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Are the second generation MIS making agricultural markets more efficient and fair?

   Vente de semences maraîchères. © H David-Benz

Market information systems (MIS), in addition to their role for the monitoring of agricultural and food policies, are designed to improve market transparency, by disseminating information to producers, traders, processors, and consumers, in order to help them both with their decisions about marketing, production or investments. MIS are expected to generate improvements in market efficiency and equity, by reducing information asymmetries with middlemen and other buyers leading to better prices for the producers. During the 2000s, along with the new information and communication technologies (in particular Internet and mobile phones), a second generation of MIS emerged. Apart from the ITC aspect, the new MIS are characterized by their decentralized, interactive and sometimes private aspects. Therefore, the first objective of the MIS project is to identify the main innovations among new MIS models and analyse the main challenges they have to face. This project has been implemented by CIRAD and INRA in collaboration with MSU, and funded with support from the AFD and the CTA.

Summary of the Montpellier workshop

Summary of the workshop on Agricultural market information systems in Africa: renewal and impact - Montpellier, from 29th to 31st March 2010.

This workshop is part of a research programme on market information systems conducted by the CIRAD and the INRA (UMR Moisa) with the financial support of the AFD and the CTA and in collaboration with Michigan State University. This first workshop focussed on “research” while a second, more operational workshop (targeting information providers) will be held at the end of the project (mid 2011). Fifty participants from different geographic and institutional origins were present, including researchers, experts, donors, international organisations, NGOs and some MIS managers....

Workshop report