We utilize digital solutions and radio programs as a way to complement the knowledge that farmers gain from our field-based activities and as a means to spread this experience to a wider network of farmers. We provide verified and easy-to-access information, delivering it where farmers are most present and comfortable. We also evaluate and pilot new digital channels, platforms, and innovations that will increase the menu of appropriate digital options available to smallholder farmers.
Digital Crop Guides and Extension Materials
GrowHow is our digital platform that provides full public access to a wide range of extension materials, including crop production guides, technical guides, management guides, and instructional videos, with content available in 33 languages.
All materials are specifically designed for smallholder farmers and are developed with their feedback. To ensure best practices and up-to-date recommendations on agrochemicals, these materials are designed by our Technical Support Hub in close cooperation with Wageningen University & Research.
Certification Courses
Our web-based General Vegetable Production (GVP) program offers certification courses tailored to farmers, agricultural input retailers, students, and extension workers. The GVP program is available in Bahasa, Bengali, English, Filipino, French, Myanmar, Hausa, Khmer, Hindi, Odia, Swahili, and Thai. All of the GVP courses are self-paced.
The GVP program includes the following certification courses:
Vegetable Production Beginner – Designed for our non-technical staff and curious participants who are newbies in vegetable production.
Crop Advisor Trainer – Designed for our technical staff and other extension workers who want to acquire more advanced technical knowledge in vegetable production.
Agrobusiness – Designed for dealers of agro-input products to enable them to confidently advise their customers on best practices in vegetable production.
Find more information about the GVP program here.
YouTube Videos
Our hundreds of instructional videos walk farmers through every step of the crop cycle, as well as activities like making natural pesticides and producing vermicompost. These resources are complemented by videos on financial literacy, farm business skills, and other topics.
VeggieTap App
VeggieTap is a free, easy-to-navigate learning app that enables farmers to learn basic and advanced vegetable-growing techniques. It covers all the topics farmers need to know to achieve a successful and profitable harvest. Powered by SkillEd, VeggieTap can be used both online and offline and is available in multiple languages.
WhatsApp / Messenger Groups
WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger chat groups are used within countries to foster dialogue among specific groups of farmers. In some countries, traders are included in these groups. The chat groups are extremely popular, particularly with younger farmers, and have proved valuable as easily accessible training platforms.
Radio
Radio is an effective way to share information with farmers and inspire other listeners to begin farming. Our teams in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda host regular or periodic radio programs covering a variety of vegetable farming topics, with opportunities for farmers to call in with questions.
Since 2019, we have hosted a weekly Hausa-language radio show in northern Nigeria. In 2021, we conducted a study with the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) in Nigeria to better understand the impact and potential of radio as a means of reaching farmers.
Podcasts
Audio files are an effective and easy way to share knowledge and best practices. They also consume little data and are relatively easy to make. Podcasts present technical farming advice, as well as farmer interviews and stories, in local languages.
Mobile Learning Solutions
In 2020, EWS-KT and Wageningen University & Research partnered with tech company Funzi to pilot a lightweight mobile learning solution. The pilot program enabled farmers to access training on smartphones and feature phones, with minimal data charges. The course Vegetable Seedling Production covered three modules: planning seedling production, ground nurseries, and cellular seedling production.
The initial program period involved 5,317 learners in Nigeria. The pilot exceeded expectations, resulting in a completion rate of 95% for Hausa-speaking participants. With overwhelmingly positive feedback, we are in search of resources to convert our full training curriculum into the Funzi format, which can be used with a business model to reach hundreds of thousands of farmers in different countries.
Digital Gaming
EWS-KT partnered with Solidaridad and Kucheza to pilot a game-based learning approach to farm economics. The program aims to build awareness, knowledge, and skills to enable sustainable business decisions. A post-pilot study by Wageningen University & Research will indicate if and how this or similar approaches can best be integrated into future training activities.
SMS Text Messaging
Most farmers in the areas where we work use feature phones, not smartphones. We are therefore exploring options for sharing technical content through interactive SMS and WhatsApp messages. This would enable users to receive timely advice at key stages of their crop production cycle. To gauge the effectiveness of this approach, we piloted an SMS-based training program with farmers in Tanzania in 2022.
Moderated Social Media Groups
Social media not only serves as a platform for farmers to share experiences but also enables us to connect with farmers who have no exposure to our field activities. We share the location and status of demonstration farms, information on training events, and market prices with groups of farmers and traders. We currently moderate discussion on the following Facebook groups:
Cambodia
Ghana
India
Myanmar
Nigeria
Philippines
Tanzania
Thailand
