[kictanet] Commodity Exchange System

Thu Sep 23 12:59:53 EAT 2010

Perhaps consumers can claim that they dont care who develops their solutions, 
but local enterpreneurs and those working for public/Kenyan interest must care. 

We must be wary of those who keep sending pessimistic messages. The first battle 
is fought in the mind. I recall years ago sitting in a meeting at a home of the 
then Kenya World Bank country economist. In the meeting was a person who would 
later become the Governor of the Central Bank. The Governor to-be empatically 
spoke of people not realising what it took to grow an orange that could produce 
packaged orange juice - it was an impossibility for Kenya in his view. Kenyan 
farmers were toying with the idea of replicating Ceres (from SA) the first 
packaged real fruit juice Kenyans had seen.

When I walk in a supermarket today, and see all the Kenyan fruit juice 
varieties, I am reminded that we must listen to our positive selves. I dont 
think Ceres survived the Kenya juice onslaught.

regards,
Wamuyu

________________________________
From: Edwin Onchari <eonchari at lynxbits.com>
To: wamuyulearn at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Thu, 23 September, 2010 11:54:13
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Commodity Exchange System

Any  innovation does/should go through some beta testing! That said, whether the 
system is developed in Silicon Valley or a backstreet in N’Djamena is 
immaterial. As a user, all I want is a system that meets my needs and is priced 
right

Edwin

From:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke 
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf 
Of Andrea Bohnstedt
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 11:14 AM
To: Edwin
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Commodity Exchange System

Robert, I think you missed my point. 

I wear clothes by Kenyan fashion designers, shoes made locally, use mugs made 
here, and I have had all my office furniture made on Ngong Road. 

If my locally made furniture is a bit out of shape because the wood wasn't dried 
properly, no harm done. If a trading system messes up, potentially massive harm 
done. 

I recall discussions a week or two ago, on this very list, about mobile 
operators' billing and other systems, and how people got very worked up that 
this wasn't working properly. And rightly so. How is this different from a 
trading system? 

In conclusion: I honestly don't care where the system comes from. I need it to 
work. That's the beauty of a global economy: you have the choice to buy whatever 
works best for you. If Kenyan companies compete on that level: excellent. If 
they don't - I'll buy from someone else. 

Andrea 
On 23 September 2010 10:23, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Hi,

Who had tested the DOS operating system, Windows OS and closer to home 
MPesa/MKesho/PAP?  Even God created Adam and used him as a prototype for 
testing.

All systems must begin somewhere, at some point there was nothing but did the 
fellows who developed the NSE's ATS system begin with a fully tested and proven 
solution, NO.

Lets stop belittling ourselves, I got children without having to pass an exam on 
parenting so why do we think that we cannot develop a reliable solution from 
scratch, we are baby cries all we do is complain, complain, complain and when 
an opportunity presents itself we crucify it, stone it and finally burn it at 
the stake.

This can only be explained with the great words of our mighty President, "hi ni 
u kumbafu" and as interpreted, by one Hon. Michuki, for the uninitiated like 
Andrea "ni mutu ambaye anajua kile anatakiwa kufanya lakini anakataa kukifanya, 
huyo ni KUBAFU".

We we cannot pull ourselves out of this importation quagmire lets stop consuming 
bandwidth that the ISPs have sworn never to reduce in price.

Lets all have a good day dressed in our imported suites, using imported 
software, on imported computers and sitting on imported chairs.

Asimuamushe alielala . . .

Regards 

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya
Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

________________________________

From:Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt at ratio-magazine.com>
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Thu, 23 September, 2010 9:35:41

Subject: Re: [kictanet] Commodity Exchange System

Hey all, 

Both the NSE and a future commodity exchange are trading platforms, and I think 
it's crucial, absolutely crucial, that they have flawless technology behind them 
- look at it from the perspective of anyone who trades on them, whether small 
retail investors (of which Kenya has hundreds of thousands) or large brokers. 

I actually don't care where such a system comes from, whether it's built locally 
or abroad. But I don't think these are the right places to experiment with new 
systems. It has to be tried and tested and reliable.  

Have a lovely Thursday, 
Andrea 
On 23 September 2010 09:23, Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke> wrote:
In other African countries, even where such large projects are outsourced to 
foreigners, twinning is done with local IT firms as a requirement and subsequent 
roll-out to branch offices are done entirely by locals - I'm aware of a massive 
systems deployment within government in a neighboring country where such 
twinning is being done and the system roll-out will be done by locals. NCPB is a 
government agency, correct? If so, the government should look inward first! 

Dr Ndemo, any comment? You've always been an advocate of local innovation.

Why do we have global award winners who can't be tried and tested locally? what 
policy should be in place to encourage local software innovation? The argument 
that local firms are free to competet alongside international firms at this 
stage of our development is a "tired" argument in my view. Some "affirmative 
action" policy may be necessary.

Edith

________________                                    
Edith Ofwona Adera
Senior Program Specialist 
ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program
International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le 
développement international
Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera
eadera at idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca| www.crdi.ca
Error! Filename not specified.

________________________________

From:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke 
[kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Mwololo 
Tim [timwololo at gmail.com]
Sent: 23 September 2010 08:26
To: Edith Adera

Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject:Re: [kictanet] Commodity Exchange System

Hi everyone,
Let us instead push for a policy that is supportive of local software 
development. Giving up is not an option. Rgds. tm

On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 2:22 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Hi,

The National Cereals and Produce Board together with the East African Grain 
Council are working towards the creation of a commodity exchange to trade 
futures.

This process is at an advanced stage which begun with a process called warehouse 
receipting and currently Equity Bank offers credit against the receipts.

What does this have to do with us in the IT field?  When the Nairobi Stock 
Exchange tendered for the automated trading system (ATS) and more recently for 
the Broker Back-office System no local IT company made it past the 1st round.  

The fact that companies like Virtual City are winning international awards for 
systems development and others like PesaPal are receiving large direct foreign 
investments means that we do have the skills to develop world class solutions.

This is an appeal to all ICT experts in the country to prepare ourselves to make 
sure that the grain exchange system is locally developed and we stop being 
spectators in our own country.  I know it is said that a prophet is 
never recognised in his own town, it is time we made this phrase redundant.

NCPB and others are already shopping overseas for a solution so be warned that 
time is not in our hands and if we are to have an impact we need to move 
quickly.

The proposed system is supposed to provide a trading platform, depository 
system, GIS for land information, settlement system, warehouse management, 
weather monitoring and seed planting information system (acreage, seed type, 
fertiliser, etc).

Lets get off our high horses and put a together a world class solution for a 
local problem.  No tears after the horse has bolted.

Useful links

http://dn.nationmedia.com/DN/DN/2010/09/03/ArticleHtmls/03_09_2010_030_014.shtml
http://allafrica.com/stories/200904271171.html
http://www.ratin.net/mainfeature.asp?id=40
http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Smart%20Money/-/688614/899436/-/bypmdxz/-/index.html

http://www.unctad.info/upload/SUC/LusakaWorkshop/WarehouseServicesKenya.pdf

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya
Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 

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