By: Henrietta Afful
The Science and Technology Policy Research Institute wing of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-STEPRI), is advocating for policymakers in the agricultural value-chain to intensify efforts aimed at improving the use of digital tools and platforms to achieve better agricultural outcomes.
According to CSIR-STEPRI, this initiative will not only provide farmers with access to a wealth of valuable information, but also enable them to fully benefit from advanced digital services and technologies being developed both in Ghana and globally.
CSIR-STEPRI through its research project titled “Enhancing Farmers’ Uptake of Digital Technologies through Empirical Research, Innovation, and Policy Intervention” has emphasized that digital technologies are essential in transforming agriculture, optimizing harvest scheduling especially for farmers, enhancing productivity, and preventing losses.
These insights came to light during an advocacy event on digitalisation in Agriculture held on December 30, 2024, at the Erata Hotel in Accra.
Dr. Wilhelmina Quaye, Director of CSIR-STEPRI and Chairperson of the event, emphasized the need for collaboration between CSIR-STEPRI and policymakers to facilitate and support the implementation of the project’s recommendations.
Presenting key findings from the research, the Deputy Director of CSIR and Principal Investigator, Dr Rose Omari discussed the objectives of the “Enhancing Farmers’ Uptake of Digital Technologies through Empirical Research, Innovation, and Policy Intervention” (EFUDTRIPI) project.
She said the project aims to generate evidence to secure stakeholder buy-in, support, and influence policy.
Dr Omari also called for more experience sharing, awareness campaigns, and advocacy for accessible pricing structures as ways to promote the adoption of digital technologies among farmers.
Although both public and private institutions have supported efforts to develop, deploy and facilitate the adoption of digital technologies, Dr. Omari stressed the importance of fostering more partnerships and collaborations to boost investment in ICT in agriculture.
Dr Portia Adade Williams, a team member of the research project, presented five thematic areas of recommendation to address five challenges by stakeholders in agriculture. These centered on Accessibility, Affordability, Cybersecurity, Access to Agricultural Extension Officers and Data and Information sharing.
In her address to the participants, Dr. Adade Williams emphasized the importance of establishing clear financing pathways, the need to encourage data sharing and collaboration to improve service delivery, and the importance of designing user-friendly technologies and platforms to support farmers effectively.
She encouraged farmers who have successfully adopted digital technologies to share their experiences, helping to dispel misconceptions and alleviate concerns about digital adoption. This, Dr. Adade Williams noted, would also raise awareness in rural areas where such technologies are often met with skepticism.
The event, held on December 30, 2024, was to wrap up a series of advocacy engagements organized by CSIR-STEPRI and its allied partners.
The event saw the participation of policymakers from various sectors, including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation (MOCD), Ministry of Information (MOI), Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) and the media.
Since the launch of its research project in March 2022, CSIR-STEPRI has facilitated numerous dialogues with stakeholders and policymakers in the agricultural value chain.
The project, which is funded by the European Union through the OACPS Research and Innovation Fund, is part of the AGriDI Project, coordinated by ICIPE.
