Unleashing the power of agricultural data: Insights from Tanzania's digitalization of routine data system

Abstract

Across Africa, including Tanzania, numerous countries have embraced digitalization in their agricultural information systems to harness the benefits of improved efficiency and productivity. The adopted systems can be grouped into two main categories: those aiming to improve farmers’ productivity and efficiencies and those aiming to improve organizational administrative efficiencies. While the former has received significant scholarly attention, the latter has not been fully investigated. Thus, using the case of the Agricultural Routine Data System (ARDS), this paper analyzes the system’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for effective designing of digital agricultural information systems. A survey of 30 agricultural extension agents working at ward and village levels was conducted. Additional data were collected through a documentary review of grey literature about ARDS and in-depth interviews with six key informants. It was found that ARDS is a robust system that captures essential agricultural information though it is challenged by combining information for crops and livestock. The study concludes that the adoption of ICT has great potential to increase food production and farmers’ income by optimizing agricultural production and enabling informed decision-making enhanced by quality data. To improve the performance, the study recommends training to be offered to frontline extension agents on how to collect quality data, exclude livestock information from the system and digitalize the system at the village and ward levels.