Benjamin Addom
Team Leader, ICT for Agriculture, CTA
Team Leader, ICT for Agriculture
Biography
Dr Benjamin Addom is an agricultural information specialist with a particular focus on using new ICTs for supporting EAS. He has over 20 years of experience with smallholder farming, including working on EAS provision; agricultural research and development approaches; resource mobilisation; and designing and grant making to support agriculture. He holds a doctorate in information science and technology from Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, USA; and a master’s in international agriculture and rural development from Cornell University, USA. At CTA, he is currently managing the ‘Market-led, User-owned ICT4Ag-enabled Information Service’ project among other responsibilities.
Articles
Digital agriculture to help Africa through coronavirus
by Sabdiyo Dido Bashuna and Benjamin Addom
As COVID-19 continues to devastate lives all over the world, agriculture and food systems come under critical strain. Recessions, food shortages, hunger and malnutrition are feared to be likely, with grave impact on vulnerable communities in developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
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CTA expertise informs concept for new International Digital Council for Food and Agriculture
Extensive consultation with CTA and other stakeholders has resulted in a concept note for the establishment of a new International Digital Council for Food and Agriculture. Once operationalised, the Digital Council will advise governments and other relevant actors with the aim of realising the immense potential of digitalisation for the global agri-food system.
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Super platforms – going beyond bundling digital solutions
Solutions that bundle multiple digital agricultural services have the capacity to unlock the potential of smallholder farmers. However, emerging ‘super platforms’ are complex and their impacts need to be carefully assessed before widely promoted in Africa.
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Innovative digitalisation project transitions into promising business
A recurring question in agricultural development is how to transition successful donor-funded initiatives into self-sustaining, smallholder-focused businesses. One of CTA’s most innovative digitalisation projects, the Market-led, User-owned ICT4Ag-enabled Information Service (MUIIS), is proving it can be done.
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Publications
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The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report, 2018-2019
"Digitalisation is crumbling all sorts of borders and African agriculture will be deeply impacted. Technologies can help stimulate innovation for sustainable agri-food systems and produce better and safer food while preserving natural resources and biodiversity. But we need to be conscious and support solutions that are sustainable and that are tailored to countries’ needs, and embedded into conducive and broader innovation systems." Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit at the European Commission, DG for International Cooperation and Development
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ICT4ag - More than mobile
Mobile agriculture has contributed successfully to the current developments in ICT4Ag sector. This issue’s guest editors predict further impact in the sector if cross-channel partnerships in ICT4Ag projects are achieved.
events
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Aug 6
6th German-African Agribusiness Forum
The 6th German-African Agribusiness Forum is being held in the course of the 85th International Green Week (IGW), under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
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Aug 6
2019 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting
The 2019 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting is co-hosted by the African Union, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health, Grand Challenges Canada, the United States Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The meeting includes scientific tracks, with sessions running in parallel, and a series of complementary plenary sessions and side meetings.
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Aug 6
Regional planners’ forum on agriculture
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat hosts the 12th Regional Agricultural Planners' Forum in Belize, an integral part of regional agriculture planning and development. The main objective of the Forum is to provide a neutral forum for stakeholders to advance discussion and build cooperation on matters of importance to regional agriculture enhancement. The 2019 Forum is under the theme '… -
Aug 6
African Green Revolution Forum 2019 - Master class – Proving the business case of smallholder D4Ag solutions
The overall objective of this masterclass is to demonstrate how big data analytics can drive the interest of the private sector into investing in smallholder digital agriculture.
