Kenyan farmers are using mobile agriculture applications to improve market information such as M-Farm, iCow, Kilimo Salama, M-Pesa and M-Shwari. These agri-technological innovations aim to offer either increased transparency or the extension of financial services to farmers. [1]
M-Farm was developed in 2011 during a mobile start-up competition organized by HumanIPO, an African technology news website, as a transparency tool for farmers [2]. The application enables farmers to view the current market price of their crops and also connects them with other farmers to buy inputs and sell crops collectively. According to a statement attributed to Jimmy Wambua, an M-Farm spokesperson, the service is aiding 6,400 farmers in Kenya and collects data on 42 crops as of 2013.
The mobile service iCow provides farmers with information on breeding, nutrition, the gestational periods of their cows and other practices. iCow also locates the nearest veterinarians and artificial insemination specialists. The amount of farmers that use iCow is not reported.
Kilimo Salama, which means “safe farming” in Swahili, is run by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), a non-profit launched by Swiss agribusiness Syngenta, L’Union des Assurances de Paris (UAP) Insurance of Kenya and mobile operator Safaricom. Kilimo Salama allows farmers to insure their crops against drought or heavy rains. The application also tracks weather forecasts and sends short message service (SMS) alerts to farmers if extreme weather conditions are expected. Kilimo Salama serves approximately 70,000 farmers as of 2012.
M-Pesa is a mobile money transfer application that was launched in 2007 and is used by approximately 21 million people in Kenya as of 2013. This mobile service allows farmers to pay for inputs and receive payment for crops. It also is used by financial institutions to disburse loans and receive repayment. M-Shwari is an extension of this service, which allows M-Pesa customers to open savings accounts and take out loans [3].
By Meghan Gillis, Research Associate
About M-Pesa
M-Pesa is a Kenyan mobile money service. The “M” stands for “mobile,” and “pesa” means “cash” in Swahili. Launched in 2007 by Safaricom Limited, a Kenya-based cellphone service provider, M-Pesa was developed by Vodafone Group Private Limited Corporation, a British multinational mobile network operator.
About L’Union des Assurances de Paris (UAP) Insurance Limited
L’Union des Assurances de Paris (UAP) Insurance Limited is an insurance provider based in Nairobi, Kenya that operates in Kenya, Uganda and Southern Sudan. It was formed in 1994 from the merger of Union Insurance and Provincial Insurance. The company’s products include commercial, life, travel, corporate medical and political violence and terrorism insurance. Additionally, along with Equity Bank, a commercial bank in Kenya, UAP Insurance has launched a program that incorporates satellite technology to provide herders with insurance for their livestock in the event of drought and subsequent starvation.
About Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA)
The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) is a nonprofit organization based in Basel, Switzerland, whose mission is to create value for resource-poor, small-scale farmers in developing countries through innovation in sustainable agriculture and the activation of value chains. In the year 2011, Syngenta made USD 6.5 million in profits and possessed USD 17.2 million in assets.
Sources and Additional Resources
[1] AllAfrica: “Kenya: Appy Agriculture,” http://allafrica.com/stories/201305020033.html?viewall=1
[2] M-Farm: “About Us,” http://www.mfarm.co.ke/about
[3] Vodaphone Press Release: “Safaricom Launches M-Shwari – Offering Interest and Loans – On M-Pesa,” http://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/group_press_releases/2012/m-shwari.html
[3] The Syngenta Foundation For Sustainable Agriculture: “Overview,” http://www.syngentafoundation.org/index.cfm?pageID=562
MicroCapital story, December 3, 2012 “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Safaricom, Vodafone, Commercial Bank of Africa Launch M-Shwari, Offering Mobile Access to Savings and Loans in Kenya,”https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-safaricom-vodafone-commercial-bank-of-africa-launch-m-shwari-offering-mobile-access-to-savings-and-loans-in-kenya/
MicroCapital story, March 3, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: UAP Insurance Limited, Syngenta Foundation, Safaricom Launch “Kilimo Salama Plus” to Include Crop Microinsurance,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-uap-insurance-limited-syngenta-foundation-safaricom-launch-kilimo-salama-plus-to-include-crop-microinsurance/
MicroCapital story, November 2, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Vodafone’s M-Pesa Mobile Money Service to Expand International Options with HomeSend Partnership,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-vodafones-m-pesa-mobile-money-service-to-expand-international-options-with-homesend-partnership/
MicroCapital story, October 25, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Kenya to Levy 10% Tax on Mobile Money Transactions,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-kenya-to-levy-10-tax-on-mobile-money-transactions/
MicroCapital story, April 22, 2013, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Younger People in Kenya More Open to “Game Changer” of Buying Investment, Insurance Products by Mobile Phone,”https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-younger-people-in-kenya-more-open-to-game-changer-of-buying-investment-insurance-products-by-mobile-phone/
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