Towards alternate theories of change for M4ARD.

Abstract

This chapter explores alternative theories of change for mobile technologies for agriculture and rural development. It critically examines two theories of change (the 'market efficiency' and 'knowledge dissemination' theories) and highlights some of the challenges they have faced in practice. In response to these challenges, an alternative approach to developing a theory of change is suggested, which draws upon human development theories. A case study of an ongoing research project exemplifies such an alternative theory, and the implications are set out for the design of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agricultural settings.

How do development actors do “ICT for development”? A strategy‐as‐practice perspective on emerging practices in Ghanaian agriculture

“…Importantly, there is often a misalignment between the way farmers learn about farming and the way interventions based on contemporary technologies are delivered (Kendall & Dearden, ; Oreglia, ). As an example, Kendall and Dearden () found that IVR systems (which can be used by farmers to SMS questions) provided short‐term and succinct answers to farmers' questions (eg, around dealing with pests); however, often more holistic and long‐term responses were required to address underlying problems and to stimulate positive change in practices. This was not always possible by means of contemporary technologies.…”

“…Building on this, Hudson et al () study found that a combination of both radio and mobile channels for information dissemination greatly increased not only awareness but also adoption of new farming practices. This is suggestive of the need to move away from purely technical solutions and towards an emphasis on “valued ways of being and doing” (Kendall & Dearden, , p.13). In other words, development actors' effectiveness in stimulating agricultural development via contemporary technologies may well be dependent on developing strategies that accommodate normative rural practices, understanding synergies among various contemporary and legacy technologies, and capturing the complexity of the rural information environment (Hayes & Westrup, ; Kendall & Dearden, ).…”

“…The literature on agricultural development by means of ICT has delineated two main approaches, focused on "market efficiency" and "knowledge dissemination" (Kendall & Dearden, 2018). Studies concerned with "market efficiency" have focused on the use of contemporary technologies-in particular, mobile-for coordinating access to agricultural inputs, receiving market information, monitoring financial transactions, storing local market trends, and market information systems (Aker, 2010;Aker & Mbiti, 2010;Miller et al, 2013;Owusu, Yankson, & Frimpong, 2017).…”

“…While interventions using contemporary technologies have addressed farmers' perceived information needs, they have met with the criticism that the digital content is plagued by issues around scarcity, inaccuracy, and lack of sufficient explanation (Ali & Kumar, 2011;Islam & Grönlund, 2011;Mubin, Tubb, Novoa, Naseem, & Razaq, 2015;Owusu et al, 2017). Importantly, there is often a misalignment between the way farmers learn about farming and the way interventions based on contemporary technologies are delivered (Kendall & Dearden, 2018;Oreglia, 2013). As an example, Kendall and Dearden (2018) found that IVR systems (which can be used by farmers to SMS questions) provided short-term and succinct answers to farmers' questions (eg, around dealing with pests); however, often more holistic and long-term responses were required to address underlying problems and to stimulate positive change in practices.…”

“…Scholarship has provided development actors with little useful input into the strategic shaping of their interventions. While development actors may espouse wholeheartedly participatory methods (Kendall & Dearden, ), they remain subject to a multitude of structural constraints (Bailey & Ngwenyama, ; Hayes & Westrup, ), which often prevent them from developing genuinely emergent and participatory ICT interventions. Thereby, the need arises for strategic action on their behalf.…”