Executive Summary
There is increasing need amongst all service sectors to tap into the opportunities
brought by Information Communication Technology (ICT) to improve service delivery. Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) through the Rural Communications Development Fund (RCDF) in collaboration with Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) and Eight Tech Consuls Ltd (8Tech) undertook a project to develop a digital environment that could be used by farmers. This project revealed it crystal clear that, indeed agriculture employs over 70% of Uganda’s population. of which majority are youth and women. The report further noted that over 70% of the farmers are smallholder farmers based in rural areas, whose operations are greatly affected by: climate change, weak digital skills, limited access to productivity knowledge along value chains. limited access to quality farm inputs. weak logistics systems, limited access to quality extension services, weak business intelligence. limited access to quality markets among others.
To address the problems cited above the project team noted that the 4th industrial revolution powered by artificial intelligence, 5G and data science does provide possibilities of addressing some of these challenges. Uganda has witnessed a rapid development of ICT4Agric Innovation, but the uptake of these innovations is constrained by a number of factors including: limited awareness of these innovations, low internet and smart phone penetration especially in rural areas, lack of appropriate digital skills. inappropriate programmes implementation models which are project and donor driven. limited articulation of value add to various stakeholders among others.