Leveraging ICT innovations to support farmers and farmers’ organisations

CTA publishes a policy brief that seeks to concertize policy makers on the need of smallholder farmers to be included (in technological innovations) and to empower them to leverage information and communications technology (ICT) innovations for greater productivity and efficiency.

In the western world, farmers can now use their smartphones, and other emerging technologies, to remotely monitor their equipment, crops and livestock and better control farming practices and productivity.

However, the typical African smallholder farmer is still unable to effectively use these technologies due to a number of reasons - such as lack of resources , infrastructure and required knowledge.

The following policy actions are needed, in order to include smallholder farmers:-

• Promote enabling environments and uptake of ICTs that respond to the needs of smallholder farmers.
• Strengthen the capacity of small-scale farmers to use ICTs
• Improve the training and ICT proficiency of national extension agents
• Use ICTs to deliver data-driven products and services and develop associated business models that drive improved productivity, profitability and resilience of farmers.

If farmers have access to ICT innovations, productivity, profitability and resilience. For example, ICTs have increased productivity when they improved access to financial services such as banking, insurance, finance and money transfer.

This policy brief advocates for the creation of an enabling environment where African smallholder farmers can fully exploit the benefits brought about by an investment in ICTs.

Read the full CTA Policy Brief here