Safaricom app links produce processors to contract farmers
From left: Safaricom director of enterprise business Rita Okuthe, KenolKobil group MD David Ohana and supervisor Simon Lijodi with Craft Silicon CEO Kamal Budhabhatti when they unveiled a partnership between taxi-hailing service Little and the oil marketer last September. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU
Safaricom #ticker:SCOM has launched a phone and web-based application linking agro-processors to contracted farmers across Kenya.
Safaricom director of enterprise business Rita Okuthe said the platform had created a secure end-to-end service cutting out middlemen helping farmers earn more and companies establishing a flawless supply chain.
The service, Connected Farmer, follows a partnership between the telco and mobile web solutions developer Mezzanine Ware which saw a six-month pilot conducted that linked 12 firms to 80,000 farmers.
“Agricultural produce processing firms will benefit from supply chain efficiencies while farmers will enjoy linkages to sustainable farm produce markets and prompt payments,” she said.
Connect Farmer helps firms engage farmers directly in planning, delivery and production where the farmers receive prompt payments via M-Pesa.
Sirikiwa Dairies chairman Philip Kibusie said the app had enhanced transparency in their operations.
“Before we implemented Connected Farmer, our dairy farmers did not have full visibility of the amount of milk sold. Having this recorded volumes improves communication and trust.
“We are able to manage our cash flows effectively as payments are made directly to farmers’ reducing our operational costs,” he said.
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