App helps B’ville farmers

The National Business

A LOCAL from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is helping farmers through a digital platform he has developed – the EDidiman Initiative trade platform.
Founder Jordan Becks, an agriculture information systems specialist, said about 5,000 farmers throughout PNG and two international buyers were now using the app.
Farmers from AROB are now using the eDidiman to supply their taros to City Pharmacy Ltd’s Stop & Shop outlets in Port Moresby.
“The eDidiman is a local homegrown agritech start-up that focuses on technology awareness and its benefits to build human capacities, community ownership and other spins such as empowerment of women in agriculture and strategic partnerships between farmers and authorities to achieve sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
“It is a simple yet powerful solution to communicate market information, best crop management practices, and other farmer-related agendas, using information communication technology enabled systems.
“Significant and growing disparities between urban and rural populations exist with respect to living conditions, diet, housing, cash incomes, and access to health and education services.
“The differences are so great that average national level figures do not realistically reflect conditions in either urban or rural areas.
“Disparities within rural populations alone are significant and growing.
“The most disadvantaged people in the country earn very low incomes, have poor access to services, live in low potential environments, have little political influence, and have limited ability to attract development through the political process.
“Some 80 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s population fall in that category.” Becks said EDidiman’s objective was to decentralise and build the benchmark for the fresh produce sector in Bougainville by creating market linkages with model farmers from high producing villages through innovative, economic and agricultural activities and trainings for a better living and sustainable economy.
“We need to ensure our farmers and rural local economies embrace the new normal and stimulate the local economy so rural business ventures are afloat in these uncertain times,” he added.
Becks said EDidiman’s future plans were to focus on legislation and more footprint by:

 

 

Becks, pictured right at Buka market recently, said that the eDidiman Initiative was “a simple
yet powerful solution to communicate market information, best crop management practices,
and other farmer-related agendas, using information communication technology enabled systems”.

  • ENHANCING communication and coordination among critical stakeholders to facilitate cross sector collaboration;
  • STRENGTHENING policy, legislative and regulatory framework requirements to build sustainable and scalable Information Communications Technology (ICT) applications;
  • IDENTIFYING and developing key databases, linkage, access and interoperability to enable building of actionable information services;
  • IMPROVING market access, risk mitigation, disaster management, logistics etc, thereby enhancing income generation and improving profitability; and,
  • IDENTIFYING and improving processes and mechanisms using ICT solutions and services to enhance the effectiveness of agricultural stakeholders.

Becks said EDidiman had been registered with the Investment Promotion Authority and in operation for five years.
“We have partnered with exporters, traders, local non-governmental organisations, development partners and village-based cooperatives nationwide.
“We have also participated in various agricultural conferences and events such as the Bougainville Chocolate Festival and e-agriculture inclusiveness workshop, Kumul Game Changers and many others.”
Becks was selected to participate in the Global Exchange Community Solutions programme in 2019 when he founded a US Software called the Vermont Pricing Exchange that was currently used in US’ Vermont.
He spent the early part of his career with the Bank of South Pacific Financial Group rural banking division rolling out branchless banking systems throughout Papua New Guinea.
He then ventured into social work where he founded the Bougainville Federation of Men, The Wasman Initiative and various local initiatives.
A George Mason University in Washington and University of Vermont graduate, Becks has gained experience in his various capacities on management level and the overall community-based leadership.