SEMINAR: DIGITAL TOOL INTEGRATION AND POTATO VALUE CHAIN IN KENYA
IFPRI Africa cordially invites you to a Brown Bag Seminar on
‘’Digital tool integration and potato value chain in Kenya‘’
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
9:00-10:00 AM (EST) | 1:00-2:00 PM (GMT) | 4:00-5:00 PM (EAT)
Presented by:
Carlo Azzarri, Senior Research Fellow | IFPRI—Italy
&
Sedi-Anne Boukaka, Research Coordinator | IFPRI—Kenya
Abstract:
Kenya grapple with various challenges along the value chain, including limited access to quality planting material such as seeds and fertilizers, insufficient storage and post-harvest handling facilities, fluctuating market prices, and limited access to reliable market information systems. These challenges are further exacerbated for women and youth due to the persistent social gaps in the agricultural sector. Digital tools can play a vital role in addressing these challenges, as they can provide access to valuable agricultural information, weather forecast, and best practices, helping farmers make informed decisions and improve crop management. However, challenges persist in digital tools’ adoption in the agricultural value chains in Sub Saharan Africa.
The study aims to assess the impact of a digital tool adoption and support on socio-economic and agricultural-related outcomes in the potato value chain in Kenya, piggybacking on an ongoing digital tool integration program conducted by WFP/FtMA (Farm to Market Alliance) targeting agripreneurs (Farming Service Centers -FSCs). By comparing a treatment group that receives this digital integration training to a control group continuing business as usual, the study is evaluating the effects of agripreneurs’ adoption and use expansion of digital tools on farmers’ agriculture-based livelihoods, income generation, and job creation metrics, with a focus on youth employment and gender gap. Overall, baseline data provide a comprehensive overview of the socio-economic, digital, agriculture, and gender-related dynamics in Kenya’s potato value chain, establishing a robust foundation for future evaluations. The analysis highlights that while digital tools’ adoption is widespread for both FSCs and farm households, their use remains largely focused on communication and financial apps, with limited uptake of agriculture-specific tools. Our findings underscore the critical role of FSCs in bridging digital gaps, enhancing service delivery, and supporting farmers in both production and marketing activities.
----------------Sedi-Anne Boukaka, Baragu Geoffrey, Carlo Azzarri----------------
Presenters Bio:
Carlo Azzarri is a Senior Research Fellow in the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit, currently based in Rome. His interests include the relationships among poverty, nutrition, food security, agriculture, environment, production, and migration, analyzed at both the micro- and macroeconomic levels, mostly through quantitative methods.
Sedi-Anne Boukaka is a Research Coordinator in the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Prior to 2023, she worked as a consultant for IFPRI for two years and supervised data collection, data analysis, and preparation of impact assessment reports under the International Fund for Agricultural Development–funded program on assessing the gendered impact of rural development projects in four countries.
Moderator:
Sokhna Sall Seck, Communications Specialist, Development Strategies and Governance, IFPRI Africa
