Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India

This paper provides a formative evaluation of picture-based advisories (PBA), using a cluster randomized trial in the states of Punjab and Haryana in northern India. The study randomly assigned 203 villages to one of three treatment arms: a control group, in which farmers received generic agricultur...

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Main Authors: Ceballos, Francisco, Kannan, Samyuktha, Kramer, Berber
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117330
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author Ceballos, Francisco
Kannan, Samyuktha
Kramer, Berber
author_browse Ceballos, Francisco
Kannan, Samyuktha
Kramer, Berber
author_facet Ceballos, Francisco
Kannan, Samyuktha
Kramer, Berber
author_sort Ceballos, Francisco
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper provides a formative evaluation of picture-based advisories (PBA), using a cluster randomized trial in the states of Punjab and Haryana in northern India. The study randomly assigned 203 villages to one of three treatment arms: a control group, in which farmers received generic agricultural advisories; a PBA treatment arm, in which farmers received not only generic advisories but also PBA messages personalized based on smartphone images of their crops; and a treatment arm in which farmers received picture-based insurance (PBI) coverage for visible damage to insured crops in addition to the generic and PBA messages. We find high participation among all groups of farmers, regardless of potential digital divides, indicating feasibility of an inclusive PBA approach. Moreover, PBA improved farmers’ knowledge around good agricultural practices. Although this did not translate into increased adoption of recommended practices in the short run, farmers do report that the advisory service helps them reduce risk, providing a business case for bundling this service with insurance.
format Artículo preliminar
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language Inglés
publishDate 2021
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publisherStr CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
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spelling CGSpace1173302025-11-06T05:43:46Z Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India Ceballos, Francisco Kannan, Samyuktha Kramer, Berber insurance willingness to pay agricultural extension surveys technology farmers capacity development agriculture crop insurance food security imagery information and communication technologies smartphones digital technology climate change This paper provides a formative evaluation of picture-based advisories (PBA), using a cluster randomized trial in the states of Punjab and Haryana in northern India. The study randomly assigned 203 villages to one of three treatment arms: a control group, in which farmers received generic agricultural advisories; a PBA treatment arm, in which farmers received not only generic advisories but also PBA messages personalized based on smartphone images of their crops; and a treatment arm in which farmers received picture-based insurance (PBI) coverage for visible damage to insured crops in addition to the generic and PBA messages. We find high participation among all groups of farmers, regardless of potential digital divides, indicating feasibility of an inclusive PBA approach. Moreover, PBA improved farmers’ knowledge around good agricultural practices. Although this did not translate into increased adoption of recommended practices in the short run, farmers do report that the advisory service helps them reduce risk, providing a business case for bundling this service with insurance. 2021-12-22 2022-01-03T14:23:29Z 2022-01-03T14:23:29Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117330 en Open Access application/pdf CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Ceballos F, Kannan S, Kramer B. 2021. Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India. CCAFS Working Paper no. 406. Wageningen, the Netherlands: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).
spellingShingle insurance
willingness to pay
agricultural extension
surveys
technology
farmers
capacity development
agriculture
crop insurance
food security
imagery
information and communication technologies
smartphones
digital technology
climate change
Ceballos, Francisco
Kannan, Samyuktha
Kramer, Berber
Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title_full Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title_fullStr Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title_full_unstemmed Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title_short Assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures: A formative evaluation in India
title_sort assessing feasibility and effects of personalized remote advisories based on smartphone pictures a formative evaluation in india
topic insurance
willingness to pay
agricultural extension
surveys
technology
farmers
capacity development
agriculture
crop insurance
food security
imagery
information and communication technologies
smartphones
digital technology
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/117330
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AT kannansamyuktha assessingfeasibilityandeffectsofpersonalizedremoteadvisoriesbasedonsmartphonepicturesaformativeevaluationinindia
AT kramerberber assessingfeasibilityandeffectsofpersonalizedremoteadvisoriesbasedonsmartphonepicturesaformativeevaluationinindia