| Sumario: | Potato farmers in Kenya grapple with various challenges across the value chain, including limited access to quality planting material such as seeds and fertilizers, resulting in decreased yields and inferior crop quality; insufficient storage and post-harvest handling facilities, which contribute to high levels of postharvest losses exacerbated by factors such as inadequate transportation infrastructure and pest and disease infestations; fluctuating market prices and limited access to reliable market information systems, leaving farmers vulnerable to income instability. These challenges are further exacerbated for women and youth due to the persistent social gaps in the agricultural sector.
Digital tools can play a vital role in addressing these challenges. These tools can provide access to valuable agricultural information, weather forecasts, and best practices, helping farmers make informed decisions and improve crop management. Mobile apps and platforms can facilitate market access by connecting farmers directly with buyers, reducing price fluctuations and ensuring fair returns for their produce. Digital tools can also play a crucial role in addressing post-harvest losses by providing real-time monitoring and management of storage conditions, helping farmers optimize storage facilities to reduce spoilage and wastage. Additionally, digital platforms can provide farmers with information on proper postharvest handling techniques, including sorting, grading, and packaging, ensuring that potatoes are prepared for market with minimal losses. However, challenges persist in digital tool adoption in the agricultural value chains in Sub Saharan Africa. Indeed, Abate et al. (2023) assess the role of digital innovations in potentially revolutionizing Africa's agricultural markets, highlighting the gap between their promise and real-world scalability. They also point out that, despite high hopes, these technologies often do not move beyond small pilot projects to widespread adoption. Aker et al. (2016) also highlight that, despite the potential benefits of ICTs for addressing informational and financial constraints in agriculture, the actual impact on adoption, behavior, and welfare remains inconsistent. Along the same lines, Aker and Cariolle (2022) argue that, despite the introduction of numerous digital public service initiatives -such as mobile money- enabled by the widespread adoption of mobile phones, the expected advantages of digital technology have been slow to manifest across various sectors, notably in agriculture. They attribute this delayed progress to a substantial digital divide, which arises from inadequate coverage of telecommunications and energy infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, alongside the high cost of internet services for the broader population and low literacy and numeracy rates.
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