[Defended thesis] Chloé Alexandre: The use of New Technologies of Information and Communication in Africa : which new advisory services and which new learning processes for farmers?

The use of New Technologies of Information and Communication in Africa : which new advisory services and which new learning processes for farmers?

My name is Chloé Alexandre and I'm starting my PhD at CIRAD's UMR Innovation. I'm interested in the changes brought about by the use of new information and communication technologies (NICTs) in the provision of agricultural advisory services in West Africa.
I began my studies at Sciences Po Paris, where I specialized in International Development during my Masters. I wanted to apply my knowledge to a sector that seems crucial to me at the moment, because of the environmental, social and economic aspects it affects: agriculture.
So I joined the Institut des Régions Chaudes at Montpellier SupAgro, where I took a professional master's degree, training students to design support services for producers in developing countries, especially family farmers. I wanted to do a thesis so that I could delve deeper into the implications of the spread of NICTs in terms of advice to producers.

• Starting date: November 2017
• University: L'Institut Agro
• PhD school:  EDEG Montpellier
• Scientific field:  Management sciences
• Suprevisors: Guy Faure (Cirad, UMR Innovation) et Sophie Mignon (Université de Montpellier, MRM)
• Funding: Cirad and #DigitAg
• Research project: Dispositif de Recherche en Partenariat ASAP (Burkina/Mali/Côte d’Ivoire) – https://www.dp-asap.org/ 
• #DigitAg : Cofunded PhD – Challenge 5 – Axes 1 et 2

Keywords: NTIC, agricultural advisory services, learning processes, West Africa

Abstract: New forms of agricultural advisory services are being developed in Africa following the rapid development of ICT. These new services are being created to support farmers, particularly in the areas of access to information, agricultural advice, access to credit and means of payment, or traceability of products in the value chains. The objective of the thesis is to understand the changes induced by new agricultural advisory services using ICT on farmers’ learning processes and management of innovation by advisory services. This objective is divided into several research questions: What are the effects of ICT on the organization of the advisory services? To which extent individual and collective learning of farmers are changed when they access agricultural advisory services using ICTs? What are the effects of individual and collective learning related to ICT-based advisory services on innovation processes involving farmers? The thesis work will be based on (i) an identification of the main advisory services using ICT in Burkina Faso by using an analytical grid and (ii) an in-depth case studies analysis of 3 or 4 advisory services using ICT.

Jury compound:

• Cécile AYERBE, Professeure des Universités, Université Côte d'Azur, Rapporteur
• Danièle GALLIANO, Directrice de recherche, INRAE, Rapporteur
• Elsa BERTHET, Chargée de Recherche, INRAE, Examinatrice
• Pierre LABARTHE, Directeur de recherche, INRAE, Examinateur
• Ismaïl MOUMOUNI, Professeur, Université de Parakou, Examinateur
• Guy FAURE, Directeur de recherche, CIRAD, Co-directeur de thèse
• Sophie MIGNON, Professeure des Universités, Université de Montpellier, Co-directrice de thèse
• Aurélie TOILLIER, Cadre scientifique, CIRAD,  Co-encadrante de thèse