Reaching CAR Farmers Through CATI

In Central Africa, agriculture is closely tied to food security, household income and the wellbeing of rural communities. Across the region, farmers operate within changing weather conditions, seasonal production cycles and varying access to markets, inputs and agricultural services.For farmers in CAR, agriculture is rarely just about what happens on the farm. The ability to access seeds and other inputs, reach markets, transport produce, manage changing rainfall and secure enough food for the household can all influence the outcome of a farming season.

Technology has created a more practical way to do this. Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) allows trained interviewers to speak directly with farmers through structured telephone surveys, reducing the need to depend entirely on physical visits for every round of data collection.

Supporting Agricultural Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

CATI is particularly useful when agricultural programmes need information from farmers at different stages of an intervention. Researchers can conduct a baseline before a programme begins, follow up during implementation and return to the same respondents later to understand what has changed.

In CAR, telephone surveys can help organizations to:

• Understand farmers’ agricultural activities and household livelihoods
• Assess access to farming inputs, extension services and markets
• Monitor changes in crop production and household food security
• Track programme reach, progress and feedback from farmers and beneficiaries

This approach is especially valuable when researchers need to hear from farmers across multiple communities without organizing a full field operation each time. A phone interview can provide a direct connection to the respondent, allowing organizations to follow up on earlier findings, identify challenges as they emerge and understand how agricultural programmes are affecting households in practice.

At CATI Africa, we combine technology, trained interviewers and strong local knowledge to support agricultural research across the Central African Republic. Our strong presence in CAR enables governments, NGOs, development partners, agribusinesses and research institutions to connect farmers and rural households through professionally managed telephone surveys. Whether the objective is a baseline study, agricultural M&E, food security research or an impact assessment, we help turn farmers’ experiences into reliable evidence for better decisions across CAR.