How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda
This study investigates the barriers to accessing digital agricultural platforms in Uganda, focusing on EzyAgric. Using a cross-sectional qualitative design, we analysed 29 scripts from focus groups, interviews, and key informants. The Rapid Inclusivity Assessment tool identified proto-personas at r...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
AfricArxiv
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172743 |
| _version_ | 1855523547452014592 |
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| author | Ajambo, Susan Kikulwe, Enoch Birachi, Eliud Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng |
| author_browse | Ajambo, Susan Birachi, Eliud Kikulwe, Enoch Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng |
| author_facet | Ajambo, Susan Kikulwe, Enoch Birachi, Eliud Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng |
| author_sort | Ajambo, Susan |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This study investigates the barriers to accessing digital agricultural platforms in Uganda, focusing on EzyAgric. Using a cross-sectional qualitative design, we analysed 29 scripts from focus groups, interviews, and key informants. The Rapid Inclusivity Assessment tool identified proto-personas at risk of digital exclusion, while the Digital Divide Framework provided a theoretical basis. Three main personas emerged: tech-savvy youth (low-risk), middle-income farmers (medium-risk), and older subsistence farmers (high-risk). Key barriers include financial constraints, limited digital literacy, a lack of trust, and cultural norms. Women face additional challenges, such as financial dependency and time constraints, while elderly farmers struggle with unfamiliarity with and preference for traditional methods. Recommendations include improving the infrastructure, providing targeted digital literacy training, designing user-friendly interfaces, building trust, and considering cultural norms. The study emphasises holistic, intersectional approaches and public-private partnerships to promote equitable access to digital agricultural platforms. |
| format | Preprint |
| id | CGSpace172743 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | AfricArxiv |
| publisherStr | AfricArxiv |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1727432025-03-11T12:14:31Z How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda Ajambo, Susan Kikulwe, Enoch Birachi, Eliud Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng inclusion smallholders digital technology women elderly This study investigates the barriers to accessing digital agricultural platforms in Uganda, focusing on EzyAgric. Using a cross-sectional qualitative design, we analysed 29 scripts from focus groups, interviews, and key informants. The Rapid Inclusivity Assessment tool identified proto-personas at risk of digital exclusion, while the Digital Divide Framework provided a theoretical basis. Three main personas emerged: tech-savvy youth (low-risk), middle-income farmers (medium-risk), and older subsistence farmers (high-risk). Key barriers include financial constraints, limited digital literacy, a lack of trust, and cultural norms. Women face additional challenges, such as financial dependency and time constraints, while elderly farmers struggle with unfamiliarity with and preference for traditional methods. Recommendations include improving the infrastructure, providing targeted digital literacy training, designing user-friendly interfaces, building trust, and considering cultural norms. The study emphasises holistic, intersectional approaches and public-private partnerships to promote equitable access to digital agricultural platforms. 2024 2025-02-03T15:31:42Z 2025-02-03T15:31:42Z Preprint https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172743 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/138890 Open Access AfricArxiv Ajambo, Susan; Kikulwe, Enoch; Birachi, Eliud; and Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng. 2024. How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda. Preprint published in AfricArxiv. https://africarxiv.ubuntunet.net/handle/1/1813 |
| spellingShingle | inclusion smallholders digital technology women elderly Ajambo, Susan Kikulwe, Enoch Birachi, Eliud Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title | How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title_full | How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title_fullStr | How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title_short | How inclusive are smallholder farmers’ access to Digital Agricultural Platforms? Lessons from the EzyAgric Digital Platform in Uganda |
| title_sort | how inclusive are smallholder farmers access to digital agricultural platforms lessons from the ezyagric digital platform in uganda |
| topic | inclusion smallholders digital technology women elderly |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172743 |
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