Research Report · February 2025

eKichabi Dashboard: A Dual-Platform Agricultural Technology

Rijul Dahiya¹

¹New York University · ICTD Lab, University of Washington

Abstract

eKichabi v2 is a dual-platform agricultural technology designed to enhance smallholder farmers' access to agricultural contacts in rural Tanzania. Building on earlier paper-based and USSD directory systems, this project scales up to support both feature phones and smartphones, significantly expanding user reach and business listings. The system grows the directory from 500 to 9,833 businesses and scales deployment from 107 pilot users to over 1,000 households.

Key Contributions

Dual-platform deployment: USSD application for feature phones and Android app for smartphones.
Expansion of agricultural directory from 500 to 9,833 businesses in Kagera, Tanzania.
Intermediation pilot: 10 wakalas trained to assist USSD users, bridging technology gaps.
Mixed-methods evaluation across 1,014 households with quantitative surveys and qualitative user testing.

Key Findings

Low smartphone penetration (7%) in surveyed population, USSD coverage is essential.
68% of households reported using USSD services; 53.8% of USSD users required assistance.
Significant age and gender disparities in technology adoption identified.
Wakalas effectively bridged the technology gap for low-literacy and elderly users.

Figures

Figure A. eKichabi USSD application interface, feature-phone accessible directory for agricultural contacts in rural Tanzania.

Figure B. Android application interface, smartphone-based directory with search and filter functionality.

Figure C. Database and backend architecture, supporting 9,833 business listings across Kagera, Tanzania.

Figure D. User testing and deployment results, engagement metrics across 1,014 surveyed households.

Full paper