Mobile App kicks out middlemen in farming
For a long time, middlemen and shortage of agricultural extension officers have been a major setback for many farmers in Nakuru county, a trend that has impacted negatively on food security.
For Francis Kanga, a farmer, the biggest challenge was how to outwit these brokers living off his sweat, and break even with the proceeds from his 5 acre farm at Kandutura, Rongai Sub-County.
He can now breathe a sigh of relief following the innovation of a mobile app, code-named UjuziKilimo which has been rolled out.
The 48-year-old vegetable farmer is now directly linked to buyers. Through the platform, Kanga can also access information on good and modern agricultural practices.
Bumper harvests
His app is godsend for Kanga and over 200 other farmers in the Sub-County who had previously been under the mercies of brokers who bought their harvest at throw away prices, due to the few market options.
It was especially felt during bumper harvests of perishable produce. “The brokers are now out of the way. I have been able to bypass them through this system,” says Kanga, adding that he now directly sells his produce to his customers.
The platform is a product of UjuziKilimo Technologies Kenya Limited, an agricultural technology startup founded by 29-year -old Brian Bosire whose target was to reach out to 100,000 small scale farmers by providing digital agronomical information.
Kanga revealed that he had improved access to the markets, personalised weather updates, crop management and market information through an interactive short message service available on the platform.
The farmer further noted that the App had enabled him to get current information on the best agricultural practices.
“The platform can effectively manage planting, tendering and harvesting for farmers to gain maximum yield,” Kanga added.
A retired clinical officer, Johanna Nge’tich, who grows potatoes on his six acre farm at Visoi village within the Sub-County points out that Ujuzi kit, a sensor-based soil testing system also a technology by UjuziKilimo, helps subscribed farmers to improve yields by at least 40 percent.
Lessons on best farming practices are offered through video tutorials or quick notes.
The App also provides a forum to post questions related to their farming practices and provide a communication channel for farmers through formation of farmers groups. According to Bosire, UjuziKilimo gathers market information from different partners and institutions. All this market data is broken down to regions and farmers are able to get up to date personalised SMS with the market trends. “The SMS service sets off a continuous relationship with the farmer, where we deliver actionable recommendation and advice based on soil and farm conditions. When you look at agriculture, there is still room for a lot of innovations along the production chain,” Bosire added.
By using their GPS and internet-enabled device mounted sensors, UjuziKilimo is able offer predictive farming to provide customised information based on the farm’s location.
County Chief Officer for Agriculture Kibet Maina noted that the digitalisation of the agricultural value chain in Kenya is transforming agriculture as a paradigm shift aimed at adapting modern farming systems.
Increased population
He said that the ushering in of new technology is expected to make a positive contribution towards smart agriculture and motivate farmers to increase their production. “Mobile phone technology is already helping bridge the gap between research and practice,” He added.
Reports have identified increased population, low farm productivity, erratic weather patterns and rural urban migration as some of the major challenges affecting food production in Africa.
– KNA
