African ICT in Education (Technology Focus) | 04 September 2000
Leveraging Mobile Technologies for Agricultural Knowledge Dissemination in Senegal: A Comparative Study
M, a, m, a, n, e, D, i, o, p, ,, D, i, a, k, h, a, t, e, S, a, m, b, o, u, ,, T, o, u, r, e, N, d, i, a, y, e
Abstract
Mobile technologies have become increasingly prevalent in Senegal's agricultural sector, offering a means to disseminate knowledge and information more efficiently. The study employed mixed-methods research, including quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with a sample of 150 farmers across three regions in Senegal. Data analysis utilised descriptive statistics and thematic coding to identify patterns and themes related to technology usage and outcomes. Findings indicated that the use of mobile applications significantly improved farmers' knowledge about agricultural practices, leading to an increase of 20% in crop yields among participants who used these tools regularly. The study concludes that mobile technologies can effectively enhance agricultural information dissemination and positively influence farmers' productivity, particularly when tailored to local contexts. Based on the findings, it is recommended that policymakers invest more in developing and promoting mobile applications designed specifically for Senegalese agriculture, alongside ongoing training programmes for users. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin<em>{\theta}\sum</em>i\ell(y<em>i,f</em>\theta(x<em>i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert</em>2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.