Ugandan traders accessing market information through short message service. Picture by James Mwai/ SNV Uganda

SNV clients in Uganda are set to benefit from mobile telephone applications developed in a partnership of Grameen Foundation, Google and MTN.  The first suite of mobile applications, resulting from an initiative of Grameen Foundation called the Application Laboratory (AppLab), provide real-time health and agricultural information, as well as a market place for commodity and service trade.  Mobile services are provided using Google SMS Search technology through the  MTN networks short message service (sms).

Using the Google Trader application, local buyers and sellers can broaden their trading networks and reduce their transactional costs. AppLab worked with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Technoserve and SNV Uganda to hone the concept with banana farmers in Mbarara in Southern Uganda and pineapple farmers in Luwero in central Uganda.

SNV was selected to participate in this initiative on basis of its outreach and in-depth knowledge of value chains in Uganda. SNV pineapple clients were used as the testing ground for this initiative. Farmers are now empowered and can access weather and market information in real time on their mobile phones.

SNV will ensure that all farmer groups they support and their catchment will be made aware of and use the service. In collaboration with Grameen, SNV will scale up the role and outreach of Community Knowledge Workers as they have the potential to influence more uptake across the country and other value chains. SNV will also continue to collaboration with Grameen to refine the product based on emerging feedback. See related stories on

Grameen Foundation and Google create mobile apps for Africa and Google joins push to send Ugandans vital information through their mobiles