Improving access to financial services:

• Mobile payment system
• Micro-insurance system
• Micro-lending platform

Provision of agricultural information:

• Mobile information platform
• Farmer helpline

Improving data visibility for supply chain efficiency:

• Smart logistics
• Traceability and tracking system
• Mobile management of supplier networks
• Mobile management of distribution networks

Enhancing access to markets:

• Agricultural trading platform
• Agricultural tendering platform
• Agricultural bartering platform

via @IAALD

Those are 12 agricultural opportunities in utilizing mobile technology as highlighted by a recent report by Vodafone. The rewards? A potential $138 billion addition to developing world farmers’ incomes by 2020.

My particular interest is in the mobile information platform as well as the microfinance portion of the report: micro-insurance, micro-lending, and mobile banking systems. Along with those systems a tremendous need will arise for financial literacy and technology training. It is a great opportunity for educators and technologists across the world.

I have three questions:

• Will technology incubators (hint: @iHub) around the world heed the call to produce these technologies?
• What role will educators play in the need for financial literacy training outside of formal schooling?
• Given that women do the majority of the farming around the world, what effects will this technology have on their abilities to become more economically independent?