12 Ways In Which Tech Is Uplifting The Agricultural Industry In Africa

The EZ Farm is an IBM project that is being trialled at farms in Nairobi. Sensors monitor the soil, collecting and streaming data to IBM’s cloud-based data centres and updating the information continuously. Farms are equipped with water tank sensors to water the soil as needed, ensuring high yields and low farming costs.

Data collection for farmers

FarmDrive is a fin-tech company that has developed a mobile application that collects data and provides an alternative risk assessment model for smallholder farmers, determining their credit worthiness and helping to facilitate loans for farmers, increasing agricultural productivity.

Drone technology

South African farmers have found valuable ways to use drone technology to boost their agricultural output and methods, leading to an up skilled workforce and general cost cutting. Elsenburg farmers are using drones to conduct general monitoring flyovers, assess vegetation health, track and monitor animals which may need assistance, as well as to assess stressed zones among crops that require watering and fertilisation

Text messaging for cost-saving

M-Farm leverages the internet and text messaging to help farmers access market prices for produce, make aggregated orders of farm supplies, lowering purchase costs, and sell their produce in bulk in order to reduce costs overall.

Farmers educating themselves through apps

Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, even in rural farming communities, mobile apps are being used by farmers to access to educational content that can teach them about feeding practices and disease control, while some apps such as iCow provide record keeping tools and can connect farmers with buyers.

The internet of things in farming insurance

Farming insurance companies are now taking advantage of the internet of things to deliver better services. By using historical satellite data, micro-agricultural insurance scheme in Mali and Uganda – Scaling Up Microinsurance in Africa – predicts yields and compensates farmers if predicted yields fall below a certain level.

Mobile technology to communicate easily

Extended telecommunications networks into rural areas throughout Africa has meant that farmers are now able to communicate via mobile with potential buyers and fellow farmers while facilitating better communication between farmers and field technicians at work.

Access to better suppliers via apps

While some apps offer record-keeping functionality and others access to credit, MbeguChoice is a mobile app that helps farmers to access better, drought tolerant seeds in varieties offered by various suppliers. By connecting farmers with their ideal supplier, a number of obvious advantages are gained.

Tracking the weather

It may seem obvious, but being able to track the weather and forecast weather patterns is incredibly useful for farmers, and until fairly recently, African farmers could not do so. Now tech such as farmerconnect supply information to farmers about the weather, pricing trends and other updates, empowering farmers to track and plan their farming efforts much better.

Drilling down to specific types of farming through tech

For cocoa farmers, for example, CocoaLink is a free mobile application used in rural parts of West Africa, enabling farmers to access information on good farming practices, farm safety, pest and disease prevention and poor-harvesting methods that should be avoided. It uses text messaging and voice messages in native African languages, catering specifically to cocoa farming.

Cheaper machinery through start-ups

Startups can assist in making farming machinery available at better prices than is typically available. Hello Tractor, for example, sold over 1,000 tractors, at $4,000 each, to farmers in Nigeria. That’s 10 times cheaper than the average tractor found in Africa. Also, use of an Uber-like cost shared tractor could assist small-scale farmers to plant on time in an efficient and cost-effective way of accessing labour.

AgriTech Challenge and similar initiatives

The World Bank and venture capital firm Nest run an initiative called the AgriTech Challenge in Kenya. The initiative is the first open innovation program of its kind in the country, and thanks to technology, it connects promising start-ups and innovators with leading agribusiness corporates for the benefit of the agricultural industry.
Source: AFKInsider|| By Peter Pedroncelli