A new national pilot is bringing digital farm advice to millions of smallholders through a partnership that aims to make practical help fast, local and easy to use. CABI and the Department of Agricultural Extension have joined to test a Strategic Action Plan for e-extension that uses phones, apps, interactive voice response, SMS, community radio and call centres to deliver clear crop advice, pest alerts and weather tips where farmers live. The plan sets up e-extension desks at the national level, regional hubs to shape location-specific content and satellite hubs at block level to gather feedback and reach villages. It also connects tools such as PlantwisePlus with existing systems like agro-meteorology and crop diagnosis platforms so farmers receive timely, local guidance on planting, pest control and harvest timing. A technical working group will check content, guide policy and make sure advice is accurate and locally relevant. The pilot focuses on women, youth and smallholders who are often left out, and it will train local digital champions to help neighbours use simple tools and trust the information. Training uses CABI Academy resources and short practical courses so extension staff and community helpers can learn fast how to use apps, run radio slots and support phone-based services. Early priorities include collecting baseline data, testing delivery channels and building simple dashboards so managers can see where help is needed most. By using many low-cost channels at once, the project aims to reach farmers who lack smartphones as well as those online, so even people with basic phones can hear voice tips or get SMS alerts. Farmers will get clear step-by-step advice that can cut crop losses, increase yields and help households manage changing weather and pests with fewer risks. The initiative also creates practical local jobs for trainers, call centre helpers and field officers who can support advice delivery and help small businesses that sell inputs and repair equipment. Linking digital services with local hubs makes it easier for small firms to test new products and for buyers to find reliable suppliers, which can grow local value chains around successful farms. The approach stresses simple monitoring so lessons from pilots are used quickly to improve tools and expand services that work well. If the trial succeeds, a wider rollout could bring coordinated, evidence-based and gender-responsive advisory services across many districts, helping farmers make better choices and earn steadier incomes. By combining digital tools with local people, the pilot aims to bring the right knowledge to the right place at the right time, helping farms become more productive, more resilient and better linked to markets. The learning will be shared openly so other regions and partners can copy what works and scale fast quickly.
