Brief news on farming and agribusiness in the country

Kisumu farmer Oliver Bill sets up a solar-powered water pump in his farm, in this past photo. Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga notes that technology makes it easier for farmers to access inputs, markets, and financial services. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The bank’s One Million Farmer Platform is designed to benefit a million smallholder farmers spread across 16 counties.
  • Counties where farmers will benefit from the digital innovations include Trans Nzoia, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Makueni, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok and Tharaka Nithi.
  • Technology makes it easier for farmers to access inputs, markets, and financial services.
  • The clinics will provide free specialised technical services for the owners and drivers of Massey Ferguson tractors and related equipment.

World Bank bets on data to boost farm output

The World Bank is betting on big data to enhance agriculture production in the country in the wake of climate change.

The bank’s One Million Farmer Platform is designed to benefit a million smallholder farmers spread across 16 counties.

The programme is hinged on big data and ICT analytical systems to transform agriculture. It is a follow up to the Disruptive Agricultural Technology Challenge and Conference held in April 2019, that discussed opportunities offered by disruptive digital technologies to increase productivity, access to services and markets in the agricultural sector.

During the conference, 14 promising digital technology innovators in agriculture were picked to be members of the One Million Farmer Platform.

The winning innovations were DigiCow, Digital Green, Farmers’ Pride, Precision Agriculture for Development, SunCulture, M-Shamba, TrueTrade Africa, Tulaa, ACREAfrica, Agri-Wallet, Arifu, Astral Aerial, Aakar Services, and Ujuzi Kilomo.

Counties where farmers will benefit from the digital innovations include Trans Nzoia, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Makueni, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok and Tharaka Nithi.

“The initiative aims to create a platform that leverages disruptive agricultural technologies to reach one million farmers and enhance their productivity, profitability and resilience,” Mr Felipe Jaramillo, the World Bank Kenya country director, said recently.

Government official hailed the programme. “Technology makes it easier for farmers to access inputs, markets, and financial services,” Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga said.

-Pius Maundu

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Machinery firm to host farmers’ clinic

Agricultural farm machinery distributor FMD East Africa is set to host its Xtra Care clinics in Uasin Gishu and Nandi counties this month.

The clinics will provide free specialised technical services for the owners and drivers of Massey Ferguson tractors and related equipment.

Lucy Mukuru, the sales manager at FMD, said that agriculture sector is the backbone of an economy thus there is need to increase food production through technology.

“We will have our first clinic in January in Uasin Gishu and Nandi. We must show farmers the latest appropriate and sustainable machineries for soil preparation, planting and harvesting,” she said.

-Brian Okinda