Encouraging technology adoption using ICTs and farm trials in Senegal: Lessons for gender equity and scaled impact

Abstract

• Exposure to ICT-enabled extension raised awareness but was not associated with increased uptake of fertilizers and seeds. • Personal connections to participatory farm trials were correlated with farmers’ adoption of promoted seeds and fertilizers. • Women were less likely to engage with ICT services and somewhat less likely to adopt promoted technologies. • Voice-based push messaging shows promise in spreading information and encouraging behavior change. • Market failures, choice of technologies, and message complexity likely reduced the effectiveness of ICT-enabled extension. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are generating substantial interest from aid donors and development practitioners, including as tools for agricultural extension. However, empirical evidence of the impact of ICT-enabled extension on farmers’ uptake of introduced technologies remains scarce. This four-year study evaluates an ICT-enabled extension project in Senegal using radio and mobile phone services to encourage rural smallholder farmers’ use of certified improved seeds and organic and inorganic fertilizers across Senegal. Data were collected using large-scale annual surveys in six regions over four years as well as focus groups. The findings suggest that, in general, the forms and format of ICT-enabled extension services deployed failed to significantly contribute to the adoption of promoted technologies. Personal connections to participatory farm trials were consistently associated with adoption, and phone-based voice messaging appears to have potential to increase technology uptake. Gender-based disparities in engagement with ICT services and Senegal’s poorly developed systems for producing and distributing quality seeds emerged as key factors limiting the effectiveness of this project. These findings raise concerns about the equity and effectiveness of ICT-enabled extension in promoting agricultural inputs in contexts like Senegal and have important implications for similar efforts in other countries.