Farmers in Zambia with climate change questions can now receive quick answers via SMS from a new feedback SMS system developed by the country’s National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) together with, a local software developer, SMSize and International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD).

Through the SMSize system, farmers can send questions via an SMS from their cell phones which go directly to a computer server at the central office, where the producer researches the answer and sends back the information to the phone of the querying farmer, in the same language as the original request. With this new system, farmers receive relevant and more customized answers to their climate change questions within 24 hours.

The system replaces the traditional system as seen below:

a) A farmer with questions fills an evaluation form and send it to the nearest NAIS district office,

b) The district office passes the form to the provincial office,

c) The form is then sent to the main country office,

d) A NAIS radio producer assesses the questions, and contacts relevant specialists in agricultural research institutes and government ministries,

e) Based on their feedback, the producer prepares a response for broadcast in a the next radio program.

With this old system, farmers had to to wait for months before receiving answers to their climate change questions.

‘Instead of taking several weeks, the farmers now get the information within a day or two,’ said Kahilu. ‘We also still use the questions and concerns raised by the farmers to develop material for radio programs which will help other farmers facing similar problems.’

The increasing number of questions from farmers concerning unpredictable weather patterns in recent years to the Zambia National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) necessitated a discussion with the local software developer which has led to the development of the system.

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