Donor funding pressures put digital services for smallholder farmers at risk

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27— Digital agriculture programmes face a sustainability test as development funding comes under pressure, prompting calls for new financing models to keep services accessible to millions of…

Agriculture stakeholders at the 10th AgriFin Learning Event in Nairobi on Tuesday said digital platforms that provide farm advice, weather information and financial services must develop viable business models to survive beyond the lifespan of individual programmes.

The discussions come as Prosper Global AgriFin reports reaching more than 8.5 million smallholder farmers through digital information services, surpassing its target of five million, with women accounting for 41 per cent of those reached.

Participants cautioned, however, that expanding access does not guarantee long-term sustainability, particularly where providers must cover technology, customer support and rural delivery costs while keeping services affordable for farmers.

Source: Capital FM