Practical Insights on ICTforAg

agriculutre technology innovation

What is ICTforAg?

ICTforAg is using information and communication technology (ICT) in agriculture development interventions. ICTforAg projects aim to increase food security by helping smallholder farmers use modern agritech farming methods and access markets. These solutions encompass agricultural value chains and include adjacent technologies like digital financial services, big data, and geographic information systems.

ICTforAg solutions in the development sector help countries achieve the Sustainable Development goals. Solutions often focus on agriculture extension agent services for farmers to learn about agriculture technologies and innovation. ICTs can amplify the efforts of agricultural extension agents who work directly with farmers across the entire value chain from planing what crops to grow, to sourcing inputs for crop cultivation, to selling it in the market.

Why is ICTforAg Important?

Smallholder farmers have limited resources and often live in underserved and remote areas. They have limited knowledge, services, and technologies available to them, and typically need support to adopt modern farming methodologies. Agricultural extension services are usually inadequate , with less than one extension agent per 1000 farmers .

Climate change is now impacting more farmers, particularly the most vulnerable, so there is greater need for reaching farmers with information and services that can improve their food security. ICTforAg can play a crucial role in supporting farmers to access new inputs, credit, and markets with personalized and customized services.

Examples of ICTforAg in Food Security Programs

The potential to achieve high impact at the farm-level requires appropriate technology and adoption methodologies. Please find below an ever-increasing list of successful ICTforAg solutions.

New USAID Toolkit on Inclusive AgriTech Digital Solution Design

New USAID Toolkit on Inclusive AgriTech Digital Solution Design

Published on: Feb 28 2024 by Guest Writer - Leave a Comment
Digital development solutions have become pervasive around the world, including within resilience, environment, and food security development efforts supported...
ChatGPT vs. Claude as Generative AI Agricultural Extension Agents in Pakistan

ChatGPT vs. Claude as Generative AI Agricultural Extension Agents in Pakistan

Published on: Dec 14 2023 by Josh Woodard - 4 Comments
A few months ago, I was in Pakistan working with my colleagues on a rapid landscaping of AI in Agriculture. We decided to put ChatGPT (v3.5) to a simple test. We...
Apply Now: $50,000 for Women’s Participation in ICTforAg Solutions

Apply Now: $50,000 for Women’s Participation in ICTforAg Solutions

Published on: Sep 25 2023 by Wayan Vota - 3 Comments
Increasing women’s participation in digital agri-food advisory services and programs improves gender equality and is a strategic approach to improving agricultural...
Why Artificial Intelligence Mattes for Smallholder Farmers in LMICs

Why Artificial Intelligence Mattes for Smallholder Farmers in LMICs

Published on: Jun 28 2023 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Why Artificial Intelligence Mattes for Smallholder Farmers in LMICs
The Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is upon us – driven by unprecedented rates of innovation and adoption. Interest in AI has exploded as ChatGPT continues...
9 World Bank Digital Agriculture Programs Improving Food Security

9 World Bank Digital Agriculture Programs Improving Food Security

Published on: Jan 10 2023 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on 9 World Bank Digital Agriculture Programs Improving Food Security
Digital agriculture is the use of information and communication technologies across the agriculture and food system. According to the World Bank, agritech can help...
World Bank Funding for Digital Agriculture Startup Companies

World Bank Funding for Digital Agriculture Startup Companies

Published on: Dec 20 2022 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on World Bank Funding for Digital Agriculture Startup Companies
Digital agriculture is important to the World Bank because it can help improve food security by making the food system more efficient, sustainable and equitable....
USAID Resilience and Food Security Digital Strategy Action Plan

USAID Resilience and Food Security Digital Strategy Action Plan

Published on: Mar 09 2022 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on USAID Resilience and Food Security Digital Strategy Action Plan
The application of digital technology within resilience and food security sectors has both sectorally unique elements, as well as some commonalities. Digital technologies...
Please Register Now: ICTforAg 2022 – The Digital Agriculture Conference

Please Register Now: ICTforAg 2022 – The Digital Agriculture Conference

Published on: Dec 16 2021 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
Join industry leaders and practitioners from around the globe at ICTforAg 2022 for two days of thought-provoking discussions on March 9-10, 2022 as we delve into...
Apply Now! $2 Million for Smallholder Farmer AgriTech Solutions

Apply Now! $2 Million for Smallholder Farmer AgriTech Solutions

Published on: Nov 29 2021 by Wayan Vota - 16 Comments
Agriculture is by far the most important economic activity in Africa, employing about two-thirds of the continent’s working population. Yet agricultural productivity...
Apply Now: $300,000 for USAID Digital Agriculture Ecosystem Assessments

Apply Now: $300,000 for USAID Digital Agriculture Ecosystem Assessments

Published on: May 19 2021 by Wayan Vota - 13 Comments
Digital agriculture solutions for weather-based insurance, pest diagnostic, agronomic advice, and crop monitoring can revolutionize yields and income for smallholder...