Lack of data in a time of data overload – Agriculture

For the past two decades, I have worked on e-Agriculture, ICTs for Agriculture and Digital Agriculture as a practitioner, researcher, development officer, and now a policy adviser. My conclusion is that, for digital solutions and services to be sustained, scaled and then accelerate smallholder agriculture transformation, we need a better approach to data management at…

D4Ag (D4D) should be about Information not Technology!

In my first blog in this series “It’s Time to Phase Out ICT4D (ICT4Ag) and Embrace D4D (D4Ag)!”, I argued that the concept of ICTs for development, both in literal sense and its delivery has focussed on promoting “technologies” to support communication of information for development (information communication technologies (ICTs). I concluded that, technology is…

How Local Farmers Innovate!

Originally written by Benjamin Addom in 2010. I conducted a study recently in over 50 rural communities from three regions in Ghana to understand how local farmer innovate. Below is the process that I have identified through interviews and focus group discussions. The local farmers usually make attempts to address their problems when faced with…

Digital agriculture to help Africa through coronavirus

Originally written by Benjamin Addom and Sabdiyo Dido, and published by CTA on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 As COVID-19 continues to devastate lives all over the world, agriculture and food systems come under critical strain. Recessions, food shortages, hunger and malnutrition are feared to be likely, with grave impact on vulnerable communities in developing regions…