Extension services

An evaluation of six different text-message-based agricultural extension programmes, that collectively reached over 128,000 farmers in Kenya and Rwanda, shows that while the impacts of text messages are modest, they can be an extremely cost-effective...

Digital tools with site-specific fertiliser advice and information on expected returns can increase farmers’ yields by encouraging fertiliser use

Small agricultural input suppliers can drive farm-level adoption of new technologies by over 50% more than conventional extension service methods

Agricultural extension services delivered through small input suppliers lead to higher adoption of new technologies by farmers

Farmers with access to digital agricultural extension shared more information with their peers and became sought-after members of farmer peer groups

Building roads and extending agriculture services to rural Ethiopian communities had no impact alone, but increased agricultural productivity together

While farming practices were not initially enhanced, low-income farmers in Mexico with autonomy substantially improved two years post-intervention

Farmer-to-farmer information diffusion is a cost-effective approach for improving practices and profits for smallholder dairy farmers in East Africa

Targeting women directly with relevant information in ways that are appealing increases their agency, access to resources, and achievements in farming