Kenya's Farmers Have Lots Of Digital Tools To Help Boost Productivity How They Can Be Made More Effective

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Digital Agriculture is often hailed as an almost magical trigger for promoting successful farming, even among smallholder farmers in the developing world .

Its proponents argue that using digital tools to, for instance, generate records and calendar schedules, can help farmers grow better crops , manage their resources more efficiently, and connect with organised markets, all while reducing post-harvest losses.

But not all researchers are convinced that digital solutions are the answer to farmers' problems. Some argue that the hype around these tools diverts attention from the real, on-the-ground challenges farmers face.

One Kenyan avocado farmer, speaking to a researcher in 2021, said :“We don't need another app.” Rather, he said:“Crates! We need crates to avoid our avocados getting smashed on the way to the buyer.”

Kenya has become a particularly ripe market for digital agriculture tools. The country, one of Africa's major technology hubs, has been labelled the“Silicon Savannah”. Eighty percent of its approximately 4.5 million smallholder farmers own mobile phones and operate within Kenya's well established mobile money ecosystem.

Read more: Digital solutions are boosting agriculture in Kenya, but it's time to scale up. Here's how

We are researchers in agricultural economics. In a recent study we examined Kenya's digital agriculture landscape to see what solutions were available and whether these were addressing farmers' real challenges.

We took an inventory of all the digital agriculture tools listed in Google's Play Store, assessing the technology and services offered by these tools with information from their own homepages. Some are phone apps; others are innovations whose hardware can be mounted onto farm machinery or are standalone gadgets like handheld scanners. We also studied peer-reviewed articles and reports to see where such tools had documented impacts, with a particular focus on Kenya.

We found that, over the past decade, the number of digital tools available to smallholder farmers has greatly increased. These tools have, as documented in the literature we reviewed, helped farmers (in Kenya and elsewhere) improve their knowledge, access markets, and boosting productivity and income.

However, better integration of digital solutions with traditional farming practices is crucial. Field experts must support farmers in applying digital advice and provide hands-on guidance. Additionally, combining these solutions with local knowledge, cultural practices and market development will make them more effective and beneficial for farmers.

Investing in agriculture is one of the fastest and most effective ways to reduce poverty, ensure food security, and transform the economies of developing countries' rural areas .

But in Kenya, as in many other African countries, farmers struggle with low agricultural productivity. It is up to five times lower than the global average.

One of the reasons is limited agricultural services, such as extension services. These services offer technical advice and support and help farmers to access the inputs they need for production, like fertilisers and seeds. In Kenya, there is only one extension agent per 1,200 farmers . Farmers struggle to access high quality seeds and fertilisers.

Many digital agriculture tools promise to resolve these issues.

In our study we found that the number of digital tools available to farmers in Kenya had tripled over the past decade, from 17 in 2013 to 52 in 2023.

The development of these tools surged in 2016 but has slowed down recently. This may be due to market saturation and a focus on improving existing tools. There's a shift from tools that offer general farming information (which could also be found in text books or advisory material) to“farm-specific” tools. These provided personalised advice based on farm or livestock-specific data that farmers either entered manually or was collected digitally by sensors.

Some examples of apps include iShamba , which provides information and enables learning for farmers, and the AgroCares Scanner , offering advice on soil health based on farm-specific testing. Another is DigiFarm , which connects farmers with financial services.

Most of these tools are developed by private companies, though some work with public extension services. Many are designed for farmers with smartphones. Others rely on feature phones or use intermediaries to connect less tech-savvy farmers with the services they need.

The literature review part of the study allowed us to identify several ways digital solutions can and do help farmers in Kenya.

• Improved knowledge: Digital tools help farmers to find vital information on farming practices, pest control and market prices. This leads to greater productivity and higher incomes.

• Better crop and livestock management: Digital tools such as iCow help livestock farmers improve feeding, breeding, hygiene and disease control. This leads to increased milk production and a higher income for farmers .

• Access to inputs: Digital tools are improving access to certified seeds and fertilisers. This reduces the risk of counterfeit products being used. It also helps farmers to achieve better yields.

• Access to markets: Some tools help farmers aggregate their products, increasing their bargaining power and allowing them to reach higher-value markets .

• Financial services: Tools like DigiFarm provide farmers with access to credit for buying inputs , which helps them plant on time and use fertilisers effectively. Some tools, like ACRE Africa , offer insurance – crucial in a time of climate uncertainty.

However, digital agriculture tools' effect on food security and the environment remains unclear.

The effectiveness of farm-specific solutions depends on accurate and reliable data. Challenges like limited access to smartphones and data, as well as digital literacy, must be addressed.

We also found that few tools explicitly target sustainable practices or offer climate adaptation solutions. Integrating metrics like water use efficiency and soil health into digital platforms can help farmers make eco-friendly decisions, and adapt to weather related risks. Governments and agencies could incentivise such climate-resilient practices through digital platforms.

Read more: Technology can boost farming in Africa, but it can also threaten biodiversity - how to balance the two

There are also gaps in understanding the long-term effects of digital tools on farm productivity, food security and environmental sustainability.

Finally, comprehensive and rigorous evaluations are needed to understand the full effect of these tools: their usability, affordability, and how easy it is to integrate them with existing farming practices.

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