Impact of ICT, Mobile Apps and Social Media in Dissemination of Entomological Information to Farmers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/asl.2025.1.03.05Keywords:
ICT, mobile applications, social media, entomological information, pest surveillance, agricultural extension, AI-based decision supportAbstract
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) — spanning SMS/IVR advisories, mobile pest-identification apps, social media platforms and, increasingly, AI/deep-learning-based decision support — have transformed the reach and immediacy of entomological information delivery to farmers. This review synthesises empirical evidence on their impact, drawing on a randomised-design impact evaluation of an ICT-enabled fall armyworm campaign in Uganda, farmer-perception surveys of WhatsApp and social media use in India, and documentation of large-scale AI-enabled platforms including India's National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) and the Plantix diagnostic app. The Uganda evidence shows that ICT-channel exposure raised farmers' pest-knowledge scores by 17–20% and management-practice adoption by 53–55%, with multi-channel exposure roughly doubling single-channel gains. In India, WhatsApp-based dissemination achieved high farmer-reported utility (a Relative Behavioural Quotient of up to 85.94%), while AI-based platforms such as NPSS have issued over 10,000 pest advisories across 61 crops since their 2024 launch. Across the literature reviewed, real-time reach and multimedia/visual learning were the most consistently cited benefits, while digital-divide and connectivity constraints and unmoderated misinformation were the most consistently cited challenges. The review situates these findings within diffusion-of-innovation theory and outlines directions for strengthening ICT-mediated entomological extension.
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