ICT and AG Profile: Magpi

Supported by USAID’s Fostering Agriculture Competitiveness Employing Information Communication Technologies (FACET) project under the FIELD-Support LWA, this profile discusses Magpi, a cloud-based platform developed by DataDyne that enables a user to collect data via mobile phone and tablet computers. The user creates a free account, designs data collection forms using Magpi’s web application, and downloads them to a compatible device. When the forms are filled in, the data is immediately uploaded to DataDyne’s servers and available for reporting and analysis. A variety of reporting, graphing, mapping and charting options are available. Data can be collected in offline mode as well. The data is secure, encrypted and password-protected. A World Bank report documents a case in 2010 in which EpiSurveyor and basic phones were used to survey beneficiaries of Guatemala’s conditional cash transfer program.1 In 2009, the survey was conducted on paper. In comparing the cost they found that switching to EpiSurveyor reduced evaluation costs by 71 percent.

The FACET project aims to help USAID missions and their implementing partners in sub-Saharan Africa use information and communications technology in sustainable and scalable approaches to improve the impact of their agriculture related development projects.