Kamukwape's Diary

  Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays an important role in enhancing the impact and performance of agricultural production and poverty alleviation by increasing productivity through new credit and financial services. Ensibuuko , a mobile and web application that helps farmers in accessing financial services is making a huge impact in Uganda as it has enabled saving and credit associations (and other financing organisations) to handle savings and make loans to smallholder farmers. Ensibuuko  was conceived over a cup of coffee between two friends in 2010. Mr. Gerald Otim and Mr. Opio Obwangamoi David shared a similar background as they were both raised in peasant farming communities. Mr. Otim had attempted to establish a microfinance organisation for farmers, but with a lot of frustration. It is from these frustrations that he and Mr David were moved to establish Ensibuuko. The solution is targeting farmer’s welfare through Savings and Credit Cooperative Organis...

  The Challenge of weak integration of ICT in agriculture Technology  plays a great role  in enhancing advisory services, knowledge exchange, data acquisition and access to market and trade in the agricultural sector. As mobile communications technology widens and  subscriptions increase at a high rate , the opportunity to leverage the role of ICTs in agriculture for improved and sustainable agricultural development becomes more possible/obvious. However, despite the tremendous possibilities that exist, technological innovations and applications are still weakly harnessed for agricultural development. Stakeholders at the national and international levels are calling for increased actions in these areas, as articulated during the  2013 ICT4Ag Conference  organised by CTA and its partners. Youth participation is critical for the development and dispersion of those innovations. Exploring youth entrepreneurship opportunities through ICT4Ag According to  IT...

  Young entrepreneurs are already turning the wheels of the agricultural revolution. They are driving the paradigm shift in facilitating access and communication of agricultural information and knowledge. They are not just creating a buzz in ICT for Agriculture (ICT4Ag) but fervently transforming the practice of agriculture with innovative ICT solutions such as web and mobile applications. With increasing interest and support from various stakeholders in empowering these young ICT4Ag entrepreneurs, the digitisation of agriculture is beating the odds, responding positively to concerns such as sustainability, nature and quality of the information provided and engagement of youth and women. While the beginning of these initiatives was mainly inclined to the provision of information to support farmers at the production stage, the overwhelming support has so far seen the rebirth of approaches and innovations crossing the borders of provision of information for production only to as far ...