USAID/TIPCEE AWARDS LMI PROJECT TO PERSOL
20th November 2008

In 2008, Persol Systems was awarded a contract by USAID/TIPCEE to design, develop and implement the Last Mile Initiative (LMI) project, which comprises the development of a mobile SMS-enabled Packhouse-to-Field Application and a Packhouse-to-Port communication link. USAID TIPCEE designed the Last Mile Initiative (LMI) Project to increase the competitiveness of Ghana’s private sector in the world market through an improved enabling environment and a strengthened capacity of the private sector to respond to market demand.

The two integrated modules developed are the Field to Pack House Application and Hand-held terminal based field application. The Packhouse Application provides basic farm management – which includes agronomic activities i.e. land preparation, planting, pest control, fertilizer application, forcing etc. This and other data forms the basis for traceability required by the GLOBAL GAP and production forecasting. The Hand-held terminal based field application is the farm-level application running on a hand-held terminal and complemented by the Packhouse to field host application.

Says Jerry Okantey, Software Manager -Persol, “this product delivers real value to producers, exporters and importers by assuring producers that if they follow best practices for agronomic activities and international standards their produce will be bought; and for exporters and importers they are assured that potential revenue is not lost because exported produce was declined entry but that it meets international standards”. Extended versions of this product will be released to link to the Tema Port (SPEG) cold storage.

Persol intends to deploy this solution to as many farmers and farming communities in West Africa and is currently developing French versions for the product.

Contact: Ms Gracielle Otoo