The role of Information and Communication Technology in enhancing university-smallholder farming community engagement

Abstract

In the modern information economy, communication and information sharing is key in improving one’s way of working, thinking and living. Studies indicate that despite the flourishing Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector and a vibrant higher education sector, rural smallholder farmers are still struggling to access vital knowledge and information to improve their farming practices, access to market and policy advocacy. Higher institutions of learning through their outreach programmes have an important role to play in enhancing smallholder farmer’s ability to timely access knowledge and information. However, reorientation will be required for these institutions to deliver. This calls for innovations requiring approaches, frameworks, and models that exploit the potential of ICT’s in empowering higher institutions of learning capacity and ability to fill the knowledge and information gap among smallholder farmers. This paper discusses the role of innovative ICT’s in enhancing university smallholder farming community engagement.