Enthusiasm for the potential of ICTs to transform agricultural markets in Africa has motivated considerable investment in market-oriented digital tool development. However, new research shows that progress made thus far has been limited to small-scale experiments that often fail to scale up. The paper provides an inventory of the main ICT solutions and recommendations for scaling. In sub-Saharan Africa, most
Top photo: Usability Test for DQQ in WhatsApp with women from La Puente , Chiquimula. Credit: Marcelo Godoy Authors: Melissa Bonilla, Anna Müller & Andrea Borrayo. Sometimes, as researchers, we unknowingly make assumptions that can cause our innovations to fail. This is especially true when it comes to scale out a technology; what works in one context may not in
A new platform offering training to farmers via the WhatsApp mobile application has just been launched by the CGIAR Digital Innovation Initiative. As part of the Digital Innovation CO-LAB learning network, over 70 micro-courses are under development, starting with an initial course in basic digital skills. The potential for services such as WhatsApp in agricultural extension has been of great
To explore the advantages and disadvantages of customized chatbots, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) researchers have created a virtual food policy expert using ChatGPT and a customizable AI system using training literature drawn from about two dozen food policy research reports or food policy documents. Once the virtual food policy expert was created, a range of questions that one
Top photo credit: IWMI/Prashanth Vishwanathan By Shalini Gakhar, Sheetal Sharma and Rabi Sahoo. Since October 2022, India has embarked on the fastest rollout of 5G mobile data in the world, with average download speeds nearing 100 megabits per second. Agriculture is one of the fields set to be impacted: here we share five ways in which 5G can enable more
ICTforAg 2024: Localizing Impact announced to take place 28-30 May, both in-person and online. Confirmed locations: India (New Delhi), Kenya (Nairobi), Mexico (Texcoco), Philippines (TBD), Washington DC. We are already collecting session suggestions! Apply here: https://www.ictforag.com/events/submit-a-session/ ICTforAg is annual event bringing together agrifood system stakeholders, technology experts, and enthusiasts to share knowledge, find solutions, and form partnerships to address challenges
How do you gather qualitative information from thousands of people, quickly and at scale? That’s a question Farm Radio International, a communication for development organization that uses interactive radio as its primary tool to reach and amplify the voices of rural Africans, has an answer to: On Air Dialogues. This on-air polling process uses Interactive Voice Response technology in tandem
At ICTforAg 2023, five winners of the rebooted Inspire Challenge were announced, challenged with increasing women’s participation in digital agrifood services. To support the challengers to achieve their agreed upon target, CGIAR Digital Innovation provides training in human-centered design, and the challenge sponsors provide grants upon completion up to a total value of US $50,000. Get to know the five