About DAISI

Digital Agricultural Innovations & Services Initiative

The Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative (DAISI) funds research to rigorously evaluate programs that increase the availability, quality, and reach of bundled digital agricultural solutions and services for small-scale agricultural producers. We aim to generate a rigorous evidence base that carefully identifies whether digital tools and bundled approaches are successful in improving small-scale producer outcomes (e.g., uptake of input credit, diversification into new crops, yield, income, and perceived ability of farmers to cope with shocks or stresses), connecting farmers to markets, and expanding commercialization in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Who we are

DAISI is a collaboration between the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and UC Berkeley’s Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. DAISI aims to fill key gaps in the evidence base, working with commercial providers, private sector technology and fintech companies, telecommunications firms, governments, NGOs, and others to evaluate the impact of their services. DAISI funds our network of researchers to generate rigorous evidence through randomized evaluations on bundled services and/or digital tools that connect farmers to multiple services and reduce barriers for farmers to access services.

DAISI will also host a Regional Scholars program, offering dedicated funding and capacity-building opportunities for researchers who have completed a PhD in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or a related empirical discipline, and currently hold an academic or research position at a university based in a South Asian or African country. 

Our strategy for having an impact

To achieve our goals, DAISI: 

  1. Connects digital service providers, researchers, and governments to facilitate multi-stakeholder research partnerships.
  2. Funds randomized evaluations to build an evidence base on improving bundled and digital agricultural service provision. 
  3. Synthesizes available evidence to address and answer outstanding questions relevant to policy and practice. 
  4. Strengthens the capacity of researchers in South Asia and sub-Saharan African countries to run rigorous randomized evaluations. 
  5. Ensures decision-makers are aware of the evidence to inform relevant agricultural development strategies.

Find out more about us

You can read more about our approach to digital bundled services in our DAISI Framing Paper.

You can view the DAISI Board Members who provide intellectual leadership and guidance for the initiative.

Contact initiative staff by emailing [email protected].