Big Data’s Big Potential in Developing Economies: Impact on Agriculture, Health and Environmental Security

Big data involves the use of sophisticated analytics to make decisions based on large-scale data inputs. It is set to transform agriculture, environmental protection and healthcare in developing countries. This book critically evaluates the developing big data industry and market in these countries and gives an overview of the determinants, performance and impacts. It provides a detailed analysis of technology creation, technology infrastructures and human skills required to utilize big data while discussing novel applications and business models that make use of it to overcome healthcare barriers. The book also offers an analysis of big data’s potential to improve environmental monitoring and protection where it is likely to have far-reaching and profound impacts on the agricultural sector. A key question addressed is how gains in agricultural productivity associated with big data will benefit smallholder farmers relative to global multinationals in that sector. The book also probes big data’s roles in the creation of markets that can improve the welfare of smallholder farmers. Special consideration is given to big data-led transformation of the financial industry and discusses how the transformation can increase small-holder farmers’ access to finance by changing the way lenders assess creditworthiness of potential borrowers. It also takes a look at data privacy and security issues facing smallholder farmers and reviews differences in such issues in industrialized and developing countries. The key ideas, concepts and theories presented are explored, illustrated and contrasted through in-depth case studies of developing world-based big data companies, and deployment and utilization of big data in agriculture, environmental protection and healthcare.