Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) makes the 2009 CIO 100 list
I just found out that Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has made the 2009 CIO 100 list with an award-winning project. The CIO 100 Awards honor 100 companies that are creating new business value by innovating with technology. This is apparently the first time a Kenyan company has made the list. Congratulations to KTDA and Mwende Gatabaki, the ICT Manager who steered the project!
The award winning project involved linking 57 of KTDA’s tea processing factories in Kenya to its head office in Nairobi, thereby enabling farmers to electronically access information about payments they are owed each month. It now takes a maximum of three days, instead of three to six months for a new grower to be registered, thanks to a more-efficient recording of the number of growers.
The system has also helped to eliminate “ghost growers” who were paid without providing tea. KTDA has also realized savings of Kes. 40,000,000.00 in communication costs and Kes. 64,000,000.00 in labor and energy costs. More details can be found on the CIO web site here >
The Author
10 Comments
I was heavily involved in this project as a systems developer. I specifically developed the growers management system, factory management systems, applications support site that linked the factory databases to head office. Wrote intergration utilities for linking the mssql server and informix. Nay to mention all this I was part of the team that envisaged the systems architecture long before Mwende joined the company. Unfortunately, life rewards the pepole who speak and forgets the guys who burn the midnight oil, toiling to make the ship move. Before leaving KTDA I specifically headhunted 3 good developers trained them on maintaining the code, 2 have left but still the entire team effort should not just be awarded to one person. It leaves me with a gutted feeling, lets heap praise to those who deserve it.
Hi Muturi;
Its true what you have said; I joined in 2004, you left in 2005(6?). But that is not the issue:
The award was based on 3 things 1- VSAT roll out 2- ChaiPRO (which you initiated) 3- ChaiWEB portal- developed from 2007. Its the intergration of the 3 and the impact they have had since 2007 that “spoke” for itself – ICT projects normally take abit of time 1-2yrs before you see the impact. Most important the award is NOT to me (you got that one wrong), its to KTDA and in a way a recognition of the ICT team that has made it happen – Muturi be proud to have initiated one of the projects and dont focus on not being mentioned. I just happen to be the team leader! cheers and have a good day!
Muturi,
…for and coder who wants accolades this one for you.
http://www.topcoder.com/
When we leave companies/ organizations we branch from the main road and when a person is tracking the organizations progress he will concentrate on the team leader and those within the line.Good Work done by Sister Mwende.Bravo
Hi,
Congrats to Aunty Mwende for leading the whole team in KTDA. You are truly a great role model and an inspiration.
Much love
Madaraka Gatabaki
Muturi you did a very good job,and like many of us who left were paid or congratulated for the services we rendered. but too much has changed since we left KTDA, and it is the changes by the new team which has made them win this trophy – otherwise we would have won before they came in.
Congrats Mwende! David i know the book you are reading from.As much as i appreciate how much you coded and your skills in the same,Its important to acknowledge the excellent work done by Mwende.My friend its not only the idea but how an idea is presented.The same presented by a different person could even come last
To me i would call it team work from the entire ICT flaternity including staff in the field and Mwende as the team leader did the best to deliver the goods
Heko Mwende
Many thanks to all of you for correcting my myopic view of the post and the award. I truly feel good and great to have been part of the great team that envisioned this. Much so the support that I received from Mwende when she joined before I left. Its her vision and great leadership skills as well as the team work that has led to this achievement. Hongera Mwende and all those who contributed to this…We have all since left and concentrating on creatively utilizing ICT to resolve challenges in Africa and Beyond….As some one above put it….Its not the idea that matters but how it is presented….
Will the Kenya Tea Development Agency feature on the list of CIO 100 a second time in 2010, at the inaugural East Africa CIO 100 Awards.
The East Africa CIO 100 Symposium & Awards, hosted by CIO East Africa, will take place 16 – 19 November at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi. For additional information, visit http://www.cio.co.ke.
Congrats KTDA for your continuous improvements on technology. This has realy benefited the farmer so much and you guys will also gain God’s favors for the good job you are doing. I can imagine those good old days when the farmer was being issued with the greenish slip for daily kilos of tea collected and he was to keep it till the end of the month. Leaf collection clerks also had rough time in compiling the figures which actually were done manually but with the introduction of Electronic Weighing Scale (EWS) has really improved efficiency and it has also minimize falsification which were being witnessed every now and then. CONGRATS and WILL ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU