Real-time monitoring systems using mobile technology for tracking extension service delivery indicators

Abstract

For most of its post-independence history, Sierra Leone tracked extension delivery through paper-based reports that arrived weeks after activities occurred. This research designed, deployed, and evaluated a mobile phone-based real-time monitoring system for tracking extension indicators across three districts in southern Sierra Leone. The system was developed at Njala University, Bo, and tested from January to December 2022 with 87 extension workers using basic Android smartphones. The platform captured five indicators: farmer visits, demonstration plots, training sessions, input distribution, and group meetings. Over twelve months, 38,647 activity entries were recorded. Submission compliance reached 81.3% by month six, up from 34.8% in month one. Reporting lag dropped from 14.2 days under paper to 1.7 days with the mobile platform. System usability scored 72.4/100 on the System Usability Scale. Network connectivity gaps and battery limitations were the main barriers. The research demonstrates that low-cost mobile monitoring can substantially improve timeliness and completeness of extension data in resource-constrained settings.