Uberisation of mechanisation: Exploring the features and establishment of matchmaker digital tractor-hire platforms in Ghana through the lens of actor network theory

Recent studies highlight the transformative potential of digitalisation in Sub-Saharan African agriculture. Digital platforms have been praised for improving on-farm efficiency and enhancing rural livelihoods. However, agricultural matching platforms—digital interfaces connecting service users with service providers—have received limited research attention. This paper presents a case study of a now-defunct start-up platform, Farm Digital, which operated in north-western Ghana. Aiming to connect smallholder farmers with tractor owners through a model known as “Uber for Tractors,” Farm Digital sought to revolutionise agricultural mechanisation. Through in-depth narrative interviews, we examine the challenges of establishing and sustaining a digital start-up in rural Ghana. Drawing on actor network theory, we frame our analysis as a failed network translation: the inability to reorient a network of human and non-human actors—donors, managers, farmers, field agents, and brokers—toward a new, digitally mediated system of tractor service provision. Our findings reveal that, despite donor support and good intentions, Farm Digital’s platform was repeatedly outperformed by entrenched informal brokerage systems. The results give grounds for questioning the sustainability of donor-driven tech start-ups: The platform’s alignment with donor interests, such as women’s empowerment, did not translate into widespread farmer use. Ultimately, the platform failed to address mechanisation challenges in a sustainable way. We argue that digital agricultural innovations must build upon, rather than bypass, existing institutions such as national extension services and farmer-based organisations. For digital tools to succeed, particularly in rural contexts, private sector entrants must engage with local realities and institutional frameworks to ensure relevance, adoption, and longevity.