**2.4 Information communication technology (ICT) platforms**

Agricultural information is vast and covers many areas of expertise, depending on the specific agro-climatic zones and socio-economic contexts. To ensure its effective use, it is crucial to have a well-organized system for sharing this information. It is equally essential to disseminate the right information to the right people at the right time. Fortunately, with information and communication technology (ICT) advancements, we can leverage these tools to provide farmers with accurate, timely, and relevant information and services. This, in turn, helps them adopt new technologies more effectively and makes their agricultural endeavors more profitable [31]. Based on an analysis conducted by Ayim et al. [32], the primary ICT technologies used in Africa to improve agriculture productivity are text and voice-based services designed for mobile phones. The rise of smartphone technology, including apps, has also led to the development of innovations in the farming industry. Radio and television are also popular tools for sharing agricultural information with rural farmers. These can be as robust and interactive as virtual workshops and webinars where call-in segments or SMS/text interactions are included to address farmer queries in real-time during the broadcasting. Computers are a gadget primarily utilized by researchers. ICT has enabled the development of

#### *Agricultural Transformation in Maize Producing Areas of Africa DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112861*

dedicated websites, social media, mobile-based extension services, financial inclusion and mobile payments, and online communities to share information on agricultural technologies, including available technologies, coverage, best practices, pest and disease management, market prices, success stories, capacity-building events, and implementation guides, while also incorporating interactive features like search functions, discussion forums and chatbot for farmer engagement and query resolution by experts. Such channels include the TAAT website, https://taat-africa.org/, and the TAAT mobile app available on the App Store. Although there are many benefits to using ICT tools and systems in agriculture, most agricultural and farming communities in Africa need to adopt them to the extent necessary for significant agricultural development. Specific factors that hinder the widespread adoption and diffusion of these services include inadequate technological infrastructure, language barrier, affordability, unsuitable ICT policies, lack of awareness regarding the potential contribution of ICTs to the farm business, and a low level of user skills, particularly among farmers [33].

One such digital application relevant to maize-based systems is The Product Platform for Agricultural Solutions (ProPAS), which offers open access information about innovative technologies in English or French. Each profile covers various aspects relating to the problems addressed, functional principles, geographic suitability, composition, application, customer segmentation, capital/operational costs, expected benefits, and licensing (see **Figure 4**). The platform has two goals; to provide technology holders with a means to disseminate their proven and promising solutions and to encourage users to search through options that can assist their agricultural objectives (visit https://propas.iita.org/). The database allows filtering solutions based on multiple search fields such as relevant value chain, its form and type (i.e., genetics, input supply, management, equipment, and digital tools), location where available, and target beneficiaries. Fourteen of its solutions relate to maize, and another fourteen describe leguminous companion crops. In 2022, ProPAS received 27,207 visitors, of which 9.1% were profile views for maize technologies, and overall it attracted the most attention to equipment followed by genetics, management, and input supply.

#### **Figure 4.**

*Output from the ProPAS website describing "golden maize".*

### **2.5 Commercial licensing systems**

Limited investment by the commercial seed production sector impedes the availability of improved maize varieties to small-scale farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa. In response, The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) established a series of public-private ventures for the multiplication of high-yielding, droughttolerant TEGO® (conventional) and insect-protected TELA® (transgenic) maize hybrids. Seven African countries now produce seeds of these elite varieties, accompanied by a licensing model and agri-business training that now supplies millions of farmers through this mechanism [34]. Precautions are in place to ensure that this multiplication process ensures true-to-type seed with a high germination rate.

Hybrid maize varieties have a high market value and provide opportunities for businesses to generate investment returns from seed multiplication and developing new, improved lines. Significant increases in food and nutritional security and farm incomes are realized where TEGO® (**Figure 5**) [35] and TELA® seed systems are adopted because these varieties produce higher grain yield and quality than other cultivated lines under normal and lower rainfall. Royalty-free licensing results in new, improved maize varieties from public institutions becoming more rapidly available to farmers through commercial transfer rights to the private sector. This mechanism includes an agreement between the holder of intellectual properties for maize varieties and a legally eligible enterprise that intends to multiply and sell these seeds commercially.

Between 2013 and 2020, 7032 tons of Drought TEGO® and 161 tons of TELA® hybrid seeds were sold and planted on an estimated 287,720 hectares of cropland to produce over 1 million tons of grain. This maize is valued at US \$236 million, benefiting about 4.3 million people [34]. At the end of 2020, variety licenses were signed with 38 seed companies from seven countries to commercialize these elite TEGO® and TELA® maize hybrids and test new lines. In this way, the TEGO® and TELA® mechanism is intended to streamline the licensing process for elite, climate-smart maize and to link intellectual goods to commercial opportunities.

**Figure 5.** *TEGO® maize produced under commercial license.*

Stress-resilient crop varieties are often seen as inferior to regular hybrids, but this is a misconception. A multi-location evaluation study of stress-resilient maize hybrids by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Sub-Saharan Africa [36] found that stress-resilient maize hybrids produced yields that were on par with or even superior to regular hybrids under both favorable and unfavorable conditions. These hybrids are a good choice for farmers as they help to achieve more stable yields over time and build a more resilient food system.

#### **2.6 Contract mechanization services and applications**

An increasing amount and variety of mechanized agricultural services are offered to farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, this contracted and rented use of mechanization services remains limited because contracting businesses experience difficulties in informing and convincing lower-income farmers of their value. Ironically, these contracted services provide labor-reducing operations through equipment beyond small-scale farmers' purchasing power [37]. African countries must develop favorable arrangements to make agricultural mechanization accessible to small and medium-scale farmers. This could be done by incentivizing the private sector to scale up agricultural mechanization initiatives and targeting and engaging women farmers and youth by investing in supportive infrastructure and training [38]. ICT applications can help farmers access contract mechanization services by matching farmers with mechanization service providers, providing information about mechanization services, and tracking the progress of mechanization activities. For instance, data on the extent of land cultivated or harvested can be utilized to verify the fulfillment of mechanization services and ascertain whether farmers receive the expected benefits for their investments.

Nevertheless, there is a lot of debate about the role of mechanization and digitalization in African agricultural transformation. A study by Daum et al. [39] documented these concerns by national stakeholders in several African countries. Some argue that mechanization is essential for reducing drudgery, increasing productivity, and reducing poverty, while others say that it can lead to the displacement of rural labor and environmental degradation. Furthermore, there is a continued appeal for state-led mechanization in some countries, even though this approach has been criticized for being inefficient and corrupt. This has resulted in yet another debate about how governments should best promote mechanization in Africa. Some people believe that governments should provide subsidized tractors and run public hire centers, while others believe that the state should focus on creating an enabling environment for private actors.

On the other hand, digitalization is seen as a promising tool, but there are concerns about data sovereignty and the digital divide. Moreover, gender and age can influence how people view digitalization, with younger people and women being more likely to be optimistic about its potential. Therefore, policymakers and development institutions must consider local stakeholders' viewpoints to aid in selecting and designing the most promising policies/programs and ensure their effective implementation at the grassroots level.

Hello Tractor (**Figure 6**) is a success in this area, an award-winning equipmentsharing application that connects tractor operators to African smallholder farmers. This digital platform results in the collaborative use of mechanized field operations by creating a common marketplace between machine owners and farmers who request and pay for services via messaging. The smartphone application also supports credit scoring and provides market intelligence for risk management and loan repayment.

#### **Figure 6.**

*The hello tractor application accessible to farmers via a smart phone.*

This approach allows service providers to match seasonal demand for mechanization services and linked cash flows. Digital information and communication technology enable equipment owners to track the movement and use of their assets, expand their serviceable areas, and manage payment quickly and transparently. Reliable information and communication channels via smartphones allow clients equitable access to agricultural mechanization in ways that improve land productivity, reduce labor costs, and improve their incomes [40].
