Abstract
Big data and mobile technology are widely claimed to be global disruptive forces in agriculture that benefit small-scale farmers. Yet the access of small-scale farmers to this technology is poorly understood. We show that only 24–37% of farms of <1 ha in size are served by third generation (3G) or 4G services, compared to 74–80% of farms of >200 ha in size. Furthermore, croplands with severe yield gaps, climate-stressed locations and food-insecure populations have poor service coverage. Across many countries in Africa, less than ~40% of farming households have Internet access, and the cost of data remains prohibitive. We recommend a digital inclusion agenda whereby governments, the development community and the private sector focus their efforts to improve access so that data-driven agriculture is available to all farmers globally.
Highlights
Data-driven interventions are widely suggested to be a disruptive force in global food systems[1,2,3,4,5]
There is concern that this digital divide could stall the realization of human rights[11] and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN), those relating to education, equity, health and well-being[12]
Of individuals affected by food insecurity globally, 61% are served by 3G and 45% are served by 4G
Summary
Data-driven interventions are widely suggested to be a disruptive force in global food systems[1,2,3,4,5]. We report a global baseline assessment of the state of mobile coverage and access to data services in farming.
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