Pilot Project:SMS-based System for Pest and Disease Surveillance
Dr. Fred Baijukya ARI-Maruku
Dar Es Salaam31March 2008
Overview
• Background
• Key findings from the household survey
• Objectives of the pilot
• The SMS system– Benefits – Sustainability
• Project funding from Norway
.... to Support Biosecurity Initiatives and Policies in Countries Facing High Risks of Outbreak of Disease and Pests
• Biosecurity initiatives understood in order to – i) strengthern animal and plant health systems
and – ii) enhancing food safety
Background:
Thus .....
FAO, collaborating with ARI Maruku and ARI Kachwekano (UG) piloted a study to generate knowledge on diseases and their socio-economic burden on rural populations on boarder districts of Tanzania and Uganda
Study selected 8 districts in south-west Uganda and north-west Tanzania
Why this study area?
• Location for disease emergence
• Analysis of cross-border issues
• Variance in impact (households, communities and farming systems)
Key finding #1: Farmers have, and manage, more problems than simply
one disease or pest at a time
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% o
f hou
seho
lds
repo
rtin
g di
seas
e pr
eval
ence
Tanzania
3 or morecrop pestsand diseases
3 or morelivestockpest anddiseases3 or morehumandiseases
Key finding #2: … means farmers face cumulative disease burden
56%
11%
33%
1-4 diseases
5-8 diseases
9-12 diseases
Key finding #3: Movement of people, plants and animals can spread diseases, often with devastating consequences …
Transportation of planting
Trade In search of pasture and drinking water
Banana xanthomonas wilt (BXW)
• No analysis of reports to identify pest and disease incidence, or trends over time
• Reports only reflect area covered by extension workers in that month
• Hard copies of reports can be damaged or lost (in most cases no soft backup)
• No record of phone call reports
Key finding #4: Current surveillance and reporting capacities are
inadequate
• Transport• Human resource• Reference material• Working environment• Inspection tools and technical facilities• Surveillance and reporting procedures
Technical constraints to surveillance
• Little or no incentive among farmers to provide information
• Fear of blame and punishment• Adopt ‘wait and see’ approach• Whether farmers report also depends on
relationship with extension worker and perception of anticipated assistance
• No culture of record-keeping among farm households
• Resource-poor households may not have access to phones and airtime
‘Social’ constraints to surveillance
Addressing these constraints could help improve pest and disease surveillance, and potentially early warning
• Visual representation of data (graphs, maps, etc.) • Written bulletins distributed to all interested
parties• Database on reported pest and diseases, that
could be easily accessed by decision makers and farmers, extension workers
• Improved information sharing among subject experts
Technology can help
A vision for better surveillance
So what technology?
• Pen and paper• Mobile phones (SMS) • Personal digital assistants (PDAs)• Laptops
SMS advantages• High mobile phone ownership• Quick transmission of information• Ease of reporting• Automatic storage of reports• Low cost • Mobile phones already being used to share
information among farmers, extension workers
How it works: SMS gate way system
Desktop PCLaptop
Mobile phone
GSM modem
SMS Gateway software
SMS-based system model
Field worker
Ward extension
District extension
System monitor
warning
s
verified
Research Field workers insurrounding areas
confirmed data
Donors (Project funding)
Decision-makers (District budget)
Decision-makers (Central
government)
Stakeholder benefits
• Farmers– Early warning and response, empowerment
• Field workers– Awareness and knowledge, empowerment
• Extension workers– Strategic planning and resource allocation
• Researchers– Information to inform future research agenda, early worning
system
• Decision makers– Access to information for strategic planning and resource
allocation
Sustainability
• Needs a project champion• Public–private partnerships
– Mobile phone service providers– GPS manufacturers
• Cross-border focus attractive to potential donors
• Low entry running costs are a factor in sustainability
Thank you
Acknowledging funding support from the
Government of Norway
