Abstract:
This paper presents results from the application of Open Data System to improve coverage of
agricultural extension services using web-based and mobile-based farmers‘ advisory information Ushaurikilimo
in Kilosa District. The research adopted a participatory action research method to develop the interventions. The
findings from this study show that farmers and other actors get timely, relevant and personalized advisory
services. The user interface of the Open System hosting Open Data is in Swahili language, a language widely
spoken in the study area, which enhanced adoption of the system. The Open System did not require farmers and
other actors to pay for the services, which motivated to attract farmers and actors to adopt the system. In order to
lower the cost of implementing the project, agricultural extension officers in study villages were used to receive
questions from farmers and provided answers, and sent difficulty questions to experts from Sokoine University
of Agriculture to answer via their mobile phones.
