Tag Archives: Harsha de Silva
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Agricultural price information through mobiles: Harsha’s dream closer to realization
LIRNEasia’s Lead Economist Harsha de Silva had a dream. It was that information would reduce price volatility and waste in agricultural markets and that both consumers and producers would benefit from better functioning markets. Unlike Jensen who studied the effects of price information communicated through mobiles on the market for “wild” fish and Akers who studied mobiles’ effect on grain markets (a little more complicated than fish, because the decision to grow or not is now a factor and because transportation costs are not negligible), Harsha picked perhaps the hardest of markets: small-scale production of perishable vegetables and fruits.
The studies are ongoing. But we now have the ongoing research being implemented as a commercial service:
Sri Lanka’s top celco Dialog Telekom is offering a trading platform based on short message services (SMS) that can help farmers to sell their produce and create a forward market for agriculture produce, officials said. “The Dialog TradeNet agricultural trading platform service is offered free of charge to users, but normal call charges and SMS charges will apply,” Hans Wijayasuriya, chief executive at Dialog Telekom, said.
“We want to penetrate the entire farming community with this service.”
More details will ..read more
Mobile money presentations and new networks
By Erwin A. Alampay
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to present my research on mobile money for remittances in two different conferences, with different audiences (the paper and PPT presentation can be downloaded here and here).
On October 10, I presented my research on the use of mobile money for remittances in a panel on Mobile Adoption and Economic Development. This was for a conference held in New Brunswick on Mobile Communications and Social Policy, hosted by the Rutgers School of Information and Communication. Harsha de Silva also presented his paper in the same panel on the “Role of social influence on mobile phone adoption: Evidence from the BOP in emerging Asia.” His paper and presentation can be downloaded here and here.
On October 23, I then presented the same research, this time to a Filipino audience in the 2nd Living the Information Society conference at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City
The audiences for both conferences were academic in composition. Their reactions, however, were different. Those in the largely Northern audience, still had an abstract understanding of how it all worked, and their questions tended to focus more on the methodology, and notions ..read more
LIRNEasia lead economist at int’l conference on mobile communication and social policy
Harsha de Silva, LIRNEasia’s lead economist, presented a paper co-authored with Dimuthu Ratnadiwakara and Ayesha Zainudeen entitled, “Social Influence in Mobile Phone Adoption: Evidence from the Bottom of Pyramid in Emerging Asia” at an International Conference on Mobile Communication and Social Policy. The conference was held at the Centre for Mobile Communications Studies, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 9-11 October 2009. The paper is based on findings from the Teleuse@BOP3 study.
A working paper is available here.
LIRNEasia research cited in presentation to U.S. Congress
LIRNEasia’s 2005 research on India’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) policy, conducted by Payal Malik and Harsha de Silva, has been cited in a presentation to the US House of Representatives, in March 2009. The paper presented, entitled, “Using Competitive Bidding to Reform the Universal Service High Cost Fund”, can be downloaded here.
As a policy-oriented organization, we are indeed pleased that our research is being used to influence policy, not just in emerging Asia but in other regions as well.
LIRNEasia’s paper, “Diversifying Network Participation: Study of India’s Universal Service Instruments” can be downloaded here. More on the study can be found here.
Diversifying Network Participation: Study of India’s Universal Service InstrumentsIDRC features LIRNEasia Lead Economist in its annual report
Lead Economist, Harsha de Silva and the AgInfo work that he has been leading at LIRNEasia has been featured in the International Development Research Centre’s (IDRC) 2008-2009 Annual Report. Read the full feature here (page 16)
LIRNEasia’s Lead Economist at 27th IAAE conference, Beijing
Harsha de Silva, LIRNEasia’s Lead Economist, presented a paper at the 27th IAAE conference in Beijing yesterday (19 August 2009). His paper entitled “Role of ICT in Linking Farmers to Markets a transaction costs perspective from Sri Lanka“, based on findings from LIRNEasia’s AgInfo study, was presented at a min-symposium titled, “Role of ICT in linking smallholder farmers to markets: What do we know?”
I presented a paper at the 27th IAAE conference in Beijing China yesterday; 19th August. http://www.iaae2009.org/index.html My paper was inside a mini symposium titled “Role of ICT in linking smallholder farmers to markets: What do we know?” http://www.iaae2009.org/mini.html The presentation was well received and a long discussion ensued on how South Asia has been able to successfully provide affordable mobile phone services at the BOP so that ICT can play an effective role in agriculture. I will forward my presentation to you. The papers presented are below: Presenters: de Silva, Harsha: Role of ICT in Linking Farmers to Markets a transaction costs perspective from Sri Lanka Maumbe, Blessing & Julius Okello: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Uses in Agriculture and Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Experiences from South Africa and Kenya Aker, Jenny: The digital provide: The role of mobile phones in ..read moreHarsha de Silva, Eisenhower Fellow
LIRNEasia’s lead economist Dr Harsha de Silva has been selected for the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship. Our warm congratulations to Harsha on this high recognition of his potential as a decisive actor in public policy. The focus on potential for future contributions is evidenced by the fact that all Eisenhower fellows have to submit a proposal of what they will do upon their return. Mr Lalith Weeratunga who was an Eisenhower Fellow from Sri Lanka some years back is now Secretary to the President. I guess the Eisenhower process works.
In addition to Harsha’s many interventions in improving the quality of public discourse in Sri Lanka through his BizFirst program and many activities as part of LIRNEasia, Harsha has engaged in many public-spirited actions, ranging from the personally funding the source collection of agricultural price information used by many government agencies and the media to his key role in the Colombo Regency Rotary Club’s web-based fund raising for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that led to the construction of a large number of houses in Kalutara. We are happy that his contributions and potential have been recognized by others.
Harsha de Silva presents paper at first ICT for agriculture conference in LK
LIRNEasia lead economist Harsha de Silva presented a paper on “ICT Policy for Agriculture in Sri Lanka: An Economic Perspective” at the first ever information technology in agriculture conference jointly organized by the IT Department of the University of Moratuwa and the Agriculture Department of the University of Ruhuna. Harsha argued for mobile-centric, demand-driven, value-chain based, accurate and timely two-way information exchange systems that could lower transaction costs leading to increased efficiencies in agricultural markets to move farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture. His presentation slides are here.
All papers will be uploaded on the conference website in the near future.
LIRNEasia Lead Economist appointed to scientific advisory committee eARN Africa
LIRNEasia Lead Economist Harsha de Silva was recently appointed to a five-member Scientific Advisory committee for a two-year multi-country African research project, eAgriculture Network for Africa (eARN Africa): Effectiveness of Electronic-Based Interventions in Linking African Farmers to Markets. The project aims study the effectiveness of ICT-based intervention in linking African farmers to markets so as to inform policy decisions of African governments and stakeholders aimed at improving livelihood of smallholder farmers.
The project is funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada; an inception meeting was recently held in Kampala, Uganda, which Harsha de Silva attended. The project will be conducted in six African countries: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Ghana, Benin, and Madagascar.
The Scientific Advisory Committee constitutes:
Prof. Chris Ackello-Ogutu, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya Prof. Julian May, School of Development Studies, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa Dr. Colin Poulton, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr. Adrian Mukhebi, CEO Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange and Market Economist, Nairobi Dr Harsha M. De Silva, Lead Economist, LIRNEasiHarsha leads the agriculture-focused research at LIRNEasia, including a study on the impact of ICTs on transaction costs in agricultural markets in 2007.
Sri Lanka: The vicious circle of mobile advertising
I may be wrong, not having conducted a systematic study of mobile advertising in Sri Lanka, but the impression I have is that while there is plenty of it, it’s all about calling to maintain relationships if not about price/quality aspects. In the short term this works, because this is where people’s heads are. But unless there is more money in people’s pockets, it’s unlikely that the mobile operators will be able to continue to make money in the long run.
Voice is getting commodified and profits are declining. People are not taking up more-than-voice services because they do not have money and see mobile as a consumption good. If, on the other hand, it is seen as a production good, something that puts money in the pocket, is it not realistic to think that it will be better for the operators?
LBO has carried an interesting piece based on the exchanges at the LIRNEasia presentation to industry on March 4th. Perhaps the readers have more to say?
Sri Lankans low income customers of mobile communications, used phones least for business related activities in the region, potentially opening up a new marketing ..read more
LK Release of T@BOP3 preliminary findings: March 4th, 2009
Preliminary findings from the Teleuse@BOP3 study conducted by LIRNEasia in November 2008, will be presented on the 4th of March (Wednesday) from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Presentations will be made by Rohan Samarajiva, Harsha de Silva and Ayesha Zainudeen, followed by discussion. Several senior officials of telecom companies, analysts and journalists are expected to attend the event.
For more information on how to register, please contact Ms. Nirmali Sivapragasam at +94 11 267 1160 (general line).
LIRNEasia to release T@BOP3 findings across India
Findings from the Teleuse at the bottom of the pyramid (T@BOP3) will be released at a meeting organized with the leadership of the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) on 10 February 2009. This will be followed by media interactions in Mumbai and Chennai. Ayesha Zainudeen, Harsha de Silva and Rohan Samarajiva will present at the events.
Teleuse@BOP, pioneered by LIRNEasia in 2005, is a unique series of cutting edge demand-side studies on ICT use among the BOP. The 2008 study was conducted across six countries, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and most recently, Bangladesh, among a sample of 9500+ BOP (SEC D and E) users. Aside from exploring traditional aspects of access and ownership at the BOP, this study focuses on if and how mobile phones are being used for non-voice, or ‘Mobile2.0’ applications.
COAI was constituted in 1995 as a non-profit, non-governmental society dedicated to the advancement of communication, particularly modern communication through cellular mobile telephony.
More information on the study can be found here.
Market Prices on the Small Screen: Transforming Farmers’ Markets in Sri Lanka
At Sri Lanka’s largest agricultural market a large projection screen overlooks 12 acres of stalls brimming with produce.
Traders at the Dambulla market consult the screen to receive up-to-the-minute pricing information on produce being sold in the market.
This information helps them negotiate fair prices at any of the market’s 144 booths, says Harsha de Silva, head economist at Sri Lanka-based LIRNEasia, a non-profit organization and IDRC partner that aims to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve the lives of Asia’s people.
In the case of the Dambulla market traders, de Silva says farmers can negotiate from a stronger position because information is accessible.
Such information is vital to ensuring agricultural markets work efficiently because it helps farmers reduce their transaction costs, according to de Silva.
But most research in developing countries has focused on helping farmers access information at the end of the production cycle — like the Dambulla market price screen, says de Silva. “We always focus on the selling stage… prices are important, but what about the information that comes before the point of selling?”
He says farmers can use information available at the market to negotiate a better price for eggplant, but if there was more information available before ..read more
LIRNEasia research discussed at e-agriculture virtual forum
Harsha de Silva discussed LIRNEasia research on ICTs and Agriculture at a Virtual Forum on ‘Mobile Telephony in Rural Areas’, organized by the e-Agriculture.org, from 17-28 November 2008. Consisting of over 145 people from 52 nations, participants at the forum included farmers; NGO representatives; private sector; researchers, scientists and academics; governmental representatives; and UN staff.
A summary report of the first week of discussion is available here.
LIRNEasia research published in Telektronikk
An article entitled, ‘Teleuse at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Beyond Universal Access’, co-authored by Harsha de Silva and Ayesha Zainudeen, has been published in Telektronikk, a leading telecommunications journal, published by Telenor, Norway.
Appearing in the journal’s second issue for 2008, aptly titled, ‘Emerging Markets in Telecommunications’, the article explores the extent to which “universal access” to telecommunications has been achieved in Asia, based on findings from LIRNEasia’s five-country study of the use of telecommunication services at the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’, namely in India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Very high levels of access, but low levels of ownership are found. The paper then looks at the potential benefits that these non-owner users are missing out on, and then goes on to look at the key barriers to ownership that are faced by them. The paper estimates that there could be close to 150 million new subscribers at the BOP in these five countries by mid-2008. However, a distinct affordability gap is found. Possible ways to deal with this affordability gap are proposed in the final section with emphasis on multiple stakeholder efforts.
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