Digitalized Farm Advisory Services (IADK/AGRIVI)
Digital advisory practice connecting IADK advisors with farmers
Description
This good practice is an example of how a farm management software platform was used to professionalize and scale advisory services for smallholder farmers when the Initiative for Agricultural Development in Kosovo (IADK) partnered with AGRIVI to digitize agricultural advisory services in Kosovo. Previously, advisory support was largely paper-based, making it difficult to track farm activities, standardize recommendations, and provide timely guidance to farmers. IADK adopted AGRIVI’s farm management software to: 1) Digitize farm records and advisory workflows; 2) Improve communication between advisors and farmers; 3) Provide data-driven crop management recommendations; 4) Increase transparency and efficiency in advisory delivery.
Technology
IADK advisors and farmers access AGRIVI via web and mobile apps. Advisors create and update digital farm profiles like plots per crops, log planned and completed activities such as fertilization, plant protection, irrigation, and use dashboards to keep track of progress across supported farms. Farmers can follow their plans and records and receive more consistent, traceable advice over the season.
Target
The good practice targets farm advisors employed by IADK who provide technical support to farmers in Kosovo, as well as smallholders, medium and larger farms that participate in IADK advisory programmes.
Business model
The good practice operates within an EU-supported rural development project, where project resources enabled IADK to adopt and roll out the digital advisory workflow. AGRIVI is used as the commercial software tool supporting IADK’s delivery model, while the case study does not specify any direct user fees charged to participating farmers
Impact
Digitalized Farm Advisory Services aims to improve advisory reach and quality by strengthening day-to-day communication and record-keeping between advisors and farmers through a single digital channel. The case study reports that IADK supports around 500 farmers per year, and that about 70 percent are smallholders, with the digital workflow helping address gaps in production, investment planning and information flow.
Partners
AGRIVI FMS; European Union
Four Betters
Better production
Better environment
Better life
