Adoption of Agricultural Digital Services by Smallholder Farmers in the Central and Southern Zones of Senegal

AbstractThe use of digital services offers numerous benefits to agricultural value chain actors including smallholder farmers. However, knowledge gaps exist on the adoption of digital services in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. In this context, a survey was conducted to identify the determinants of farmers using digital agricultural services in the central and southern zones of Senegal. Descriptive analyses and simple logistic models were used to identify types of digital services farmers use and the key factors influencing their adoption. Overall, 30% of the sampled used digital agricultural services with the most frequently used services in order of importance being: rainfall forecasts (30%), cumulative rainfall (28%), and market information (7%). Other services such as online training (4%), air temperature forecasts, wind intensity and direction (3%), rainfall breaks (2%), flood risks (2%), seasonal forecasts (1%), out-of-season rainfall (1%) and wet sequences (1%) were rarely used in the two study sites. Highlighted adoption determinants included training in good agricultural practices, sensitization to digital services, and awareness of a producer who uses these services. Millet and cowpea producers were reported to be less likely to use digital agricultural services than those who do not grow one or other crops. By contrast, producers who grow maize are more likely to use digital services than non-maize growers. Finally, the higher the TLUs (Tropical Livestock Units) the producer owns, the more likely they are to use agricultural digital services. Young people and male producers are also more likely to use digital agricultural services.Keywords: agricultural digital services, adoption, Senegal