Realizing the potential of digital development: The case of agricultural advice

Fabregas, Raissa; Kremer, Michael; Schilbach, Frank

doi:10.1126/science.aay3038

Cited by 233 publications

(159 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…There are more applications for small-scale farmers generally 38 but there is limited evidence to apply these interventions even outside of water scarce regions. For example, a meta-analysis carried out in 2019 only found five studies with nine observations that examined digital solutions that improved small-scale farmers' yields (researchers found a 0-8% increase) and the odds of adopting a recommended agricultural input (researchers found a 13-31% increase) 38 . While the goal of our systematic map was not to identify studies suitable for a meta-analysis, we found seven studies that examined digital solutions for farmers in water scarce regions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scoping review of research funding for small-scale farmers in water scarce regions

et al. 2020

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Water scarcity is a global issue that disproportionately affects small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Through geospatial analysis, we estimated that less than 37% of small-scale farms probably have irrigation in water scarce regions across LMICs, compared with 42% of non-small-scale farms. Through a literature synthesis assisted by machine learning, we then systematically mapped the existing research for on-farm interventions that improve the incomes or yields of small-scale farmers in water scarce regions. We mapped over 888 on-farm interventions used to combat water scarcity from 560 publications and showed a research bias towards yields rather than livelihoods. We found gaps in evidence for many commonly proposed solutions, including livestock management, digital technology and solutions to protect natural resources at the farm-level, such as buffer strips. Our findings can be used to set a funding agenda for research on the geographies that are most at risk of water scarcity and the interventions that most lack evidence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scoping review of research funding for small-scale farmers in water scarce regions

et al. 2020

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“…Due to these opportunities, numerous digital services have been developed in recent years to improve smallholder farmers' access to agricultural information (Baumüller, 2018;Fabregas, Kremer, & Schilbach, 2019). Many existing solutions focus on supporting specific transactions along the value chain, such as providing market prices through SMS (Batchelor, Scott, Manfre, & Edwards, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

User-centred design of a digital advisory service: enhancing public agricultural extension for sustainable intensification in Tanzania

Ortiz-Crespo¹,

Steinke²,

Quirós³

et al. 2020

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

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Sustainable intensification (SI) is promoted as a rural development paradigm for sub-Saharan Africa. Achieving SI requires smallholder farmers to have access to information that is context-specific, increases their decision-making capacities, and adapts to changing environments. Current extension services often struggle to address these needs. New mobile phone-based services can help. In order to enhance the public extension service in Tanzania, we created a digital service that addresses smallholder farmers' different information needs for implementing SI. Using a co-design methodology-User-Centered Designwe elicited feedback from farmers and extension agents in Tanzania to create a new digital information service, called Ushauri. This automated hotline gives farmers access to a set of prerecorded messages. Additionally, farmers can ask questions in a mailbox. Extension agents then listen to these questions through an online platform, where they record and send replies via automated push-calls. A test with 97 farmers in Tanzania showed that farmers actively engaged with the service to access agricultural advice. Extension agents were able to answer questions with reduced workload compared to conventional communication channels. This study illustrates how User-Centered Design can be used to develop information services for complex and resource-restricted smallholder farming contexts.

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“…Certainly, the lack of investments and fixed costs of new technologies can constrain the use of digital tools and games in agriculture in less developed regions. Nonetheless, 70 percent of the poorest 20 percent in low and middle-income countries have access to a mobile phone, and one in three people have internet access [72][73][74]. Although connectivity prevails in urban settings, it has spread to rural areas, where the ratio of farmers to extension workers exceeds 1000 to one [65,[72][73][74].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, 70 percent of the poorest 20 percent in low and middle-income countries have access to a mobile phone, and one in three people have internet access [72][73][74]. Although connectivity prevails in urban settings, it has spread to rural areas, where the ratio of farmers to extension workers exceeds 1000 to one [65,[72][73][74]. And with increased physical restrictions from COVID-19, there is a need to reach and engage with farmers using innovative technologies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Framed Experiments and Games in Agriculture: A Systematic Review of the 21st Century in Economics and Social Science

Jn¹,

Mauerman²,

A³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Framed experiments and games are a useful medium to understand how context affects individual and group decision-making. They are particularly relevant for field research in agriculture, where alternative experimental designs can be costly and unfeasible. After a systematic review of the literature, we found that the volume of published studies employing coordination and cooperation games increased during the 2000-2020 period. In recent years, there has been greater attention given to natural resource management, conservation, and ecology areas, especially in strategic regions for agriculture sustainability. Other games, such as trust and risk games, have come to be regarded as standards of framed field experiments in agriculture. Regardless of sectoral focus, most games' results are subject to internal and external validity criticism. In particular, a significant portion of the games showed potential recruitment biases against women and no opportunities for a continued impact assessment. However, games' validity should be judged on a case-by-case basis. Specific cultural aspects of games might reflect the real context, and generalizing games' conclusions to different settings is often constrained by cost and utility. Overall, games in agriculture could benefit from more significant, frequent, and inclusive experiments and data – all possibilities offered by digital technology. Present-day physical distance restrictions may accelerate this shift. New technologies and engaging ways to approach farmers might represent a turning point for games in agriculture in the 21st century.

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Realizing the potential of digital development: The case of agricultural advice

Cited by 233 publications

References 62 publications

A scoping review of research funding for small-scale farmers in water scarce regions

A scoping review of research funding for small-scale farmers in water scarce regions

User-centred design of a digital advisory service: enhancing public agricultural extension for sustainable intensification in Tanzania

Framed Experiments and Games in Agriculture: A Systematic Review of the 21st Century in Economics and Social Science

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