Across West Africa: A wave of digital transformation is sweeping through the agricultural heartlands of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Cameroon, bringing unprecedented access to information, markets, and financial services to hundreds of thousands of farmers. These initiatives, spearheaded by the World Bank, are bridging the digital divide, empowering smallholder farmers, and driving economic growth in the region.
The impact is tangible. In Côte d’Ivoire, the e-Agriculture Project (PSNDEA) connected over 221,000 rural residents to the internet, creating more than 43,000 new mobile money accounts. The project’s digital marketplace, Agristore.ci, facilitated market access for over 400,000 individuals, with a remarkable 58.9% being women.
“Agristore.ci” became a vital tool, registering over 160,000 visits and 36,000 agricultural sales listings. The project also established an agriculture observatory, delivering over 11 million advisory messages via SMS, apps, and phone calls, ensuring farmers had access to real-time information.
In Benin, the Digital Rural Transformation Project (PITN2R) reached over 103,000 individuals, including nearly 31,000 women, with digital platforms for crop advisory, machinery management, and farm monitoring. Using geospatial data, farmers gained insights to improve decision-making and productivity.
Cameroon’s Acceleration of Digital Transformation Project (PATNUC) introduced an e-voucher system, enrolling over 9,000 producers. Since April 2024, nearly 4,000 have received fertilizer and seed subsidies, with projections to reach 16,000 by December 2025.
These projects address critical challenges faced by West African farmers: limited access to information, underdeveloped infrastructure, and financial exclusion. In Côte d’Ivoire, low internet penetration and urban-rural coverage gaps hindered market access. In Benin, poor infrastructure and unreliable information hampered productivity. In Cameroon, low mechanization and high transaction costs stifled growth.
The World Bank’s approach focused on leveraging digital solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and market access. In Côte d’Ivoire, subsidies were used to expand internet connectivity, and the Agristore platform was developed to connect buyers and sellers. Benin deployed platforms for tailored crop advice and farm management. Cameroon piloted an e-voucher system and fostered digital innovation through competitions.
“The e-advice application helps us learn about vegetable production techniques, share disease outbreaks, and get solutions in local languages,” says Cisou Bédari, a vegetable grower from Benin. “The farm management application allows us to record cash flows and plan production.”
These digital initiatives are transforming West African agriculture, empowering farmers, and fostering sustainable economic development. By bridging the digital divide, these projects are laying the foundation for a more prosperous and resilient agricultural sector.
