A financial inclusion app and USSD service for farmers in rural Colombia

Abstract

This study reports the implementation of a financial inclusion app for farmers in rural Colombia. Stemming from the triple helix initiative, this study aims to make public financing instruments more readily available to farmers. Through a design science research approach, the app was collaboratively conceived, designed, implemented, and evaluated. We provide this reflective design as a case study of how a combination of triple helix collaboration, design science, and agile software development contributes toward the creation of context-oriented artefacts. The app could potentially benefit rural farmers to obtain information regarding the credit access, which is traditionally delivered in face-to-face meetings with bank staff. The findings provided evidence of the benefits and ease of use of the app, including certain affordances and constraints that are perceived by farmers. Moreover, factors such as technology literacy, experience using information and communication technologies (ICT), trust in technology, age of farmers, and mediation suggest that we should consider both material features of technology and social determinants for adoption in case of designing ICTs for rural communities.