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Most small scale farming systems in Kenya are much less productive and profitable than they could be. The reasons include lack of access to inputs and credit, and the inability to bear risks. Another major contribution is the information and skills gap that constrains the adoption of available mobile innovations. There are many mobile innovations in agriculture but farmers don’t use them for one reason or another.

The sixth Wireless Wednesday on agriculture took place on 27th February 2013. The event sponsored by USAID and organized by m:lab East Africa attracted farmers from Eastern, Coast, Nyanza,Central and Western provinces,mobile apps developers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, financial advisors, government representative and other stakeholders. The main focus of discussion was on how developers can improve the quality of mobile applications they launch into the market to enhance and encourage the uptake of these innovations.

It was noted that there is a big disconnect between farmers and developers hence some of the applications are not relevant and applicable to farmers. Developers should not only focus on how much the application is going to generate but how the application is going to benefit the end user who is the farmer. This means going to the ground and getting all the information about the particular field that is what farmers are doing and the information they need so that when coming up with the application it is relevant and useful to the farmers.

Reasons why farmers do not use the existing mobile applications

• Farmers do not know about the existing mobile innovation in agriculture.
• Some of the mobile application are hard/complicated for some of the farmers to use.
• Most of the applications are developed on platforms that are supported on smartphones whereas a good number of farmers own feature phones.
• The applications available are on App Stores, this poses as a challenge to most farmers because they don’t know about these stores or how to access them.

Factor to consider when enhancing the uptake of agricultural mobile innovation

Simplicity – Developers were urged to make their application very simple in a way that it can be understood by farmers and at the same time make the application affordable.

Information – most of the developer come up with applications without having sufficient information about the particular field. Research is important before coming up with an application, get to know some of the areas where the farmers need help and how your application will provide the needed service to the farmers so that the application becomes relevant to the farmer.

Platforms – Developers were challenged to develop apps that can be accommodated on feature phones so that the farmers owning feature phones are not left out, or make the app available across most if not all platforms.

Repository for MAgric innovation – A farmer challenged the developers to come up with a portal with all the applications and information about agriculture, something like a one stop shop where farmers can get all the application and information necessary about the market, weather, pesticides, outbreak of disease among others. Have the applications in an apps store is good but how many farmers can access these stores? Very few. A repository of these apps ensures that the farmer gets access to agricultural app easily.

Partnerships – Developers were highly recommended to work with the government and other key stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Partnerships ensure that the applications channeled out have correction information, they are correctly packaged and they easily reach large number of farmers.