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The network of regional Market Information Systems and Traders' Organizations of West Africa (MISTOWA) project aims to increase regional agricultural trade and food security by improving and linking the existing regional efforts to generate, disseminate, and make commercial use of market information.
Geekcorps is working with MISTOWA to develop the technical ability to gather crop price and availiblty data from existing and new data sources across West Africa, consolidate it into a single database, and then distribute database information on demand via existing and new technologies.
As of June 2005, Geek volunteers have built the underlying database for http://www.mistowa.org and contributed greatly to content development for the site. Upcoming projects include expanding the database and identifying data communication methods to obtain and distribute more data to more market stakeholders.
7th July 2006 in Programs, People, MISTOWA by Geekcorps
Designer Meg Ross volunteered in 2005 with the MISTOWA project in Ghana, where Geekcorps partners with the International Fertilizer Development Corporation (IFDC) to get real-time agricultural market information available to market players who can use it. She came back for more in 2006 — find out what she’s up to, and what other volunteers are needed by IFDC!
21st February 2006 in People, News, MISTOWA by Wayan Vota
Geekcorps welcomes back Meg Ross, one of our longest serving volunteers, to the MISTOWA program in Ghana. After nine months of service with Geekcorps in 2005, and then an eventful wandering from Ghana to South Africa overland (yeah, we’re jealous too!), Meg has returned to Accra, Ghana, for another year of web and graphic […]
Geekcorps is a division of the International Executive Service Corps.
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Papou Coulibaly is young boutique owner in Ouélessébougou. Previously, Geekcorps partnered with Papou to create a Cybertigi - an Internet access point for the local community via a wireless link to a Community Information & Learning Center (CLIC).
The Cybertigi proved to be a very successful experiment, becoming popular with first time Internet users who found Papou’s mini-cyber both affordable and accessible. Unfortunately, after several months of Cybertigi operation the CLIC lost its Internet connection and Papou returned his equipment back to the CLIC.
Undeterred, Papou Coulibaly saw the potential for offering offline ICT services in Ouélessébougou and went about creating a unconnected cyber café at his boutique. Using the Geekcorps’ Cybertigi design, Papou acquired three computers, a laser printer, scanner, digital camera, photo printer, a Bluetooth adapter, speakers and a headset, even building a permanent metal shelter for his cyber café boutique.
