Supply Chain Management Solutions in India

Working in partnership with India’s Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and with generous support from the Vodafone Foundation in India, we have developed a unique mobile-based management information system (MIS) to support a successful women-led agricultural cooperative. Operating largely in India’s Gujarat state, SEWA’s Rural Distribution Network (RUDI) procures farm produce from marginal farmers at market prices, then processes and packages the stock before selling it at affordable prices through a group of saleswomen known as “Rudibens”.

RUDI’s reach and scale has increased dramatically in recent years, exposing the challenges of paper-based inventory management and sales reporting. We developed a simple, user-friendly application which enables the Rudibens to capture sales and place orders for additional stock via SMS using their simple feature phones. Prior to this, the women would often spend up to seven hours a day travelling to order new stock – often arriving to find the products unavailable.

Data is captured on a central database providing information for RUDI’s managerial, financial and audit requirements. The women are also able to generate simple reports on their handsets, which provides essential information for running their business. The application is being rolled out to Rudibens through various marketing and training activities, which also offer additional support with capacity building and long-term enterprise development.

Since the application was first launched in December 2012 the Rudibens have reported significant increases in their monthly sales – as much as threefold in some instances.