Mobile Catalysts in Senegal: Leveraging Technology for Agricultural Information Dissemination

Mobile technology has become an integral part of daily life in Senegal, particularly among rural populations who rely on mobile phones for communication and information access. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to assess user engagement and feedback on various mobile platforms offering agricultural advice. Mobile applications were found to be highly effective in reaching farmers, particularly those using smartphones. The most popular content themes included pest management and weather forecasts, with a usage rate of 75% among surveyed users. The findings suggest that targeted mobile dissemination platforms can significantly improve agricultural practices through timely information delivery. Government agencies should prioritise the development and distribution of user-friendly mobile apps focused on key agricultural challenges. Continuous feedback loops are recommended to enhance app content relevance. Model estimation used θ̂=argminθ∑ᵢ(yᵢ,f_θ(xᵢ))+λθ₂², with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.