Designing Large Scale Agricultural Technology for Phone Owners in Rural Tanzania

What is it about?

Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly using feature phones and smartphones, but they struggle to connect with useful agricultural contacts. Researchers surveyed over a thousand farming households in Kagera, Tanzania, to understand how they use technology. They found a lack of tools that work well for both feature phone and smartphone users. To address this, they created eKichabi v2, a directory of nearly 10,000 agricultural businesses accessible through both feature phone USSD and an Android application. They also tested using mobile money agents to help users navigate the system. This study highlights the challenges of designing technology for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is important because it addresses the growing use of mobile technology among farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and the challenges they face in accessing useful agricultural information. By developing a platform that caters to both basic phone and smartphone users, the study aims to bridge the gap in technology access and provide valuable resources to farmers. This not only helps individual farmers improve their livelihoods but also contributes to the overall development of the agricultural sector in the region. Additionally, the study sheds light on the design and implementation considerations necessary for creating effective agricultural information systems in similar contexts, thus informing future efforts to support farmers' needs through technology.