Making ICTs work for farmers: Seven Case studies

ICTs have a huge potential in imporving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the developing world, especially in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). ICTs can give access to market and weather information, allow farmers to transfer money and negotiate prices with traders. Moreover, the use of mobile phones is rapidly incresing.

But some obstacles remain, such as poor network connectivity in rural areas, non-existing information, or lack of technology knowledge by potential users.

This article summarizes seven ICT4Ag projects developed in the context of CTA's ICT4Ag project:

• Where, exactly, is your farm? Syecomp's eFARMS farm-mapping service in Ghana describes Ghanian private-sector company Syecomp's efforts to scale-out its mapping services using geospatial technology to smallholder farmers across Ghana. 
• eLEAF's irrigation-advice service in the Gezira Scheme in Sudan explains the progress of Netherlands-based technology company eLEAF in scaling up its satellite-based information services in South Sudan to provide farmers with targeted extension services.
• Cashew on your phone: N'kalô: RONGEAD's market-advice app in West Africa describes the work of RONGEAD – a French international network system – to collect cashew market prices from across Ivory Coast and send the information to cashew growers via text
• An app for fishers: The University of the West Indies' multifunctional mFisheries app details the impact of a mobile application targeting small-scale fisheries in the Caribbean: mFisheries.
• Buy Burkinabè! Yam Pukri's Agripol advocacy platform in Burkina Faso outlines the key lessons and achievements of harnessing digital media to improve monitoring and implementation of agricultural policies.
• Learning to pay by phone: MOBIS, Ensibuuko's mobile-money app in Uganda describes the impact of Ensibuuko, provider of the mobile banking app MOBIS.
• Advice on beans: Farmerline's Mergdata farm-advice service in Ghana ICTs illustrates Farmerline app, which offers farmers market and weather information and advice via their mobile phones.

Source: CTA