SciDevNet opines that the use of ICT tools is helping smallholders access farm inputs and increase yields. The article reviews a project in Uganda that is using ICTs to empower smallholder farmers. The situation : A major problem that has been confronting the two Ugandan smallholders – who epitomise the struggles of many in Sub-Saharan Africa – is the lack of adequate information on best farming practices such as when and how to plant that could lead to increased productively, more income from their produce and better livelihoods. But a project in Uganda that uses information and...
A review of research on how information services based on mobile phone technology can improve the lives of smallholder farmers has found only patchy evidence of success. The study conducted through an exploratory literature review focused on the impact of mobile phone-enabled services on farmers. They looked at 23 studies of such services in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The study was conducted against a commonly held notion that these services hold a promise for developing world farmers and that these mobile services can improve their yields. Mobile phone services for farmers covered...
The proliferation of smartphones and their usage has spread throughout the world, including in Africa. In Liberia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has supported and funded the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to train extension workers in the latest data collection technology. The Daily Observer reported that 24 extension officers, including 6 employees from the Liberia Institute for Geo-Information Services had a three-day training at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Suakoko District, Bong County. The attendees received a training on the...
The subject of technology and gender has intrigued many interested with ICTs in agriculture. GSMA recently published a report entitled, “ Mapping the mobile money gender gap: insight from Cote D’lvoire and Mali ”. One of the key findings of the report is that while there has been significant growth in mobile money transfer in the last ten years, there are still wide gender gaps in mobile money account ownership and usage. The report further notes that there is a need for a better strategy to target and reach more women with mobile money services. The study paints a comprehensive picture of...
Farmerline is a social software company with the mission to transform millions of farmers into successful entrepreneurs. Farmerline connects farmers to markets, finance, weather forecast, new farming tips, inputs dealers and equipment services. Farmerline has an information service that sends SMS and voice messages on weather forecasts, market prices, new farming techniques, agrochemical applications, and finance directly to the mobile phones of farmers in local languages. Through their mobile phones, farmers can also connect to global markets and buy farm inpunts and services. Farmers using...
A team under the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) has developed a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to accurately diagnose crop diseases in the field. The team has won a $US100,000 award to help expand their project to help millions of small-scale farmers across Africa. The app provides advice on all major diseases and pests of root, tuber and banana crops, sends SMS alerts to farmers about potential diseases for their crops and pinpoints the location of the nearest agricultural extension support for farmers. “Smartphones are becoming more and more common...
Esoko, the platform that sends market prices and agricultural tips to farmers will soon retire its brand. After having begun with professional tips sent to farmers through SMS, the Esoko team started to explore innovations on mobile finance for smallholder farmers. In November 2016, Esoko developed a mobile commerce platform that allows farmers to save and borrow toward the purchase of inputs and to sell their crops. Two very different products were now developed, and the team started to face the first challenges. "Our limited management resources were being stretched thin and neither...
RevoFarm is a Jamaican based app designed to connect farmers to markets and market data. Farmers send an SMS with their available crops and the information is uploaded on the website. Consumers, which can also include supermarkets who want fresh produce from farmers, can then search the RevoFarm marketplace (on the website or on the app) and find fresh farm produce closest to them. The app also supplies farmers with valueable information to plan their planting season, based on projected weather patterns, crop marketability and soil type. Farmers can also rate and comment this information...
M-Pesa (M is for mobile, “pesa” is Swahili for “money”) was launched by Safaricom, Vodafone’s Kenyan associate, on March 6, 2007. The service is designed to safely send receive and store money via a simple mobile phone. The service also allows customers to make bill payments and top-up airtime. In order to use M-Pesa, customers have to register for the service at an authorised agent and deposit cash in exchange for electronic money which they can send to their family or friends. All transactions are secured by entering a PIN number and both parties receive an SMS confirming the transferred...
Nigeria has one of the largest inventories of uncultivated farmland on earth, but they are losing crops in volumes because of labor shortages and lack of mechanization.” according to Jehiel Oliver, CEO of Hello Tractor. Many smallholder farmers cannot afford to pay someone else for high-season help. Owning a tractor would solve many of those problems. The first part of the business is the small, 15 horsepower tractor itself that Hello Tractor sells at $4,000, 10 times cheaper than the average tractor found in Africa. Each tractor comes with a GPS tracking device, so that its position can be...
