International: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation, ACP-EU, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11614
Notes:
3 pages., Online from publisher., Author addresses "large gap between African extension services ... and the number of farmers being reached." ... "Africa's existing mobile network (currently the second biggest mobile market in the world) could be better utilised to bridge this gap and provide mobile-based agricultural information, advice and support to smallholder farmers."
Traces adoption and identifies "two pressing issues that affect the digital divide -- affordability of these technologies to the rural population and the educational level of rural users that impact upon usage capability.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D06823
Notes:
Pages 297-308 in Massimo Ragnedda and Glenn W. Muschert (eds.), The digital divide: the internet and social inequalities in international perspective. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon, UK. 324 pages.
Mobile phone not enhancing the lives of rural people in these villages as may have been envisioned. They used it more for social communication than for enhancing household incomes.
18 pages., via online journal., Findings in rural communities prompt authors to recommend a customized policy framework that is responsive to the diversity and uniqueness of local contexts in connectivity and digital inclusion.
1 page., September-November issue via online., Digitalisation is improving the agricultural extension system by providing services at the right time, and facilitating adoption of new agronomic practices, resulting in yield improvements and higher incomes for farming households.