Effectiveness of Using Digital Technologies and Digital Labour in Farm Management towards Shaping Precision Farming to Achieve Food Security: A Malawian Perspective

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technology and digital technologies in farm management plays a vital role in achieving strategic development goals of countries. Digital labour has helped enormously to boost access to large amounts of information, connecting people from remote communities, particularly young people whose innovative potential combined with the power of technology proves to be a force to achieve sustainable development goals. This research aims at determining the effectiveness of digital technology in agriculture through providing site-specific information and employing digital labour to implement precision farming in Malawi. The research objective focused on using rapid 4-in-1 soil tester, testing moisture, acidity, or alkalinity through power of Hydrogen (pH) measure, temperature, and fertility as well as Extension Helper Application, a portal used by extension coordinators to share farm information. The is desk research with qualitative study and slight quantitative figures from digital 4-in-1 rapid soil tester with students utilising study farm plots at Natural Resources College. Analysis derived valuable capabilities such as quick determination of farm specific information. Research found that with digital tools and digital labour, it was easy to see and manage field data, oversee worker productivity, manage resources, view farmer data trends and support decision making. Further, mobile digital tools were found to amplify extension massaging to reach more farmers and enable management to improve coordination of diverse service providers with the right type of data aggregation. Digital tools reduced the use of had written reports during field visits. Quality of collected data improved and frequency of field visits for the extension coordinator as well increased. This research was mainly drawn from action research as well as systematic review of both internal and external desk research. Action research and internal review was based on student plots at Malawi’s Natural Resources college and external desk review was based on SANE project with Extension Helper Application. Generally, the findings showed that the use of information and communication technology and digital technology with digital labour support decision making to form policies towards realising Malawi vision 2063.