Methodology

Through this initiative, Busara and 60dB tested new methodologies for three different types of research:

• Population-level research on farmer access to and use of digital farmer services (DFS).
  What portion of farmers in Kenya use a digital farming technology?
  What types of digital tools are used most commonly, and how do farmers access them?
  
• Behaviour change research on farmer adoption and use of digital tools.
  What preferences, beliefs, and cognitive biases held by farmers and/or extension workers enable or impede the adoption of digital services?
  
• How can we leverage enablers or overcome barriers to increase adoption?
  Lean evaluation methodologies to measure the impact of digital tools on farmer outcomes.
  What is the impact of digital advisory services on uptake of recommended practices?
  Do farmers using digital tools experience increased production or earnings?
  

We learned a lot while testing these! Here, we provide a high-level overview of each methodology. Detailed implementation guides for each methodology will be published here mid-2024.