Evaluating the impacts and decision-making of smallholder farmers in Senegal in response to iSAT climate-informed agro-advisories

Smallholder farmers in Africa’s drylands face mounting climate risks alongside challenges like limited resources, restricted access to credit and inputs, and uncertain land tenure. Climate Information Services (CIS), particularly forecasts, can mitigate these risks, but adoption is hindered by inadequate climate data and a lack of location- and crop-specific advisory content. To address these gaps, the Intelligent Agricultural Systems Advisory Tool (iSAT) was implemented across 18 villages in Senegal, covering diverse agroecological conditions. iSAT employs rule-based decision trees co-developed with farmers to generate tailored agro-advisories, delivered via Interactive Voice Response (IVR) in local languages. The study used a mixed-methods approach, including baseline and post-season surveys, focus group discussions, and farmer interviews to assess iSAT’s effectiveness. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to select treatment and control villages, ensuring robust impact assessment. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including t-tests and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, were conducted to evaluate yield differences and cost-effectiveness. Results showed that farmers using iSAT advisories achieved a 41% yield increase in millet, a 21% increase in groundnut, and a 24% reduction in input and labor costs per hectare. Farmer feedback confirmed iSAT’s value for climate risk management and on-farm decision-making. Scaling iSAT, strengthening meteorological infrastructure, and investing in multi-stakeholder platforms are recommended to enhance climate and digital literacy, empowering vulnerable farmers to adapt to climate change effectively.