MASENO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATICS

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

FARMING INFORMATION SYSTEM

CIT 309: GROUP PROJECT

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND

INFORMATICS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY 2021
MASENO UNIVERSITY
P.O BOX PRIVATE BAG
MASENO, KENYA
DECLARATION

We the undersigned do hereby declare that this project report is our own original work and

where there’s work or contributions of other individuals, it has been duly acknowledged and

relevant citations given. To the best of our knowledge, no material herein has been previously

presented to any other academic institution for examination, award of degree or any other

award(s).

Student(s)

RegNo………….. Name………………………….Signature………….Date…………

RegNo………….. Name………………………….Signature………….Date…………

RegNo………….. Name………………………….Signature………….Date…………

Supervisor

I hereby certify that project report has been presented for examination with my approval as the

university appointed supervisor.

Supervisor Name…………………………….Signature……………………Date………………
 DEDICATION

This project is dedicated to our Parents, strong and gentle souls who taught us to trust in
almighty GOD and to believe in hard work because it is the only key to success. To our lecturer
Dr. Mukisa Muhambe for equipping us with necessary advice, skills and knowledge to ensure we
do our best in the project. Lastly to our fellow students who have been supportive and selfless in
sharing of resources.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to the Almighty God, for granting us
good health during the time we have been undertaking this project and our deepest gratitude to
our Supervisor Dr. Mukisa Muhambe who guided us tirelessly all through this project.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Historical Background

There is the challenge of marketing of products especially considering the fact that farm produce
is highly perishable. Farm produce in itself is seasonal in nature and hence the harvests made are
normally in bulk to cater for the buyer’s need till the next season. Owing to this bulk production
and lack of distribution of the product to the markets in good time, farmers eventually have to
bear losses when the produce goes bad before the buyers purchase it.

In addition to that, there is also the challenge of small-scale farmers who do not have the
financial muscle to transport to bigger markets. This poses a great problem for them as the
produce they have is only left to be consumed by a limited population and hence their profits end
up being limited as well hence they may never be able to attempt large scale farming.

The growth of the internet and its potential to link farmers to buyers. Emergence of new
technologies has enabled farmers regardless of their location to be accessible to buyers. This
brings about a great benefit to the farmer as he is able to communicate with the buyers without
having to incur heavy costs. It also helps the farmers to reach buyers in good time so as to avoid
their products becoming stale. An example of a success story on the same is how Kenya’s Peter
Njonjo left his corporate job to build a company that connects farmers with small shopkeepers.

Njonjo and Brooke searched for a technology solution that would make food affordable – and
when they couldn’t find one, they built a digital platform to help farmers and vendors create a
more efficient marketplace. With Twiga, the Kenya-based digital business-to-business company
they founded in 2014, they have aggregated demand from small-scale fruit and vegetable
vendors in Nairobi, offering farmers a reliable market that also reduces post-harvest losses. And
with built-in buyers, there’s no need for middlemen.
1.2 The Problem Statement

There is lack of information by buyers when they want to source produce from farmers. Farm
produce, especially perishable products need to be sold within a short duration of harvesting. In
an environment where means of disseminating information on the available produce is lacking,
farmers and buyers may suffer great loss. In Kisumu West, farm produce goes to waste because
of lack of an effective system of linking farmers and prospective buyers, to allow them exchange
information on the same.

1.3 Project Objectives

1.3.1 Main Objectives

To design and evaluate a web-based system that links the buyers and farmers.
1.3.2 Other Objectives

i. To identify information needs for prospective buyers and farmers in relation to selling
and buying of farm produce, in Kisumu West.
ii. To design a web-based information dissemination system based on the identified
information requirements.
iii. To develop the designed system
iv. To test the system.
1.4 Research Questions

I. What are the information needs for buyers and sellers of farm produces in Kisumu West?
II. What is the most appropriate design for a web-based system that links farmers and
potential buyers?
III. What is the most appropriate platform for developing the designed web based system
IV. What tests can ascertain the functionality of the developed system?

1.5 Significance
This proposed web-based application will aid in helping buyers to source produce from farmers
in time to avoid unnecessary delays and also it will be of advantage to farmers to be able to find
market for their perishable goods to help reduce risk of getting losses.it will help eliminate
middlemen who may hoard produce and bring a change in prices of goods.This will prove that
such a system can be used to link buyers and farmers.

1.6 Assumptions

I. We assume that all the farmers and buyers will have access to the system through the
internet
II. We assume that all farmers and buyers will have android phones or computers to access
the system
III. We assume that all the produce from farmers will be needed by buyers

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

ICT development is currently so fast and these developments affect the developing technology in
all aspects, To the development in agriculture where it transforms traditional agriculture to
modern. Traditionally in the field of agriculture buyers needed to move from one place to
another in search for the farm produce manually, as time went by technology got advanced and
some systems were being developed by different people to help the field of agriculture. Since the
arrival of mobile phones in the 1980s (Huet and Tcheng, 2010), they have been widely used by
people of all ages all around the world. It could be said that the whole world is becoming mobile;
mobile phones are not only communication devices, but also portable and private pieces of
technological equipment that run applications and access different websites that help farmers
access different services online.

2.2 Scope of Review

In the field of agriculture especially the current fast developing world, farmers need to sell their
product in time and also buyers need to acquire farm produce in time so as to gather their needs
and this can be fully achieved by developing a web-based application that links them. The web-
based system will prove that an online platform can be used to link farmers and buyers. The
platform can also enable farmers and buyers share information according to their respective
needs.

2.3 Criteria Used

This literature review will be based on a research about the systems previously done, and which
are related to this proposed system. The main focus will be the web-based applications that are
used in the field of agriculture that ease agricultural activities. The data that will be collected
about those systems will be analyzed and it’s through the results acquired that will help to come
up with an effective and reliable system.
2.4 Methodologies
The approaches towards this review will be based on the systems that has been developed to
ease the sector of agriculture, that is helping farmers acquire useful information about crops
and also buyers need at different times of the year, the strengths and weaknesses of various
procedures will also be evaluated. To achieve this, a number of research methods will be
used as follows; The Internet that help gather information from various e-farming websites
and other relevant platforms and Interviews that help gather information from buyers and
farmers on how they link when buyers want to source farm produce, some interviews will be
conducted to nearby personnel available to give some information about how the process is
always conducted.

2.4.1 Previous Studies

After doing a broad research in the field of agriculture the following web-based applications
were found to help farmers acquire relevant information for farm produce, such applications
include the following;

1.Agro information system

( Ugwuishiwu C.H., Udanor C.N., Ugwuishiwu B.O., (2012) This Agro-Information System
enables a farmer to have relevant information about a crop, such as the varieties and other
requirements like soil type, temperature, type and quantity of fertilizer, time of planting, time of
maturity, planting distance, diseases, pest, pest and Disease control measures, rainfall, sunshine,
etc. of that crop. The level of application of this information determines the volume and
efficiency of the crop yield. AIS software is designed and implemented which helps the farmer
achieve the afore-mentioned objectives.

2.E-farming

(Guan Hai-ling, Chen) Electronic agriculture (E-Agr) is an approach to promoting agricultural

informationalization and development of agricultural modernization. It is a platform that
provides sharing of information for farmers. Science and technology could enhance agricultural
information became more accurate, timely, authoritative and in particular take advantage of
timeliness, convenience, etc. The modern information technology infrastructure facilitates the
integration all types of information and resources through technical facilities of modern
networks, communication tools, etc. E-Agr mainly includes the rural electronics, electronic
farmers and agricultural electronics [1].

3.E-commerce

Electronic commerce is a powerful concept and process that has fundamentally changed the flow
of human life. Electronic commerce is one of the main criteria of the revolution of information
technology and communications in economics. E-commerce has been widely used and bring
much benefit for human life, in addition this concept also eliminated some problem occurs in
traditional business [3],[5]. E-commerce is widely considered as purchase and sale of products
via the internet, but each completed transaction only through electronic measures can be
considered e-commerce. E-commerce is divided into three categories: business-to business or
Electronic B2B, business-to-consumer or B2C, and consumer-to-consumer or C2C. also called as
electronic commerce [4] D (Xiaoxiao Li, Jing Li, Sheng Dai, Chong Shen 2012)

2.5 CONCLUSION

After analysis of the review was done, the findings were that there is still not yet a web-based
application that link farmers and buyers such that farmers advertise available produce and buyers
view products and come and buy the from the respective farmer.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction
In this chapter, the research design, data collection tools and methods, sample of the population,
sampling technique, and the system’s design development will be discussed.

3.2 Research Design

Leedy (1997:195) defines research design as a plan for a study, providing the overall framework
for collecting data. MacMillan and Schumacher (2001:166) defines it as a plan for selecting
subjects, research sites, and data collection procedures to answer the research question(s). They
further indicate that the goal of a sound research design is to provide results that are judged to be
credible.
We adopted a survey research design approach to clearly answer the questions and the purpose
of the study. Survey research design is a procedure in which investigators administer a survey to
a sample of the population of people to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or
characteristics of the population.
In our survey we were able to determine from secondary data that farmers had the challenge on
marketing of products especially due to the perishable nature of farm produce, we were also able
to deduce that small scale farmers lacked the financial muscle to transport the produce to larger
markets.

3.3 Targeted Population

The targeted population encompasses the actual sample that you are going to include in your
research. Before you begin, it is important for the targeted population to be decided and agreed
upon. In our research study we targeted the farmers of Kisumu West.

3.4 Sample Size and Justification

Our respondents from Maseno community (which is within Kisumu West specifically towards
the North West) were able to notify us of a number of their information needs. Most of them
claimed that it would serve them better if they knew when a buyer needed a product as it would
enable them avail perishable products in good time before they went stale. The other issue was
that the farmers lacked the financial muscle to transport their produce to larger markets, meaning
that they had to sell only in their local regions where they are faced with competition from other
farmers both large scale and small scale.

3.5 Choice of Proposed System Development Methodology

In this section, we focused on our choice of System Development Methodology which was the
waterfall model. The linear nature of the waterfall development method makes it easy to
understand and manage.

Requirements- All possible requirements of the system to be developed are captured in this
phase and documented in a requirement specification document.

Design- The requirement specifications from first phase are studied in this phase and the system
design is prepared. This system design helps in specifying hardware and system requirements
and helps in defining the overall system architecture.

Implementation- With inputs from the system design, the system is first developed in small
programs called units, which are integrated in the next phase. Each unit is developed and tested
for its functionality, which is referred to as Unit Testing.

Verification- All the units developed in the implementation phase are integrated into a system
after testing of each unit. Post integration the entire system is tested for any faults and failures.
Maintenance- There are some issues which come up in the client environment. To fix those
issues, patches are released. Also to enhance the product some better versions are released.
Maintenance is done to deliver these changes in the customer environment.

3.6 System Analysis, Design and Development

System design is the process of defining elements of a system like modules, architecture,
components and their interfaces and data for a system based on the specified requirements.
Analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to
gain a better understanding of it.

3.6.1 Requirements Gathering and Analysis

Below are the tools and strategies that we used to carry out our research.

Data collection

This is a mixed methods research where both qualitative and quantitative methods of data
collection where used to study of the variables related to agricultural System and the
enhancement of the Technology in the world and the contribution of these variables to the
improvement Given this focus, literature reviews, questionnaires and interviews were used to
collect data. According to Van der Merwe (1996:290), in theoretical studies the researcher
produces his/her evidence to support arguments from existing facts or information.

Literature review

This study focuses on online platforms that has been developed to modernize agricultural process
and help farmers perform their activities in a modern way. For this purpose, an extensive and
relevant literature review was conducted in an attempt to provide a theoretical foundation for the
research project. The literature review provided scientific explanations for the research
question(s), and enabled to verify the researchers’ findings and to compare with other scholars in
the field of agriculture.
Questionnaires

A questionnaire is a form containing a set of questions, especially addressed to a statistically

significant number of subjects, and is a way of gathering information for a survey. It is used to
collect statistical information or opinions about people. The Oxford Advanced Learner ‘s
Dictionary (1997:952) defines a questionnaire as a written or printed list of questions to be
answered by a number of people, especially as part of a survey. For the purpose of this study, the
questionnaire formed my second data collection method. For the purpose of this research a set of
open and close ended questions were drafted for the purpose of getting feedback from
respondents from Kisumu west region.

Interviews

Seale, Giampietro, Gubrium and Silverman (2004) define an interview as a social encounter
where speakers collaborate in producing retrospective and prospective accounts or versions of
their past or future actions, experiences, feelings and thoughts. Two types of interviews were
used in this study, namely focus group interviews and structured interviews.

Focus Group Interviews

Focus group interviews were conducted first, followed by the one-on-one interviews. The
purpose of this exercise was to assist the researcher in formulating relevant questions for the one-
on-one interviews.

Structured Interviews

Structured interviews were conducted with farmers conveniently sampled from the 100 farmers
who participated in this study and the responses were recorded with their permission. This
induced firsthand information from the farmers with regard to their experiences, challenges,
technical issues and opinions. An interview schedule was compiled in which the interview
questions are outlined. The questions are mostly open ended, making it possible for the
interviewer to add new questions during the interviewing process, depending on the responses of
the participants.
3.6.2 System Design and Modelling Tools

This is the process of gathering, reviewing, sorting and analyzing data from various sources to
form some sort of finding or conclusion. We carried out data analysis of the collected data from
all data collection methods and came up with the required useful information that will be helpful
in doing the research and help us make the right decision.

3.6.2.1 Design Tools

Use Case Diagram

3.6.2.2 Activity Diagram for Making Order
3.6.2.3 Activity Diagram for Order Cancellation

3.6.2.4 Dataflow Diagram

3.7 System Development

This process will include defining, designing, testing and implementing a new system. It will
include the internal development of a customized system and creation of a database. The System
Development Life Cycle will be as follows:
3.8 Development Environment

3.8.1 Hardware

The users of the system will need the following hardware devices in order to be able to interact
with the system;

I. Laptops
II. Android phones
III. Computer monitors

3.8.2 Software

The software requirements used to develop and implement the system will be the following;

I. PHP (Framework-Laravel)
II. Bootstrap (To be used as the front-end framework)
III. Mysql (Databases)

3.9 System Testing and Validation

The purpose of a system test is to evaluate the end-to-end system specifications. Usually, the
software is only one element of a larger computer-based system. System Testing is actually a
series of different tests whose sole purpose is to exercise the full computer-based system. In our
case we tested the system functionality through various modules:
User authentication module: In this module we were able to ascertain that both the farmer and
the buyer can be able to sign up to the system by registration and from there onwards proceed to
log in to the system whenever they wish. They can also be able to reset the password should they
wish to do so.
Updating of products module: In this module we were able to establish that it is possible for
farmers to post their readily available products to the system so that from there, buyers will be
able to view the products.
Making of orders module: In this module we were able to establish that it is possible for the
buyer to make their order based on what they have viewed from the products available from
various farmers.
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results and Presentation

In this chapter we review the results based on the objectives of the designed system that links
buyers and farmers.

Our main objective was to design and evaluate a web-based system that links the buyers and
farmers. This was achieved by the system since farmers can advertise their produce immediately
it is ready for sale and buyers can be able to view this right away and make their orders as they
wish.

As seen above, when the buyer logs in to the system, he is able to view the products that the
farmer has already posted as well as the contact so that they can make further negotiations and
communication from there.

Amongst our other objectives were:

i)To identify information needs for prospective buyers and farmers in relation to selling and
buying of farm produce, in Kisumu West. The designed system has achieved this objective since
the farmer is able to view the orders being made by the buyer.

As seen above, the farmer is able to see address, name and contact od the buyer and from there
they can further negotiate on price and other factors on how the delivery will be made.

ii) To develop the design system.

System development prototype has been justified by the screenshots below

Programming code - the codes represent the functionalities of the developed system.
The above code captures the details of a new user and stores the information in the database to
allow the user to be able to log in future.

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.

5.1 Conclusion

This system will make it easy for farmers to sell their products to prospective buyers hence it
saves time taken to distribute perishable products to avoid damages and also the buyers will get
information through the developed system of the available products being sold so that he can
decide on what to buy depending on his desires.
The system will be user friendly and simple for users to navigate through it to perform different
activities. Farmers will be able to post the products they wish to sell and buyers on the will view
them and make orders

5.2 Recommendation

The following are our recommendations:

Farmers should be able to post as many products as they wish on the system. Buyers on the other
hand should be able to view various products from various farmers and it is up to them to decide
(based on negotiations and other factors such as location) which farmer they will buy from.

LIST OF REFERENCES

Leedy, PD (1997) Practical research Planning and design (6th edition)

Oxford University Press, (2000) Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English.
MLA (7th ed.)

Seale, Gobo, Gubrium, Silverman (2004) Qualitative Research Practices

McMillan, Schumacher (2010) Research in Education: Evidence-based Inquiry.