Lead Farmers empowered to champion digital transformation in rural Zimbabwe

Bikita & Mhondoro-Ngezi Districts, Zimbabwe – In an effort to catalyze digital transformation in rural Zimbabwe, FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, is implementing the "Fostering Digital Villages through innovative advisory and profitable market services in Africa (FDiVi)" project. The initiative seeks to improve efficiency in Zimbabwe’s agri-food systems by digitalizing production and marketing systems.

Zimbabwe is largely rural, with 61.4 percent of the population residing in rural areas and over 70 percent depending on agriculture for their livelihoods. Yet, access to timely agricultural information, digital tools, and markets remains limited. The FDiVi project aims to close this gap by leveraging digital innovation like artificial intelligence, mobile platforms, and digital financial services, to help increase productivity, build resilience, and improve market access, particularly for women and youth.

Training rural champions to lead digital transformation

The FDiVi project's digital literacy and adoption strategy employs a two-step approach: training of trainers, also known as digital champions, followed by cascade training to the wider community. 30 lead farmers from Mhondoro-Ngezi and Bikita were recently trained as Digital Champions. This builds upon previous efforts which saw 20 ward-based agricultural extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, trained on digital literacy. The extension officers have in a space of 10 months gone on to train more than 3000 farmers in their respective wards.

“The five-day training focused on strengthening digital literacy among farmer organizations and creating local capacity to support the broader digital transformation of rural communities,” said the FDiVi project coordinator in Zimbabwe, Dowsen Sango. 

Throughout the training, participants explored a wide range of digital topics—from AI-enabled extension and advisory applications to digital marketing services. For many, the practical applications were both transformative and empowering.

From skepticism to revelation: AI in agriculture

One highlight of the training was the introduction of AI-enabled tools for agriculture. Tariro Takawamanya, a participant, shared her initial skepticism about using ChatGPT in agriculture. "When the facilitator shared ChatGPT on WhatsApp I was skeptical. So I looked for a photo I had taken of my maize field earlier and when I uploaded it. I was shocked when it told me that it was a maize field that had been affected by pests. Immediately I knew that what we were being told was the truth," she said, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in identifying and addressing agricultural challenges. Not only can AI enabled tools identify problems, they proffer solutions. Locally developed tools like CropFix can even offer locally tailored solutions.

Unlocking market potential through digital platforms

The training also emphasized the use of digital platforms for marketing agricultural products. Sinikiwe Koromondo, another participant, recounts negative perceptions her community holds regarding Facebook's utility for farmers. "Back in the village people often say that Facebook is for young people and when an elderly woman goes on Facebook, they say she is looking for men, but I realized that it is a powerful tool for farmers too. Facebook Marketplace can be used to market our produce." 

During the training, 31 farmer group Facebook pages were either created or enhanced, demonstrating the eagerness of farmers to embrace digital marketing strategies. The training covered digital marketing strategies for agricultural products, including the use of social media and online marketplaces. Participants learned how to develop and implement digital marketing plans for their farmers groups.

Empowering rural communities through digital services

The training program also covered digital financial services for smallholder farmers, including tools for insurance, loans, and mobile payments. Participants gained knowledge on digital financial literacy, record-keeping, and risk management. Further, they explored digital extension services, digital production tools such as automated irrigation systems, sensor technology, and drone technology. The training program also explored ways to integrate digital services beyond agriculture in areas such as health, education, and social welfare to give communities a holistic approach to rural digital transformation.

The participants prepared action plans for the rollout of digitization within their farmer groups, and after a certificate awarding ceremony, they were prepared to head back to their respective stations.

Challenges and Future Prospects

The training revealed that farmer organizations are eager to adopt digital agricultural services. However, access to internet remains a significant challenge, particularly due to the exorbitant costs. “There is a need to establish digital hubs in these communities as soon as possible,” the project coordinator noted. Digital hubs are physical structures where community access various digital services and tools. The underlying feature of a hub is free or low cost internet service underwritten by the hub’s sustainability model.

Despite these challenges, the FDiVi project stands as a catalyst for inclusive rural transformation. With trained digital champions now ready to act as agents of change, Zimbabwe’s digital agriculture journey is in motion, one village at a time.