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Tools & Data

Tools & Data

Doing agronomy at scale involves more than using geo-spatial data and making it available for use. TAMASA also aimed to contribute to the transformation of knowledge provision infrastructures in Africa.

As government extension services were often overstretched and understaffed, mobile phone applications provided an opportunity to reach many more farmers with the agronomic advice they seek. By engaging farmers and different types of service providers (agro-dealers, extension workers, input suppliers, etc.) in the development of such applications, TAMASA enlarged the scale of independent agricultural knowledge provision, transforming the agricultural advisory landscape

At the same time, TAMASA apps contributed to agronomic data collection at scale. The applications not only provided advice, but were simultaneously used to better understand the choices and practices of large numbers of smallholder farmers operating in very diverse environments.

For instance, they were used to map crop areas, farmer’s crop and variety choices, agronomic practices, yields, and changes in technology use. As they became more widely used and supported by private sector organisations, NGO’s and government agencies, TAMASA apps contributed to more detailed, accurate and up-to- date agricultural statistics in Africa.

TAMASA currently develops pilot studies of applications on: