MAGITS: A Mobile-based Information Sharing Framework for Integrating Intelligent Transport System in Agro-Goods e-Commerce in Developing Countries

Abstract

The technological advancement in Intelligent Transport Systems and mobile phones enable massive collaborating devices to collect, process, and share information to support the sales and transportation of agricultural goods (agro-goods) from farmer to market within the Agriculture Supply Chain. Mobile devices, especially smartphones and intelligent Point of Sale (PoS), provide multiple features such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and accelerometer to complement infrastructure requirements. Despite the opportunity, the development and deployment of the innovative platforms integrating Agro-goods transport services with e-commerce and e-payment systems are still challenging in developing countries. Some noted challenges include the high cost of infrastructure, implementation complexities, technology, and policy issues. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework for integrating ITS services in agro-goods e-commerce, taking advantage of mobile device functionalities and their massive usage in developing countries. The framework components identified and discussed are Stakeholders and roles, User Services, Mobile Operations, Computing environment with Machine Learning support, Service goals and Information view, and Enabling Factors. A Design Science Research (DSR) method is applied to produce a framework as an artifact using a six-step model. Also, a case study of potato sales and transportation from the Njombe region to Dar es Salaam city in Tanzania is presented. The framework constructs the ability to improve information quality shared among stakeholders; provide a cost-effective and efficient approach for buying, selling, payment, and transportation of Agriculture goods.