Technology & Data Risk

Technology & Data Risk evaluates the business’s digital readiness and information management practices. This category examines IT infrastructure, data systems, cybersecurity, adoption of digital tools, and analytics capabilities that increasingly determine competitiveness in modern agriculture.

Category Overview

Risk Category: TECHNOLOGY_DATA
Subcategories: 5
Weight: Equal (1/7 of overall risk score)

Scoring Summary

Technology & Data Risk Score = avg(
  IT Infrastructure Risk,
  Data Management Risk,
  Cybersecurity Risk,
  Digital Tools Adoption Risk,
  Analytics Capability Risk
)

5 Subcategories

1. IT Infrastructure Risk

Indicator: Availability, reliability, and modernity of IT hardware and connectivity What drives this score:

Computing Devices: Availability of computers, tablets, or smartphones for business use
Internet Connectivity: Access to reliable internet (fiber, 4G/5G, satellite)
Software Licenses: Legitimate software vs. pirated or outdated versions
IT Maintenance: Regular updates, backups, and technical support
Power Reliability: Access to stable electricity or backup power

Scoring Criteria:

Risk Level	Score	Criteria
LOW	0-30	• Modern computing devices (laptops, tablets) for key staff • Reliable internet (fiber, 4G/5G, >10 Mbps) • Licensed software (accounting, office, farm management) • Regular IT maintenance and backups • Stable power with backup (generator, solar, UPS)
MODERATE	31-60	• Some computing devices (shared or personal) • Moderate internet (3G, less than 10 Mbps, occasional downtime) • Mix of licensed and free software • Occasional IT maintenance • Power available but frequent outages
HIGH	61-80	• Very few devices (personal phones only) • Poor internet (2G, unreliable, expensive data) • Outdated or pirated software • No IT maintenance or backups • Unreliable power (frequent outages, no backup)
CRITICAL	81-100	• No computing devices • No internet access • No software or IT systems • No IT support or maintenance • No electricity or severe power constraints

Evidence Required:

IT inventory (devices, internet type, software)
Internet speed test results or connectivity records
Software licenses or subscriptions
IT maintenance logs or contracts

2. Data Management Risk

Indicator: Quality of data collection, storage, and organization practices What drives this score:

Data Collection: Systematic recording of farm, financial, and operational data
Data Storage: Secure, organized storage (cloud, database, or file system)
Data Integrity: Accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of data
Data Backup: Regular backups and disaster recovery capabilities
Data Access: Ease of retrieving data for decision-making

Scoring Criteria:

Risk Level	Score	Criteria
LOW	0-30	• Systematic data collection (farm, finance, operations) • Cloud-based or database storage • High data integrity (accurate, complete, timely) • Automated backups (daily/weekly) • Easy data access and retrieval
MODERATE	31-60	• Regular data collection with some gaps • File-based storage (Excel, PDFs) on local devices • Moderate data integrity (some errors or delays) • Occasional backups (monthly) • Data accessible but requires effort
HIGH	61-80	• Inconsistent data collection (ad-hoc, incomplete) • Paper-based or unorganized digital storage • Low data integrity (frequent errors, outdated) • Rare or no backups • Difficult to access data
CRITICAL	81-100	• No data collection • No organized storage (lost or destroyed data) • No data integrity (unreliable or fabricated) • No backups (single point of failure) • Cannot retrieve data for decisions

Evidence Required:

Data collection forms or systems (farm records, financials)
Data storage system (cloud service, database, file structure)
Data quality assessment (accuracy, completeness)
Backup procedures and schedules

3. Cybersecurity Risk

Indicator: Protection of data and systems from cyber threats and unauthorized access What drives this score:

Access Controls: Password protection, user authentication, access permissions
Data Encryption: Encryption of sensitive data (at rest and in transit)
Security Software: Antivirus, firewall, and security updates
Security Incidents: History of data breaches, malware, or unauthorized access
Security Awareness: Staff training on phishing, password hygiene, etc.

Scoring Criteria:

Risk Level	Score	Criteria
LOW	0-30	• Strong access controls (2FA, role-based permissions) • Data encrypted (cloud storage, HTTPS) • Updated security software (antivirus, firewall) • No security incidents • Regular security awareness training
MODERATE	31-60	• Basic access controls (passwords, limited sharing) • Some encryption (cloud services use HTTPS) • Security software installed but not always updated • Minor incidents (malware cleaned, no data loss) • Occasional security awareness
HIGH	61-80	• Weak access controls (shared passwords, no permissions) • No encryption (plain text storage) • Outdated or no security software • Multiple incidents (malware, unauthorized access) • No security awareness
CRITICAL	81-100	• No access controls (open access to all data) • No encryption or security measures • Actively infected systems • Data breach or ransom attack • Complete lack of security awareness

Evidence Required:

Access control policies and user management
Security software inventory and update logs
Security incident reports or breach history
Security training records

4. Digital Tools Adoption Risk

Indicator: Use of modern digital tools and platforms for farm management, finance, and operations What drives this score:

Farm Management Tools: Use of apps or software for planning, tracking, and analysis (e.g., FarmLogs, Agworld)
Financial Software: Accounting or ERP systems (e.g., QuickBooks, Zoho, Sage)
Communication Platforms: Email, WhatsApp Business, CRM for customer engagement
Digital Payments: Mobile money, online banking, digital invoicing
Precision Agriculture: GPS, sensors, drones, or IoT devices

Scoring Criteria:

Risk Level	Score	Criteria
LOW	0-30	• Farm management software in active use • Accounting software with automated reporting • Professional communication (email, CRM) • Digital payments (mobile money, online banking) • Precision ag tools (GPS, sensors, drones)
MODERATE	31-60	• Basic farm record-keeping app (e.g., Excel) • Accounting software (entry-level) • WhatsApp for communication • Some digital payments (M-Pesa) • Considering precision ag tools
HIGH	61-80	• Paper-based farm records • Manual bookkeeping or basic spreadsheets • Phone calls or SMS only • Cash-only transactions • No precision ag tools
CRITICAL	81-100	• No farm record-keeping • No financial tracking • No digital communication • Complete reliance on cash • No awareness of digital tools

Evidence Required:

List of digital tools and platforms in use
Screenshots or access to farm management/accounting software
Digital payment transaction records
Precision agriculture technology inventory

5. Analytics Capability Risk

Indicator: Ability to analyze data and generate insights for decision-making What drives this score:

Data Analysis: Use of data to inform decisions (yield analysis, cost-benefit, forecasting)
Reporting: Regular dashboards, reports, or KPIs for monitoring performance
Business Intelligence: Advanced analytics (trends, benchmarks, predictive models)
Skills: Staff capacity to analyze data and interpret results
Data-Driven Culture: Evidence that decisions are based on data, not just intuition

Scoring Criteria:

Risk Level	Score	Criteria
LOW	0-30	• Systematic data analysis (yield, costs, margins) • Dashboards and KPIs for real-time monitoring • Advanced analytics (trends, forecasts, optimization) • Skilled data analyst or trained staff • Strong data-driven decision-making culture
MODERATE	31-60	• Basic data analysis (occasional yield or cost reviews) • Periodic reports (quarterly or annual) • Limited analytics (simple comparisons) • Some data skills (Excel, basic analysis) • Mix of data and intuition in decisions
HIGH	61-80	• Minimal data analysis (ad-hoc, infrequent) • No regular reporting • No analytics capability • No data analysis skills • Decisions based on intuition, not data
CRITICAL	81-100	• No data analysis • No reporting or KPIs • No awareness of analytics • No data skills • Complete reliance on guesswork

Evidence Required:

Data analysis reports or case examples
Dashboards or KPI tracking systems
Staff CVs or analytics training records
Evidence of data-driven decisions

Risk Mitigation Strategies

IT Infrastructure Upgrade

Invest in computing devices (laptops, tablets) for key staff
Upgrade internet connectivity (fiber, 4G/5G router)
Purchase licensed software (accounting, office, farm management)
Establish IT maintenance schedule and backup routines
Install backup power (solar, generator, UPS)

Data Management Improvement

Implement systematic data collection processes
Adopt cloud-based storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
Improve data integrity through validation and quality checks
Set up automated backups (daily cloud backups)
Organize data for easy access and retrieval

Cybersecurity Strengthening

Implement access controls (strong passwords, 2FA, user permissions)
Encrypt sensitive data (use cloud services with HTTPS)
Install and update security software (antivirus, firewall)
Train staff on cybersecurity (phishing, password hygiene)
Respond to incidents and conduct security audits

Digital Tools Adoption

Adopt farm management app (e.g., FarmLogs, Agworld, AgroCenta)
Implement accounting software (QuickBooks, Zoho, Wave)
Use digital communication (email, WhatsApp Business, CRM)
Enable digital payments (M-Pesa, bank transfers, online invoicing)
Explore precision ag tools (GPS, sensors, drones)

Analytics Capability Building

Analyze farm data (yield, costs, margins) regularly
Create dashboards or KPIs for monitoring
Develop analytics skills through training or hiring
Use advanced analytics (trends, benchmarks, forecasts)
Build data-driven decision-making culture

Data Sources

Technology & Data Risk analysis draws from:

Business Plan: Technology strategy and digital tools inventory
IT Inventory: Devices, software, internet connectivity assessment
Data Systems: Demonstration of data collection, storage, and access
Security Practices: Access controls, backups, security software
Analytics Examples: Reports, dashboards, or data-driven decisions
Guided Interview: Management’s digital literacy and technology awareness

Risk Model Overview
Operational Risk - Technology and equipment
Governance & Legal Risk - Reporting and transparency

Get Started

Core Features

User Guides

Risk Model

Category Overview

Scoring Summary

5 Subcategories

1. IT Infrastructure Risk

2. Data Management Risk

3. Cybersecurity Risk

4. Digital Tools Adoption Risk

5. Analytics Capability Risk

Risk Mitigation Strategies

Data Sources

​Category Overview

​Scoring Summary

​5 Subcategories

​1. IT Infrastructure Risk

​2. Data Management Risk

​3. Cybersecurity Risk

​4. Digital Tools Adoption Risk

​5. Analytics Capability Risk

​Risk Mitigation Strategies

​Data Sources

​Related Documentation

Category Overview

Scoring Summary

5 Subcategories

1. IT Infrastructure Risk

2. Data Management Risk

3. Cybersecurity Risk

4. Digital Tools Adoption Risk

5. Analytics Capability Risk

Risk Mitigation Strategies

Data Sources

Related Documentation