Hello? Hello?

Already a week ago, we saw our first glimpses of Kenya’s nature from the car, on our way to Nyeri. The last week past really quick, and it feels like we are already here for a month or so. Time flies when you are having fun!

Until now, we have met two farmers (from the first group), a board member of one of the coops, several people from the DeKUT university (also the farm manager of the university farm), two factory managers and ten more farmers separated in two different focus groups.

To describe the phone calls to those people (who did not know we were back in Kenya) when trying to arrange a meeting:

-        Hello?

-        Hello! This is Paulien speaking, from team Blend

-        Hello?

-        This is Paulien, from team Blend

-        Hello?

-        Team Blend, from the Netherlands

-        Hello?

-        We have visited you about a month ago

-        Hello?

-        From the Netherlands

-        …………. Ooooooh!!! REALLY?!

-        Yes!

-        When are you coming back?

-        We are already back in Kenya!

-        What?! Seriously? When are you coming to visit me again?

-        Well, this afternoon maybe?

-        Yes, yes, of course! You are always welcome!

Like we wrote earlier about the first farmer we have visited, the second farmer was also very happy to see us again, he showed us around on his farm and participated in a test about the USSD system. Both farmers were really excited about our system; something that gives them the opportunity to get weather information, advice about coffee farming and information the factory would like to share with its famers, at home. The second farmer was already explaining to us how he would arrange trainings and meetings to introduce every single farmer to this new system (“And I tell them all to come to mr. Kanja’s farm (which is his own farm) where they can see why my farm is doing better”).

In general, we can say that every single person so far reacted really positive to the system we have designed. The board member, factory managers and farm managers gave us some useful insights about the different parts of our system and (depending on their farming expertise) about the activities in farming throughout the year and the relations of those activities with different types of weather. See our previous blog for some recommendations.

During the two focus groups we arranged, we explained the most important parts of our system. We used SMS to test our idea for the wireless system. To the first group we explained that we would send them a text message with weather forecast for the next two days plus an advice about farming every evening and that they could use this information any way they want to. The second group was told that they could text us any time, after which we would replay with up-to-date weather information and an advice.

Although every single farmer was very used to calling with his phone, texting was a bit more difficult. We gave them a crash course in texting and after a while, they luckily understood how to set up a text message and how to send it to us (except for one, so we agreed that he could call us).

So far, we got at least one text message with a request from every farmer of the second group.

We are very curious to our next meeting with them, where we will discuss how they used the weather information and what recommendations they might have for us.

We also visited the CKCM (Central Kenian Coffee Mill) where the CMS (Coffee Management Services) organized an open day for all kinds of important people in the world of coffee. There were factory managers, board members, promoter farmers and many other people. After visiting several stands (promoting new kinds of coffee trees, chemicals, fertilizers and more) we were welcomed as special guests and could listen to the different speeches from the front row. Most speeches were in Swahili, but our driver took notes for us and provided us with a summary of what had been said after the speeches were done. We met some of the people that had helped us previously in our project and some that we are going to meet in the next couple of weeks, so all together it was an useful day.

Today (Sunday) we finished the big sign that we want to place at two factories on Monday and Tuesday. The sign will tell farmers what the weather for the next couple of days will be, and we will be testing how the farmers are going to react to it. Do they understand what is on it? Do they think it is useful information? Monday and Tuesday are picking days, so most farmers will visit their factory during the day to hand in what they have picked. We are very much looking forward to finding out how they are going to react!

There is so much more we have learned so far and even more we still want to find out, so please keep an eye out for our next blog. We will try to keep you as up to date as possible!