New Research in Kenya Tests Digital Advisories to Promote Resilience in Farming Communities
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Farmers disproportionately bear the burden of climate change and the extreme unpredictable weather it brings. This is particularly true in Sub-Saharan Africa, where in the past year alone farmers in some areas have faced severe drought while others experienced heavy, unseasonal rains. Timely and actionable information could help farmers to maintain their main source of food and income in a changing climate.
With support from USAID, a research team from the Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development at Egerton University, Kenya, has launched new research to evaluate the impacts of a government program that provides farmers weather and market information to their phones. This US $449,255 (KSH 49,597,752) three-year study is testing how access to weather and market advisories could help farmers adapt to climate change while increasing their overall productivity and resilience.