Digital solutions and agriculture: an apparent disconnect between pilots and scale-ups

Attaining food security is becoming a global challenge as population growth soars worldwide and satisfying production needs is complicated by climate change repercussions. With fluctuations in food availability, affordability and access, food prices are hiking, exacerbating poverty and exposing more households to poverty and malnutrition. Farmers also face challenges to increase crop yield using climate smart techniques and to access market. For that reason, digital solutions such as mobile apps are emerging to enable farmers gain access to markets, advisory information, decision making tools, and support in climate smart agriculture.

Our team at IFPRI Cairo conducted a desk review of these mobile apps in Egypt, Morocco and Uzbekistan. We collaborated with ICARDA, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, and IWMI to compile a repository of digital apps used in agriculture. Depending on their functional objectives, they were categorized into seven: weather & climate, agricultural finance, energy & early warning systems, data & crowdsourcing, market information & marketplace, extension & advisory information, and supply chain coordination.

At first sight, the number of apps looked promising. However, there’s an apparent disconnect between pilots and scale-ups. Most apps suffer from low downloads, slow updating frequency and short life span. We conducted stakeholder consultations in the three countries to identify opportunities and challenges the apps are facing. After gathering insights from app developers, investors, private sector and public sector, we published our findings in the Global Food Security Journal. Our paper analyzes the demand and supply side constraints facing those applications and offers practical policy solutions. I invite you to read our publication here.

While working on our paper I was also taking the food systems e-course which addressed the need for food system transformation. Two concepts particularly stood out: the need to eliminate working in silos and adopting systems thinking. The same applies for digital apps. They are part of food systems and need deeper stakeholder engagement and cooperation to improve apps’ performance and increase adoption rates.

App developers and policy makers need to think about digital solutions through systems thinking approaches. App developers should realize their significant role as part of a larger food system and adequately address the constraints that prevent them from scaling up. It is crucial that they understand the importance of building resilient and sustainable business models that can enable their long-term growth. They also need to engage farmers early on at the design phase of apps so that they can assess their needs accurately and engage their users in informing the design of their own digital experiences.

Policymakers need to sufficiently integrate digital solutions in their agendas and create an enabling policy and regulatory environment. They should improve the digital infrastructure and promote both the development and sustainable utilization of technologies. That is how digital solutions can fully and effectively contribute to food systems transformation.