Digital farmer registry and tailored extension and advisory services in Ethiopia: A process evaluation

This document provides a process evaluation of the digital farmer registry pilot project in Ethiopia. It examines the implementation process, the data collected, and the initial effects on Development Agents’ (DAs) ability to provide customized extension and advisory services. This evaluation is valuable for policymakers, development practitioners, and researchers interested in digital solutions for agricultural extension.

Key Insights

DAs’ Ability to Use the Digital Farmer Registry Application

The capacity-building training provided by the project was instrumental in enabling DAs to use the application and improve their digital and communication skills. Most DAs were using the application independently, and half stated they had trained fellow DAs. A Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 90% indicated high recommendation of the training by DAs. Some DAs noted that the timing of training (peak season) and poor internet connectivity limited their ability to fully exploit the training potential.

The Application’s Relevance to DAs Work

Both DAs and woreda-level functionaries show strong interest in the application. DAs indicated that the application modules facilitate the collection of relevant information that aligns with their day-to-day activities, enabling customized extension and advisory services. Report users at the woreda level highlighted the value of accurate and timely information for data-driven decision-making. The vast majority of DAs highly recommended the application to other DAs, with an NPS of 88% (Figure 2).

User-Friendliness of the Application

Almost all DAs who participated in the pilot were using the application and registered more than 13,800 farm households in the four pilot woredas (21 kebeles) in the first 3-4 months. Most DAs reported comfort using the application independently, though some contacted farmers to fill in incomplete information from the paper records, while others entered the information directly from farmers. About half of the DAs indicated that they have supported/trained a fellow DA on the use of the application. However, DAs raised concern on the capacity of the devices they received (e.g., the tablet processing speed) and internet connectivity in remote kebeles.

DAs’ Perception of the Potential Benefits/Impacts of the Application

Most DAs responded affirmatively that the digital farmer registry has the potential to reduce their workload (82%), help them focus on extension activities (93%), improve data generating and sharing (94%), help them to easily access to farmer’s data (97%), improve timely reporting (90%), and enable them to be more autonomous (95%). DAs also indicated that the registration process gives them a snapshot of the farmers they serve and cater to their demands better.

The Quality of Data Recorded in the Digital Farmer Registry Application

While most DAs uphold the opinion that the data recorded in the farmer registry is accurate and reliable, the results based on the data validation exercise indicated some discrepancies between the application data and self-reports by farmers. These discrepancies may be partly attributed to the approach most DAs followed in the registration process (i.e., relying on digitization of existing written records that are not up to date). As more and more of the data is directly recorded and updated directly onto the application, we can reasonably expect the data quality to continuously improve. Some of the discrepancies could also be attributed to farmers’ misperception about the Farmer Registry’s objecting, resulting in potential misreporting.

Key Challenges DAs Faced During the Pilot Implementation

DAs reported numerous challenges that limit the effective implementation of the pilot. The main challenges include limited institutional support from the bureau of agriculture, farmers misperception about the objective of the registration, poor mobile and internet connectivity in remote locations, shortage of tablets and device malfunction, and limited backstopping support. Another important concern indicated by DAs is the time intensive farmer registration process, and the limited possibility to engage or leverage farmer group leaders like in the case of paper-based data collection.

Key Statistics & Data

• 43: Approximate number of development agents (DAs) per 10,000 farmers in Ethiopia.
• 15,000+: Number of farmer training centers (FTCs) in Ethiopia.
• 75%: Percentage of farm households reportedly reached by DAs in Ethiopia (CSA 2017).
• 90%: Net Promoter Score (NPS) of DAs regarding the capacity building training on the digital farmer registry.
• 88%: NPS of DAs regarding the application.
• 13,800+: Number of farm households registered in the four pilot woredas (21 kebeles) during the first 3-4 months of the pilot.
• 82%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry has the potential to reduce their workload.
• 93%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry helps them focus on extension activities.
• 94%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry improves data generating and sharing.
• 97%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry provides easy access to farmer data.
• 90%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry improves timely reporting.
• 95%: Percentage of DAs who believe the digital farmer registry enables them to be more autonomous.

Methodology

The evaluation draws on qualitative and quantitative data collected from DAs (60), farmers (174), and information users (16) both from pilot and adjacent non-pilot kebeles. The data were collected from the four pilot woredas four to five months after the implementation of the pilot project. The study assessed the pilot implementation process and the effect of the digital farmer registry application on DAs’ ability to provide tailored and knowledge-driven extension and advisory services.

Implications and Conclusions

The evaluation indicates a strong buy-in for the digital farmer registry application among DAs and information users. DAs reportedly gained benefits from the technical training and rollout. Most DAs started registering farmers’ data using the app and found most functionalities user-friendly. Initial assessment also indicates that the application helps DAs know their farmers better as compared to the traditional approach. However, woreda information users did not use the web portal at the time of the survey due to a lack of adequate technical and logistic support. Addressing the challenges faced during the pilot, such as limited institutional support and poor connectivity, is crucial for successful scaling up. Also, data quality concerns should be addressed by standardizing the registration approach and informing farmers about the benefits of providing accurate information.