NOTE 17: mExtension – Mobile Phones for Agricultural Advisory Services

Vote utilisateur: 5 / 5

Etoiles activesEtoiles activesEtoiles activesEtoiles activesEtoiles actives
 

Index de l'article

Page 4 sur 7

Table 1. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges

Strengths 

Weaknesses 

Opportunities 

Challenges 
  • Portability 
  • Personalised information 
  • Two way communication 
  • Timely delivery of information and alerts 
  • Location specificity 
  • Media mix 
  • Increased access to public info via RAS (10)
    (10) Bolarinwa, K.K., Oyeyinka, R.A. and Banmeke, T.O. 2014. Mobile phone applications for agricultural extension in Nigeria. In: Saravanan, R. (ed.) Mobile phones for agricultural extension: Worldwide mAgri innovations and promise for future. New Delhi, India: New India Publishing Agency.
  • Both online and offline access 
  • Free or minimum charges for access 
  • Broad-based information coverage 
  • Improved monitoring and evaluation of extension services through efficient communication system 
  • Using mobile phone for accessing agricultural information is still not very popular 
  • Technical illiteracy among clients and extensionists limits scope 
  • Minimum use of smart phones by rural farmers, which limits farmers access to web portals, videos, animations etc. 
  • Cost 
  • Relevancy of information in a personal context 
  • Amount and type of content delivered is limited 
  • Mobilising women 
  • Encouraging an entrepreneurial culture among young people through developing new apps and services 
  • Partnership among multiple stakeholders increases the opportunity for better service (11)
    (11) Hatt et al. 2013. Op. cit.
  • Wide reach 
  • Group-based approach (12)
    (12) Bolarinwa et al. 2014. Op. cit.
  • Increasing mobile phone penetration in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries 
  • Low cost of initial investment 
  • Improved market access and protection against climatic shocks 
  • Reaching resource-poor, small-scale, and marginal land holding farmers 
  • Scaling up of pilot projects 
  • Long-term sustainability 
  • Authenticity of content 
  • Relevant content development 
  • Access to infrastructure (roads, market, credit, electricity, and so on) and lack of network coverage 
  • Inclusion of women 
  • Awareness creation on potential of mobile phone in RAS 
  • Lack of research on impact