Improving farm productivity with mobile phone technology

For a small agricultural-based economy like Malawi, access to information can conceivably facilitate better incomes and productivity for farmers.

This is why Agribusiness Systems International (ASI) is introducing the Technology for Extension to Smallholders (Texts) Project—an SMS extension messaging service which is aimed at improving food security and smallholder returns from agriculture extension through the use of SMS technology.

Glancing through the window of a Toyota Land Cruiser, glass thatched houses of Chimphangu Village in Lilongwe and swathes of lush maize, broad tobacco leaves and plump pumpkins on wet soils between mounds of ridges provide a decent agronomic spectacle.

This is a village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalumbu where farmers have benefitted from ASI’s Texts project.

One of the farmers, Josophat Chimtunga, says he is thankful to the programme which has increased his hope for bumper yields and monetary returns.

“We can now easily access professional and modern agricultural messages. This enables us to hold farmers club meetings without the presence of an extension worker, says Chimtunga.

He says the disseminated technologies on good agricultural policies (GAP) are likely to increase his agricultural productivity.

“It is productive since we do not only get messages on how to take care of our crops on and off the fields, but also how we can look after our livestock,” he adds.

Mphatso Mtambalika, an agricultural extension and development officer (Aedo) agrees with Chimtunga, saying the Texts project presents a formidable boost to the country’s strides towards getting farmers to profit from their well looked after crops and livestock.

“Mobile phones can act as catalyst to improving farm productivity and rural incomes, the quality of information, timeliness of information and trustworthiness of information are the three important aspects that have to be delivered to the farmers to meet their needs and expectations,” Mtambalika says.

He further explains that farmers now have easy and reliable access to good and modern farming technologies direct from agriculture experts and researchers.

According to ASI country director Rachel Sibande, the Texts Project has created a long-term SMS extension platform and operation plan that will help the Department of Agricultural Extension Services (Daes) in increasing its outreach to smallholder farmers by maximising the use of technology.

“The increasing penetration of mobile phone networks and handsets in Malawi, therefore, presents an opportunity to make useful information available more widely. This is also going to improve coordination and a partnership mechanism as well as improving capacity to manage government and donor investment in agriculture,” Sibande says.

She adds that mobile phones will help reduce the information gap in the agricultural sector and would help improving farm productivity and profitability to regain agricultural dynamism.

“Our country needs a strong pull-up support to the agricultural sector as this one. There would be a positive impact on farmers’ profitability as there will be a reduction in transaction costs at both input and output levels, search costs through time saving and travel cost. We expect the farmers’ revenue to increase with increased information on prices through arbitrage and also through information. A better and timely decision-making on cropping pattern could also increase farm profits,” she says.

According to Sibande, this is not only helping the Daes to send out agronomic tips to extension staff, lead farmers and collaborative partners, but also organisation messages, epidemic or disaster warning and Daes management support.

ASI is implementing the Texts Project is aimed at supporting Daes to improve food security and smallholder farmers’ returns.