AS the impacts of climate change continue to accelerate, it is not always gloom for stakeholders, hence the need to explore the opportunities that come with climate change. GUEST COLUMN: PETER MAKWANYA The digital revolution will not only transform the communication landscape, but will also empower local farmers to overcome information gaps and communication boundaries in a highly mechanised and globalised society. The technological boom has taken everyone by storm and farmers are not left out as they seek to orient themselves with this new phenomenon. As this euphoria grips the world, farmers need not miss the value of using these gadgets. The versatile nature of the digital communication tools can allow them to be abused because of excitement leading to the farmers concentrating more on the trivial rather than the fundamental side of modernising farming, bringing positive results, realising resilience and achieving food security. The digital communication technologies which include the internet, tablets, mobile phones, IPads, laptops and other technologies of similar nature can facilitate the movement, storage and sharing of critical data for reference purposes. These interactive platforms can be used to bring farmers closer to each other and establish a highly collaborative and networked community. Farmers need to transform their mindsets and adapt to the new ways of exploring the farming landscapes using a broad network of new media technologies. These include online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Newsfeed, WhatsApp, e-famer, YourFarm, YouTube. These social media networks are favourable to the farming cause. These digital tools and networks are there to educate farmers. How ready are farming communities to be digital compliant is another challenge. Good as this may sound, there are also associated challenges that can militate against the ease of doing farming. Farmers in remote areas can experience connectivity challenges, including access to data and they may be cut off from farming groups and markets. Being in possession of a mobile phone is one issue while its ability to provide required services may be another issue. Farmers need to keep in touch with groups and communities, including mechanisation companies to be abreast with the fast changes taking place in the farming world. These include new methods of farming, improved seed varieties, fertilisers, crop varieties, adaptable dairy breeds, hybrid small livestock, cheaper and accessible irrigation materials, including energy-saving and environmentally friendly equipment. Farmers also need to be informed and guard against unscrupulous and corrupt middle-persons, aiming to rip them off. The other issue is the nature and type of a mobile phone that one possesses, some mobile phones are for calling and receiving calls, and are not internet compliant. In this regard, such poor farmers would have challenges in staying up-to-date and keep in touch with other stakeholders. Furthermore, their remoteness and peripheral nature may not enable them to keep up-to-date