Is the right going wrong? Analysing digital platformization, data extractivism and surveillance practices in smallholder farming in Ghana

Summary

The development of digital platforms is seen as a tool to promote inclusion and foster collective action, particularly for smallholder farmers in the Global South. However, the rise of platformization has given large organizations control over these platforms, raising concerns about whether digital innovations are truly benefiting smallholder farmers. This study examines digital platform practices in Ghana’s smallholder farming sector, drawing on concepts such as datafication and surveillance capitalism. Evidence suggests that digital platform operators have gained more from these technologies than the farmers they aim to support. Numerous digital technologies–enabled by donor projects, accelerators, and startups–collect extensive data from farmers through GPS, drones, surveys, and mobile apps. These practices risk creating new forms of extractivism and surveillance. The study provides policy recommendations and outlines future research directions to address these challenges.