The Compass

Ground Shift: Digital technology and rural communities


Listen Later

Anna Jones looks at how digital and mobile phone technology is changing farming and boosting prosperity in rural communities around the world.

Anna goes on a road trip through Ghana with young entrepreneur Peter Awin, transporting animal vaccines from the capital Accra to the remote northern region. Peter has developed a mobile app called Cowtribe, which connects some of West Africa’s poorest smallholder farmers with vital animal health and veterinary services. For the first time ever they can prevent their animals from getting sick - and all because of a mobile phone.

In north-west Queensland, Anna hears how one farmer is bringing super-fast internet speeds to some of the most isolated communities in the world. With Australian families leaving the outback due to poor connectivity, William Harrington’s Wi-Sky internet is helping to keep bush communities alive.

But who owns all this data? As Millennials' pull agriculture into the 21st Century, are farmers ready for the changes that come with it?

(Photo: Internet tower in rural Australia)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The CompassBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

98 ratings


More shows like The Compass

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,870 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,085 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,073 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,562 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,805 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,761 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,056 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,217 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

778 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,019 Listeners