In April 2021, SPIA issued a call for expressions of interest for rigorous impact evaluations of digital support tools for smallholder farmers. 20 expressions of interest were received, and, after careful review, nine teams were invited to submit full proposals.
In August 2021, eight proposals were submitted and underwent external peer review followed by a second round of review by the panel.
Finally, in October 2021, the three studies outlined below were selected to receive funding and support from SPIA.
Study | Innovation | Partners |
Group-based ICT Extension Support Systems: Evidence from Rural Peru (Go Digital PERU) | Demand-driven ICT-based extension through WhatsApp | CIP, Michigan State University |
Picture Based Advisories (PBA) – Tailored digital extension based on individual field pictures | Picture Based Advisories (PBA) app | IFPRI, Wageningen University |
Technology Adoption and Market-Access: On-Farm Agribusinesses in Rwanda | IVR-based marketplace for smallholder farmers | World Bank, CIAT |
