Tanzania’s Smallholder Farmers Struggle to Embrace Digital Agriculture
Poor training and delayed responses hinder farmers' ability to access crucial market information.
Dodoma Region, Tanzania – Theresia Abel Nyoka's Experience
Theresia Abel Nyoka has received notifications about M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo, digital services designed to aid farmers, but she has never signed up.
“It is simply because we have not been given education. I do not know their importance or benefits,” she shared with Al Jazeera from Paranga village in central Tanzania’s Dodoma region.
M-Kilimo, a Ministry of Agriculture mobile service, offers market insights, farming tips, and a platform for farmers to advertise their produce and seek agricultural extension worker assistance. The broader e-Kilimo platform consolidates various government agricultural services through a website and smartphone app.
Nyoka, however, relies on a more familiar system. She sells her produce through an Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS) warehouse, where farmers collectively market and sell their crops through organised auctions.
Jeremiah Luwe's Challenge
Jeremiah Luwe, a 49-year-old maize and pigeon pea farmer from Ngomai village in Kongwa district, has tried using M-Kilimo on his smartphone. Yet, he complains about slow responses, often taking up to two weeks to receive market and input-related information.
“Sometimes the information arrives too late to be useful. The government should provide a faster system that responds promptly and connects us to markets and other farmers,” Luwe told Al Jazeera.
He still relies on public meetings, auctions, and media reports for market updates.
A Widespread Challenge
Their experiences highlight a significant hurdle for Tanzania’s digital agriculture initiatives: Even with services available, farmers may not know how to use them or receive timely information.
Government Efforts
The government is investing in the sector through the $3.62 million Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme, running from September 2024 to August 2027. The program aims to strengthen agricultural data systems and expand access to digital services, targeting improved digital literacy for 500,000 farmers and training 500 government extension workers.
Limited Adoption and Challenges
A 2024 study based on Ministry of Agriculture data reported approximately 7.2 million registered farmers on M-Kilimo, along with 9,985 extension workers and experts, 24,523 customers, and 26,927 sellers of agricultural products.
The study found that 73,839 advisory consultations had received replies on M-Kilimo, but it doesn't confirm active user engagement or the impact on farming and marketing decisions. It also identified around 400,000 incomplete registrations and challenges related to digital literacy and access. Some farmers struggle with the USSD service, which allows access to certain functions on basic mobile phones without internet connectivity.
Farmers' Perspectives
In Kingale village, Adam Rashidi cultivates pigeon peas and sesame on over six hectares (15 acres). He uses a basic mobile phone and obtains market information through organised auctions and traditional local markets.
“If I am given education, I can register,” he stated. He is unaware of anyone in his village who uses M-Kilimo or e-Kilimo.
Shaban Omary, another pigeon pea farmer, lacks a smartphone and relies on television for price information. While M-Kilimo offers access through basic phones, the 2024 study indicated that some users encounter difficulties with the service.
“If I knew how to use it, it would help me because I would know more and it could help me move forward,” Omary expressed.