Reaching Guinean Farmers Through CATI

Guinea’s agriculture changes considerably from one part of the country to another. The coastal lowlands are important for rice production, the Fouta Djallon highlands are known for fonio and other crops, while the forest region supports cassava, rice, fruits and other agricultural activities. This diversity creates a rich agricultural base, but farmers also face different challenges around rainfall, input, transport, storage and access to markets.

For agricultural research, one survey approach cannot always capture these differences effectively. Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) gives organizations a way to speak with farmers from different farming areas and understand their specific experiences. CATI Africa uses structured telephone interviews to gather information on production, market access, agricultural support, household food security and changes resulting from agricultural programs

Supporting Agricultural Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

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

• Compare farming conditions across Guinea's agricultural regions
• Understand how farmers access inputs, extension services, and markets
• Track changes in crop production and household food supply
• Gather farmers' feedback on agricultural projects and interventions

This regional perspective is particularly useful in Guinea. A rice farmer in the coastal lowlands may have very different needs from a fonio producer in Fouta Djallon or a farming household in the forest region. Speaking directly with farmers allows research teams to identify these differences rather than treating agricultural communities as one group.

Across Guinea, organisations can use CATI for:

• Rice and lowland agriculture research
• Fonio production and value-chain studies
• Regional agricultural livelihood assessments
• Market access and post-harvest research

CATI Africa helps organisations collect farmer-level evidence across Guinea without losing sight of the differences between agricultural communities. Our telephone research supports governments, NGOs, development partners, agribusinesses, and research institutions with practical data for agricultural planning, food security initiatives, farmer programmes, and monitoring and evaluation.