Empowering Farmers to embrace digitalization
ln Uganda, farming isn’t just a way of life it’s the backbone of the economy. It feeds our families, fuels our exports, and employs over 70% of the population. But in 2025, a quiet revolution is taking place across our fields, gardens, and rural communities.
The agricultural sector feeds nations,but in many parts of Africa, it remains vulnerable to climate shocks, market fluctuations, and outdated practices. While over 60% of Uganda’s population is engaged in agriculture, most smallholder farmers still operate with limited access to modern tools, timely information, and reliable markets. Digitization presents a critical opportunity to turn this tide and ICT4Farmers is at the forefront of this transformation.
By introducing digital services tailored to smallholder needs, ICT4Farmers is bridging the gap between farmers and technology, unlocking new efficiencies and enhancing livelihoods.
How ICT4Farmers is Driving Digital Transformation in Agriculture
ICT4Farmers is a digital platform that empowers farmers through technology. Designed to make agricultural data and services more accessible, it enables farmers to register and manage their farm information, connect to markets, access weather alerts, receive agronomic advice, and find financial services all through their mobile phones.
With both web and mobile interfaces, the platform caters to individual farmers, farmer groups, and cooperatives, improving how agricultural actors coordinate and make decisions.
The Digital Shift
At the beginning of the ICT4Farmers rollout in 2022, digital engagement among smallholder farmers was minimal. A project baseline assessment revealed that only 12% of farmers had ever used any form of agricultural technology, with a majority relying on word of mouth and manual records.
Since the platform’s deployment:
• Over 42,000 farmers across 15 districts have been digitally profiled.
• 65% of registered users now actively engage with at least one platform feature
monthly.
• 30% of users have accessed market pricing data and connected to buyers.
• 15,000+ SMS alerts on weather and agronomic tips have been delivered.
• Cooperatives using ICT4Farmers report a 35% improvement in traceability and data accuracy during aggregation and sales processes.
What ICT4Farmers Offers to the Modern Farmer Some of the core offerings that make ICT4Farmers impactful include:
• Digital Farm Records: Farmers can create and update profiles with land size, crops, inputs used, and yield information.
• Market Access Tools: Access to local and national market prices, and connections with potential buyers.
• Weather Forecasts and SMS Alerts: Hyper-local updates on weather patterns and agronomic tips.
• Financial Linkages: Integration with SACCOs and Microfinance institutions to support access to credit and input financing.
• Monitoring Dashboards: Available to district agricultural officers and partners to monitor adoption, performance, and gaps in service delivery.
Why Farmers Must Embrace Digitization
Digital farming is not just about convenience, it’s a catalyst for transformation. Embracing technology gives farmers:
• Better control over production and planning.
• More consistent and higher incomes, thanks to access to markets and pricing data.
• Increased efficiency in resource usage through data-driven decisions.
• Stronger bargaining power through digital profiling and cooperative analytics.
• Improved access to subsidies and credit, as financial institutions gain confidence in
traceable data.
Digitization also democratizes agriculture by making it more inclusive enabling everyone and even those in remote areas to participate meaningfully through mobile first platforms.
What Does The Future Hold for Digitized Agriculture
The future of agriculture lies in smart technologies:
AI-powered decision tools, Internet of Things, devices, blockchain for traceability, and digital marketplaces. ICT4Farmers is laying the groundwork for these innovations by equipping farmers with foundational digital tools and building trust in technology.
As partnerships grow and digital ecosystems mature, platforms like ICT4Farmers can scale to reach millions powering inclusive, sustainable, and data-driven agriculture.
