Sokopepe, an ALIN initiative emerged the winner in the Agriculture category at the ICT Innovation Awards during the 2016 Connected Summit which began on March 20-23, 2016 at Leisure Lodge Beach and Golf Resort, Diani, Kwale County. The theme for 2016 Connected Summit “Bridging the Service Gap,” explores and identifies gaps that can help achieve universal access to public services and how information technology can improve efficiency in the delivery of government services, simplify compliance with government regulations, strengthen citizen participation and trust in government.
The Award was announced at an event held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 during the International Federation of Library Associations meeting at a ceremony presided over by Deborah Jacobs, Director of the Global Libraries initiative at the (BMGF). ALIN was recognised for taking advantage of the benefits of ICTs to empower arid lands communities by locating Maarifa (Knowledge) centres in remote arid lands across East Africa and providing free access to information resources, including the internet and library resources. Communities that receive information resources from ALIN have used them to initiate local social enterprises that have improved their livelihoods over the years. The ICT Innovation Awards recognizes innovative ideas that have since grown into some of the most recognizable tech start-ups in Kenya.
The awards highlight innovation that meets Kenya’s blueprint vision to build a vibrant middle-income economy by the year 2030. Since 2011, the award has recognized more than 45 new ICT products and solutions. While receiving the Award on behalf of Sokopepe, Mr. Martin Murangiri, Sokopepe Recruitment, and Training Officer said that the social enterprise set up by the Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) would continue to support the agricultural sector in Kenya by offering market information and farm records management services . Sokopepe has been piloting two innovations in five sub counties in Meru namely Imenti Central; North Imenti; South Imenti; Buuri and Tigania West. The social enterprise has been using Farm Records Management Information System (FARMIS-Kenya) to support small-scale farmers to develop and nurture a culture of record keeping, SOKO+, a digital commodity trading, and information system, linking small-scale farmers to end retailers/bulk purchasers of produce. Sokopepe has been working with more than 6,000 farmers in the five sub Counties of Meru. It has been expanding the services to all sub-counties in Meru, while working closely with the County Government and other stakeholders.
“Winning the award motivates us to continue working with small-scale farmers by helping them to use accurate primary date that can help empower them to improve their incomes, livelihoods and food security,” said Mr. Murangiri. Speaking at the summit, Joseph Mucheru Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology noted that start-up companies need to bring experience to the table. “Money is not a problem, the structure of companies in Kenya; start-ups and scale-ups cannot absorb big money. Do what you have to do, build value and the investors will come,” said Mucheru. The objectives of the 2016 Connected Summit include identify gaps in public sector service delivery that can be solved by innovative use of ICT; highlight efficiency gaps in public sector IT projects and consider policy recommendations; and share knowledge, best practice and lessons based on experience in implementing ICT projects. The Connected Summit is the brainchild of the ICT Authority in consultation with ICT industry players and key government decision makers. The Summit aims at establishing a platform for collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge sharing between government and the ICT sector with a view of linking and hastening implementation of government IT projects to world-class standards. The Connected Summit has enabled its participants to develop unique insights that allow them to successfully respond and design their engagements in Kenya’s vibrant ICT sector.
As an organization committed to sustainable development, we recognize that reducing energy costs is paramount for those most vulnerable. The interest is providing a low-cost and high-quality energy service that the community can use as well. It was in 2011 that Nguruman and Isinya Maarifa centres in Kajiado County initiated a community green energy conservation project to help with cooking and lighting. They did this by developing biogas systems that work with cow dung and other biomass material through recycling. ALIN was involved in carrying out a rapid assessment among pastoral farmers to gauge interest in installing tubular biogas technology to help mitigate climate change and sustainable energy resources. To get the word out about biodigesters, which are high-quality yet low- cost products, we created a participatory process with pastoral farmers where they could try out technologies first-hand during an intensive four-day workshop on installation and maintenance techniques.
To install a tubular biogas system, you need a 10-meter-long heavy-duty silage plastic tube of 10metres, long by 3.2 meters, two PVC tubes and pipes, gate valves, sockets, nipples and flexible tube for connecting to the specially fabricated biogas burner. In addition, you will need 200 litres of both cow manure and water. Not only is the Kenyan bio-digester a low-cost system that farmers in Kenya can use to produce gas but also it costs 5,000 shillings, and each farmer needs fresh cow-dung mixed with water for it to begin producing gas in 5-7 days after installation. Tubular biogas technology is affordable and has many benefits including;
Mama Lucy Ndung’u of Nguruman runs a hotel at Endasopia Market in Kenya and she said,"After training at the Nguruman Maarifa Centre in March of 2011, my family's activities have changed. I have cut down on firewood consumption and I am able to save up money (USD 40 monthly) that would otherwise be spent on wood. I am saving to invest in my family. I cook clean food every day in a smoke-free environment. Before I began using biogas, I was having recurring chest congestion but this problem has ceased and I can attribute this to using biogas since it is smokeless! I have always been worried in times of changing rain patterns. Now I feel great to be part of the initiative mitigating climate change."
The tubular biogas technology is affordable and farmers have been trained to use it and are motivated to transfer the technology at a small fee therefore still earning daily bread. The abundant amount of cow dung, goat, and chicken droppings has enhanced the adoption of the technology among the community.
A project to create 100 Maarifa centres in northern Uganda.
Many agree to disagree yet as the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life”, is pragmatic to nearly everything but not limited to technology. It was time to adapt to the new normal. Day after day, technology plays a key role in robust services and solutions. On the grounds of that, Oxfam Novib has partnered with ALIN, Samsource and Inveneo to deliver technology infrastructure to 100 rural Maarifa centres in Northern Uganda as project Internet Now! set sail.
The goal of the Internet Now! The project is to create 100 telework centres throughout northern Uganda, in the districts of Adjumani, Amuru/Gulu and Moyo, offering outsourced ICT data services, wireless Internet access via a wireless café hotspot model, and services such as agricultural education and crop pricing information to generate increased income and employment over time. There are 100 centres in the network, covering 872,000 people with 10 workstations at each centre, two fully equipped. All centres will be stand-alone solar-powered and independent from a grid. The network is staffed with two Knowledge Facilitators who will provide training and support to visitors and a Field Officer who will specialize in identifying needs. ALIN led the team in the project which established a Micro Telco in Northern Uganda. This initiative included 22 ‘service & employment centres’ that were all connected to the Internet via solar and wireless technology.