Digital Literacy Capacity Building to the Agricultural Farmers and Value Chain Actors in Bangladesh.
DevMaker Consulting and DAI Partner for Digital Literacy in Bangladesh
DevMaker Consulting has partnered with DAI Global, LLC, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a digital literacy capacity-building project for agricultural farmers and value chain actors in Bangladesh. This project, known as “Digital Frontiers,” aims to:
- Increase the use of and access to digital financial services. This includes mobile wallets, online banking, and other digital tools that can help farmers manage their finances more effectively.
- Increase access to mobile internet: This will help farmers connect with information and resources online, such as market prices, weather forecasts, and agricultural best practices.
- Increase the use of data for strategic planning and adaptive programming. This will help USAID and other organizations better understand the needs of farmers and develop more effective programs to support them.
The project is expected to reach over 10,000 farmers and value chain actors in Bangladesh. It will provide training on a variety of topics, including:
- Basic digital literacy skills: This includes how to use smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices.
- Digital financial services: This includes how to use mobile wallets, online banking, and other digital tools to manage finances.
- Market access: This includes how to use online platforms to sell agricultural products and access market information.
- Climate-smart agriculture: This includes how to use digital tools to access weather forecasts, monitor crop health, and manage water resources.
The project is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of farmers in Bangladesh. By increasing their access to digital tools and resources, farmers will be able to improve their productivity, increase their incomes, and become more resilient to climate change.
Benefits of the project:
- Increased access to information and resources
- Improved communication and collaboration
- Increased efficiency and productivity
- Increased market access and income
- Improved resilience to climate change
Partners:
- DevMaker Consulting
- DAI Global, LLC
- USAID
Expected beneficiaries:
- 10,000 farmers and value chain actors in Bangladesh
Project website:
TNA Report.
The Digital Literacy Capacity Building for Agricultural Value Chain Actors in Bangladesh is an initiative of the Feed the Future Bangladesh Digital Agriculture Activity project, managed by DAI and financed by USAID. To achieve the capacity-building initiative, a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) study was conducted in February 2022 with the primary objective of understanding the current capacity and skill gap in digital literacy of all agricultural value chain actors. The TNA addressed training, education, and awareness factors associated with providing smart and precise access to improved digital agricultural extension services leading to increased household income, food, and financial security, as safeguarding their privacy. The project is being implemented by USAID and DAI Digital Frontiers with technical assistance from DevMaker on digital literacy capacity. The study consisted of 3 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 20 Key Informant Interviews across Manirampur, Abhaynagar, and Jashore Sadar sub-districts of the Jashore district with Farmers, Input Sellers, Output Buyers, Local Service Providers and Government officers.
Training and materials development:
DevMaker developed Gender-sensitive Digital Literacy capacity-building training materials and tools ( Modules, Story-based handbooks, Posters, and e-learning module (website) to conduct training for agricultural farmers and value chain actors in Bangladesh.” To develop strong digital literacy among the targeted stakeholders across the 3 value chains of Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Livestock who shall become capable of acquiring, storing, sharing, and applying new knowledge disseminated in their respective lines of work; 1,100 beneficiaries categorized according to their value chain actors will attend.