Description
Book SynopsisThis book shares research and practice on current trends in digital technology for agricultural and rural development in the Global South. Growth of research in this field has been slower than the pace of change for practitioners, particularly in bringing socio-technical views of information technology and agricultural development perspectives together. The contents are therefore structured around three main themes: sharing information and knowledge for agricultural development, information and knowledge intermediaries, and facilitating change in agricultural systems and settings. The book includes: -Views from diverse academic disciplines as well as practitioners with experience of implementing mobile applications and agriculture information systems in differing country contexts. -Case studies from a range of developing countries and information from across the public and private sector. -A set of practitioner guidelines for successful implementation of digital technologies. With contributions reaching beyond just a technological perspective, the book also provides a consideration of social and cultural factors and new forms of organization and institutional change in agricultural and rural settings. An invaluable read for researchers in international development, socio-economics and agriculture, it forms a useful resource for practitioners working in the area.
Table of ContentsSection 1: Creating and Sharing Knowledge 1: Mobile Phone Applications for Weather and Climate Information for Smallholder Farmer Decision Making 2: Smartphones Supporting Monitoring Functions: Experiences from Sweet Potato Vine Distribution in sub-Saharan Africa 3: Customized Information Delivery for Dryland Farmers 4: mNutrition: Experiences and Lessons Learned in Content Development Section 2: Information and Knowledge Intermediaries 5: Introducting a Technology Stewardship Model to Encourage ICT Adoption in Agricultural Communities of Practice: Reflections on a Canada/Sri Lanka Partnership Project 6: Reducing Transaction Costs in Contract Farming Arrangements: the Case of Farmforce 7: Adoption of ICT Products and Services among Rice Farmers in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone 8: The Effect of ICTs on Agricultural Distribution Channels in Mexico Section 3: Facilitating Change in Agricultural Systems 9: Towards Alternate Theories of Change for M4ARD 10: Mobile for Agriculture (m4Agric) Services: Evidence from East Africa 11: Understanding the Impacts of Mobile Technology on Smallholder Agriculture 12: Farmerline: a For-profit Agtech Company with a Social Mission 13: Best Practice Lessons and Sources of Further Information
