By Bernice Bessey
Vodafone has introduced a Farmers’ Club to assist the day-to-day activities of farmers, which initiative would offer a range of mobile services exclusively for them. It will also provide them with access to relevant information on improved farming practices, crop information, prices of commodities, and expert advice in their preferred language.
The telecommunication company is harnessing the strength of its extensive rural network, in partnership with Esoko, an information service provider, for agricultural markets in Africa.
To rollout this revolutionary initiative introduced by Vodafone to bridge the gap between farmers and critical farming information, the partnership will assist in connecting farms, agribusinesses and rural communities to drive productivity, profitability and innovation.
Speaking at the launch recently in Accra, Minister for Agriculture Fiifi Kwetey lauded the Vodafone Farmers’ Club as a timely intervention to aid the government in its pursuit of the effective promotion of agricultural productivity.
”Ghana’s economy is led by the agricultural sector. There is no better way of lifting the living standard of farmers, than to start impacting their lives and farming businesses. This initiative by Vodafone, for the Ministry of Agriculture, is a game-changer,” he said.
Commenting on the initiative, Serpil Timuray, Regional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vodafone Africa, Middle East & Asia Pacific Region, said: “One-third of humanity relies on food grown by 500 million smallholder farmers with less than two hectares of land.
“As Ghana’s population continues to expand, farmers have an urgent need to produce ever-increasing amounts of food without destroying habitats or depleting resources in unsustainable manners. “Smart and forward-looking initiatives such as the Vodafone Farmers’ Club concept can make a real difference in addressing the global challenge of food production and security.”
Haris Broumidis, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, said weather forecasts and virtual market places where farmers can sell their produce and other mobile services have important roles to play in increasing agricultural resilience and enhancing the quality of life for farmers.