aWhere: providing weather-based tips for smallholder farmers
Location specific and timely advice to improve productivity and climate resilience among smallholder farmers
Farmers in developing countries have a challenge of accessing localized weather data. Recently the e-Agriculture Team at FAO and aWhere published a Promising Practice that explains how aWhere can provide weather-based data and tips for smallholder farmers.
aWhere delivers agricultural intelligence to farmers, crop consultants and researchers all over the world. How does aWhere achieve this? “The company aims at making agronomic and weather data available to farmers through intermediaries such as research centers, governments, information companies, mobile network operators and non-profit organizations which can integrate the data into their own information systems” (aWhere/FAO,2018).
Cited aWhere Solutions
The promising practice focuses on the current projects by aWhere in Ghana (Esoko) and Kenya.(iShamba). aWhere collects and analyse billions of data to create a database where agricultural intelligence, critical information for decision making is made available from farm level through to national policy.
- Esoko is a market information service and leverages on the growth of mobile phone services in Africa. Esoko solution empowers rural communities through providing mobile and web-based tools for data collection; an SMS/voice-based communication platform for farmer management and through a mobile and web app.
- iShamba was cas a support service for farmers related to the hit farm makeover TV show Shamba Shpe Up that airs in East Africa. It is a call centre of agricultural experts where one can SMS their questions or call in to speak with an expert for instant help. Those signed in can receive agri-tips on livestock and crop information, also market prices and weather updates.
Why not download this e-Agriculture Promising Practice and learn more
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