Airtel Africa to provide farm information on mobile phones

NEW DELHI: Airtel Africa today said it is working with the GSM Association (GSMA) to initiate a project for providing reliable and relevant agricultural information through mobile phones to about 2.5 lakh small-holder farmers in Kenya.

The project, dubbed 'Sauti ya Mkulima' (Swahili for voice of the farmer), aims to provide farmers with access to pertinent agriculture-related information, advice and research that will help them make better decisions about their crops, increasing the productivity of their yield, as well as their potential income, Airtel said in a statement.

It will also help create a farmer community within which peers can share experiences and exchange information about social gatherings, events, and job opportunities, it added.

"At Airtel, we recognise innovative telecommunications solutions have the power to transform communities. This initiative is a testament to what partnerships that harness relevant consumer needs can achieve in overcoming daily challenges," Airtel Kenya Managing Director Shivan Bhargava said.

As part of the partnership, the GSMA mFarmer initiative (supported by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) has awarded Airtel $ 400,000 to be used towards the project.