Jonathan Donner (http://jonathandonner.com/) is a researcher in the Technology for Emerging Markets Group at Microsoft Research India in Bangalore. He’s been living in Cape Town and doing work on the impact of mobiles on micro and small enterprises. His insightful talk at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r5OTR64d1k describes a collection of initiatives delivering support via mobile phones to small enterprises, small farms, and the self-employed. Using a review of 26 examples of such services currently operational in Africa, the analysis identifies five functions of mobile livelihood services: Mediated Agricultural Extension, Market Information, Virtual Marketplaces, Financial Services, and Direct Livelihood Support. It discusses the current reliance of such systems on the SMS channel, and considers their role in supporting vs. transforming existing market structures. Relevant papers can be found at http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/people/jdonner/. http://change.washington.edu/2010/07/jonathan-donner-on-mobile-livelihood-se...