Reaching Eritrean Farmers Through CATI

Reaching farmers in Eritrea can be challenging, particularly in rural areas where agriculture depends heavily on seasonal rainfall and access to water. Farmers produce sorghum, millet, wheat, barley and pulses, while livestock remains important to many rural livelihoods. Drought, water shortages, land degradation and limited access to farming inputs can affect production and make regular field-based data collection difficult.

This is where Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) becomes useful. CATI Africa enables researchers and organisations to speak directly with farmers through structured phone interviews, making it easier to collect information on crop and livestock activities, access to agricultural services, food production and changing livelihood conditions without relying entirely on repeated field visits.

Supporting Agricultural Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

For agricultural research and M&E, CATI helps researchers and organisations to:

• Understand how farmers are managing rainfall and water constraints
• Track crop and livestock activities across rural communities
• Assess access to seeds, agricultural inputs, markets, and support services
• Monitor changes in food production and household livelihoods

In Eritrea, farmers' experiences can differ depending on the crops they grow, their livestock activities, and their access to water. Telephone interviews give researchers an opportunity to understand these differences and track changes across farming seasons.

Across Eritrea, organisations can use CATI for:

• Drought and climate resilience research
• Crop and livestock production studies
• Agricultural water and irrigation assessments
• Food security and rural livelihood research

At CATI Africa, we help governments, NGOs, development partners, agribusinesses, and research institutions collect reliable agricultural data through professionally managed telephone surveys in Eritrea. Our CATI services help organisations stay connected with farmers, understand changing agricultural conditions, and generate evidence for stronger food security, livelihood, and agricultural programs.