Improved awareness & information

dissemination in agriculture-role of mobile

and radio technologies

East African Digital Farmers Conference and Exhibition

Nairobi 29th - 31st May 2018
L. KARANJA; S. GAKUO; ML, ORONJE; D. ONYANGO; I. RWOMUSHANA

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Not-for-profit organization, established in 1910 by a UN treaty and Co-owned by 48 member
countries. Over 480+ Staff in 21 locations

THEMES (R&D)

Knowledge International
business Development

Trade & Development, Microbial &

Knowledge Invasive
Publishing Communication & Molecular
Management species Commodities
Extension (DC,E) Services

Global Cross cutting services: Microbial & Molecular services (ID), Plantwise (DC,E) and Action
on Invasives (IS)

Knowledge Management Invasive Species Trade & Commodities DC,E

Combat threats to
Put know-how into people’s
livelihoods, agriculture and
hands by creating, managing,
the environment by
curating and disseminating
controlling pests and
information
diseases
Bring science from the lab
Help farmers to trade more
to the field to increase
and improve food security
farmer’s capacity to grow
with climate smart good
better quality crops
agricultural practices

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Overview: Agriculture
● Global population grow from 6.7b
to 9 billion in 2050
● Largest increases (22% or 2.1
billion) contributed by S.E Asia and
Sub-Saharan Africa
● Need 70% increase in productivity
to feed 9 billion people
● Climate change, invasive species,
soil degradation threatening
productivity
● Problem: Access to information
to address food security and
agribusiness challenges

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 ICT offers great
opportunities

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 ICT in Agriculture: Key Elements
● Demand: new technology adoption
● Supply: delivery channels- intranets,
extranets, SMS/MMS, Radio
● Value Creation: products (Apps) &
services (warehousing and ticketing)
● Environment: Institutions & policies
● Drivers: Societal benefits, gender
and youth, culture
● Effect: Impact Levels- food security,
incomes, etc.
● Could ICT be the solution to address
serious gaps?

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Food Production and Nutrition
Enhance access to practical information
on production and nutrition

Available ICT tools

● Fertilize Optimization Tool
o From CABI’s ASHC OFRA project
and available on google Playstore
● Maize Doctor
o CIMMYT
● MbeguChoice
● CABI’s mNutrition

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Food quantity
Produce more and lose less: enhancing
access to plant health information
Available ICT tools
● Plantwise Knowledge Bank (Online
access)
● Plantwise factsheet App (Offline access)
● Plant Doctor simulator
● Data Collection App (PW e-plant clinics)
● Pest Risk Information Services (PRISE)
● Social media and messaging platforms
o WhatsApp
o Telegram
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
 All available on Google Playstore

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Invasive alien species

Alien species: a species introduced

outside its natural past or present
distribution
Invasive alien species: a species whose
introduction and/or is spread by human
agency directly or indirectly and threatens
biological diversity
Available ICT tools
● Horizon Scanning Tool
● Pest Risk Analysis Tool
● Compendia: CPC and ISC

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Mass extension Communication
Using integrated ICTs to create
awareness
Available ICT tools
● Radio
● Television
● Mobile-SMS, USSD, IVR, Apps
● Social media and messaging platforms
o WhatsApp
o Telegram
o Twitter
o Facebook

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Numbers reached

Numbers reached
Effective targeting Message complexity
Numbers reached

Trade-offs between
reach and
targeting/suitability
for complex
messaging and
adoption

Adoption

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Challenges of using mobile
and radio
● Radio has good reach but lower
impact
● Lack of funds to promote mAgric
services
● Local culture
● Social factors
● Gender
● Social discrimination
● Information overload
● Information credibility
● Sustainability, optimal use, etc.

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Mobile in agribusiness
● Agri-banking: mobile banking and
remittances, access to loans
● Agri-Hubs: e-services for farmer
groups, food banks, warehouse
systems etc
● Food Traceability: e-supply chains,
product recalls, etc.
● Online Farmers’ Markets: e-ordering
and delivery e.g. M-Farm, E-bay
online trading, local food markets
online retailing

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Key findings and constraints
to providing Agri VAS
● Awareness creation and marketing
● Sustainability
● ICT literacy
● Farmer profiling
● Recruiting and retaining subscribers
● Viable business models
● Affordability
● policy implementation
● Complicated e-content
● Poor infrastructure

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 We’d like your feedback
Tweet @CABI_News
#digitalfarmer #AgriTechTalkKe
CABI is an international intergovernmental organisation, and we gratefully acknowledge
the core financial support from our member countries (and lead agencies) including:

Ministry of Agriculture and

Rural Affairs,
People’s Republic of China

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE