Mobile Computing in the Developing World

Abstract

Nagapattinam is one of the main places for the catching and export of fish in Tamil Nadu State, in the south of India. In the local markets, fisherwomen buy fish, which are then sold in the streets as well as door-to-door. These “street selling fisherwomen” face various difficulties, including means of transport, carrying heavy fish baskets, and challenges in fish selling during sickness. To overcome these problems, a project was set up with support from the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology to develop a mobile app with native (Tamil) language to simplify the different processes involved in fish selling. Special features, like adding fish detail using images, voice-based searches on market conditions, and location tracking for the delivery of fish, are helping the fisherwomen to reduce the complexity of the selling process. This chapter provides detail on this project, examines the benefits, and discusses the difficulties encountered in the adoption of the mobile app, which is enabling fisherwomen to boost their revenues and improve their quality of life.