Page 68 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Information and Communication Tools

(ICT), a solution amidst the pandemic:

The Case of Chikwendeni General Dealers

Unsurprisingly, businesses have not been the same since - Community radios for both extension and
the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses marketing
have been affected and hub agrodealers are no exception. - WhatsApp groups for both extension and
The effects of lockdown and the resultant restriction of marketing
movement by government have been highly detrimental. - Customer services via phone.
Said Edgar Lutepo of Chikwendeni General Dealers,
“Most farmers stopped patronizing our shops; the news • E-marketing
of lockdown meant people would only move to access Involves the use of:
essential services, which most people regarded health - Social media marketing (WhatsApp)
services to be, considering agriculture to be non-essential - Marketing jingles posted on Chikwendeni business
service. There were a lot of misconceptions about WhatsApp group.
COVID-19 and these have had a severe impact on our
operations.” • E-payments
Online sales can be transacted via various mobile-
Despite this negative impact, Chikwendeni came up money platforms.
with some ways to assist his farmers through the use of
ICT tools. This enabled Chikwendeni to continue to do With the implementation of these ICT tools, Chikwendeni
business but by serving customers with less physical General Dealers is moving slowly away from a more
contact. This strategy involved using basic digital traditional way of doing business. And since most young
extension service delivery, e-marketing and e-payments. farmers prefer cashless transactions, Chikwendeni has
So how do these work? since adopted these for payments. Lutepo believes that
his newly engaged ICT tools have helped him conduct
• Basic digital extension service delivery business and better serve his customers despite the
- Involves the use of: pressures of a destructive pandemic. He intends to use
- USSD short codes via mobile network providers to the same approach in his operation throughout COVID-19
send with Good Agricultures Practice messages. and beyond.

66