Reaching African Farmers Through CATI

Farmers are at the centre of Africa's agricultural economy, working across diverse farming systems, climates, markets and communities. Understanding their realities requires direct access to the people making decisions on the farm every day. CATI Africa uses Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) to connect directly with farmers across African countries, making it possible to gather first-hand information from geographically dispersed farming communities. Our farmer-focused surveys are adapted to the agricultural and social context of each market, enabling organizations to understand what farmers are experiencing, what influences their decisions and where challenges or opportunities exist. Through structured telephone interviews, we can gather insights on:

• Farming activities, crops and production practices
• Access to agricultural inputs, finance and extension services
• Market access, pricing and channels for selling produce
• Adoption of agricultural technologies and practices
• Weather, climate and seasonal challenges
• Farmer livelihoods, income and household needs
• Experiences with agricultural programmes and services
• Farmers' priorities, expectations and emerging concerns

Turning Farmer Voices into Agricultural Insights

Effective agricultural research begins with listening to farmers. CATI Africa supports farmer surveys, agricultural research, baseline and endline studies, monitoring and evaluation, market research and programme assessments by bringing farmer perspectives directly into the evidence-gathering process. Telephone interviewing also provides a practical way to maintain contact with farmers across large and dispersed areas without depending entirely on repeated physical field visits.

By speaking directly with farmers, our CATI approach helps organizations understand the realities behind agricultural data and identify changes as they occur. Farmer interviews can help reveal:

• How farmers respond to changing market conditions
• Barriers affecting access to inputs, finance and services
• Changes in farming practices and technology adoption
• Experiences with agricultural interventions and programmes
• Emerging risks affecting production and livelihoods
• Farmer perceptions, needs and priorities

From a focused farmer survey in one country to a multi-country study across Africa, CATI Africa provides a structured channel for hearing farmers, understanding their experiences and generating reliable farmer-level evidence to support better agricultural research, stronger programmes and more informed decisions.