Digital education is still an unpopular topic for many people in Tanzania whether educated or non- educated. The use of digital spaces and technology is something that is growing on a daily basis but still, it hasn’t reached a big number of important stakeholders in the community who are likely to benefit more with the use of digital tools such people are small scale women farmers or vendors, public sector, students and private sector.
Digital tools are cheap, save time and energy especially when it comes to marketing in agriculture. Reports are showing that in 2022, 66% of the global population had access to the internet that means about 2.7Billion people are still unconnected which makes 34% of the population. There is still a problem for women in accessing digital infrastructure that depends on reliability, efficiency and cost effectiveness. . For example most women farmers do not own a smartphone ,also there are many complications in filing for business licenses which takes more time when conducted through traditional tools.
Additionally during the identification activity of small scale women vegetable farmers and vendors project TIBA discovered that about 83% of women do not have access to any digital tool that can support them while conducting their business especially in finding marketing beyond their geographical reach, which makes their business even harder because they depend on the same client’s every day.
Moreover, digital education is something that is very important in this century because the use of traditional tools is not effective as it is used to be in the past as the community we have to adjust to new changes that occurs in order to simplify work and life but also to promote more effectiveness in everything we do example in using traditional tools it can impact individual performance in different areas of their lives, whether economically, politically or socially such impact can be communication barrier, lack of access to report various information, missing work opportunities which are available online this is because in this time and age most people rely on the internet for their business, education, and business.
Furthermore ,In our community today lack of digital rights education, especially to women is important for sustainable development. For example most individuals still consider Information technology and the use of digital tools as an option for the few ,only the privileged members of society, this is why we should keep pushing the agenda of reliable digital tools that women from lower economic backgrounds can access and use in agriculture .
Women can use media spaces to promote their business ,they can link and learn with other peers who are doing the same thing .Media has been providing a space for people to connect with their leaders and share their opinions on different matters even the constitution of URT [1997] article no 18 it states that ‘Has a right to seek, receive, and disseminate information regardless of national boundaries’ this helps to promotes freedom of speech which is the cornerstone of democracy.
Therefore, it is our duty as a community to influence each other in the promotion of digital education especially to small scale farmers so as to boost individual and national development .We would like to see a nation where they can access internet and increase income without moving a leg, are so many and it’s time we keep raising our voices so as the public and private sectors can strive and push the usage of digital tools.