BIGD RESEARCH BRIEF | NO. 14 | 1

14 Method In order to explore the efficacy of using digital platforms as a training delivery mechanism and assess the impact of such interventions on the knowledge and practices of aquaculture farmers in Bangladesh, we have partnered with The Right Kind (TRK) to conduct a farmer- level randomized controlled trial (RCT) across three sub-districts of Rajshahi, a no. [...] The apt monitoring of the membership to the group ensures that the right people are a part of the group – this is rather essential for research conducted on any such digital intervention. [...] Trained TRK members with more than 10 years of experience visited the households of each of the farmers and verified if the household owned a smartphone. [...] The results suggest that the use of social media, particularly short and concise static posts, can be an effective tool for providing knowledge and information to the relevant farmers and that it can complement more traditional methods of extension and outreach activities. [...] Moreover, the impact of the training on the usage of social media for networking and accessing information, as well as the subsequent acquisition of knowledge, is considerably higher for farmers who own smartphones themselves, highlighting the importance of selecting farmers based on this criterion.