1. Empowering Liberian business women Trade at Hand: An example of using microtechnology for microenterprise growth Meg Jones, Women and Trade Programme Manager, ITC Global Summit of Women, Istanbul 6 May 2011

2. Internet / Mobile phone Penetration Source: International Telecommunications Union

3. Bringing product offers directly to the hands of market women User friendly design with icons and affordable communication cheaper than SMS Enabling farmers to advertise products directly from the source A solution for Liberian market women and farmers

4. Solution: Extending markets so that isolated farmers can reach numerous potential buyers Lowering product costs as market women can bypass intermediaries. Location specific solution Connecting small businesses

5. Outcome: Mobile phones can work in new ways to support market women and farmers, with wider roll out in country Potential for long term sales to large buyers, hotels, restaurants Providing fresher products and anticipating future sales, reducing losses to farmers Reduction in associated purchasing cost expenses Benefits of a tailored mobile solution

6. Addressing challenges: The right solution comes with sustained support and long term effort Overcoming a difficult post-conflict environment, low infrastructure support Changing behaviours in buying patterns takes time to achieve Fostering partnerships with the private sector (i.e. telecom operators) Marketing the solution on a national scale Addressing local technical specificities

7. Lessons learned: Using the available infrastructure and technologies Achieving PPP Building capacities of the trade support network Generating awareness at policy-maker level Fostering local ownership of the solution… …and a business setting promoting service sustainability Building on experience and improving trade-related technical assistance REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY Programme Partners:

8. Meg Jones Women and Trade Programme Advisor ITC Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva Switzerland +41 22 730 0166 jones@intracen.org Further information: www.intracen.org Raphael Dard Trade@Hand Advisor ITC Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva Switzerland +41 22 730 0111 dard@intracen.org