality of this diffusion spontaneous information within marches depends on the institutions which frame the flow of transactions [9], the dissemination of information (by the MIS) is not the only possible action to increase the transparency of markets: it is also possible to act on market institutions to make them more efficient in terms of diffusion of information. And that's what can do some of the services to the actors of the market.…”

Agricultural market information systems in developing countries: New models, new impacts

“…To cite this article: Galtier F, David-Benz H, Subervie J, Egg J, 2014. Agricultural market information systems in developing countries: New models, new impacts.…”

“…While 1GMIS intervened almost always at the national level, 2GMIS have tended to be sized to match the geography of trade in the products concerned and, in some cases, to support regional integration policies. This led to the emergence of regional MIS (AMITSA and RATIN in East and Southern Africa), while others have developed on sub-national scales (e.g., Manobi in Senegal, SIEL in Madagascar) or have been decentralized by disseminating different information in different areas of the country (such as OMA in Mali [Staatz and Dembélé, 2004;Egg et al, 2014]). Also, an inter-connection of different MIS is developing through networks (RESIMAO and Afrique Verte in West Africa) or web platforms (Esoko).…”

Agricultural market information systems in developing countries: New models, new impacts

“…Alors que les SIM1G intervenaient presque toujours à l'échelle nationale, les SIM2G ont été davantage dimensionnés en fonction de l'échelle des flux des produits considérés et, pour certains, d'une volonté d'accompagner les politiques d'intégration régionale. Des SIM régionaux ont ainsi émergé (AMITSA et RATIN en Afrique de l'Est et australe) alors que d'autres se sont développés à des échelles infranationales (comme Manobi au Sénégal, SIEL à Madagascar) ou se sont décentralisés en différenciant l'information diffusée selon les différentes régions du pays (comme l'Observatoire du marché agricole [OMA] au Mali [Staatz et Dembélé, 2004 ;Egg et al, 2014]). Par ailleurs, une mise en connexion de différents SIM se développe via des réseaux (RESIMAO et Afrique Verte en Afrique de l'Ouest) ou des plates-formes Web (Esoko).…”