By Ritah Mukasa
Many farmers in different parts of Northern Uganda continue to count losses due to limited access to digital tools.
Molly Aceng and Benson Odongo who are leaders in Plants and Health Cooperative Society Limited in Kwania district say, the majority of the farmers in their cooperative don’t own smartphones. But also, the small cheap phones, radios and TVs are still a privilege to many of them yet today, most of the agricultural advisory services are online or on radio.
Hilda Adur, a digital technology researcher concurs saying this challenge hinders farmers from translating their agricultural output into cash.
In her research titled; Agro-Advisory Services: Inclusive Digital Solutions for Profitable Smallholder Farmer Groups in Northern Uganda, Adur points out the digital divide which remains a big barrier. It is characterised with limited access to digital training, smartphones, electricity, radio, TV and internet connectivity.
Add to that costly data and airtime. But also, lack of user-friendly interfaces further hinders the adoption of digital tools.
To Dorcas Akao, a farmer in Barr sub-county in Lira district, the digital divide keeps them in the vicious circle of lack. Since they are not anywhere on the digital connections, they fail to get good market for their produce. For that, they fail to get enough money to buy smartphones and the circles continue.
On what prompted her to carry out the research, Adur says, she had been reading stories and hearing cries of the farmers on radio but kept ignoring them until one day, she received a distressed call from her mother, Lydia Auma.
“My daughter I have harvested enough food, but I do not have money to buy salt, sugar and paraffin,” Auma lamented over the phone.
Adur decided to do something to highlight the farmers’ plight and where possible, take part in creating sustainable solutions.
She suggests to stakeholders to develop user-friendly solutions in terms of simple, intuitive, and culturally appropriate digital tools and involve farmers in the design process.
They can include phones, radios and TVs that use solar energy. They can buy them on hire purchase. Thereafter, put in place tailored digital literacy programs in local languages and accessible formats which are essential for empowering rural communities.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Leaders at Plants and Health Cooperative Society Limited in a meeting. Photo by Ritah Mukasa
