The App builds on the growing demand for smartphones in Kenya, with penetration expected to reach 31% by 2017 (source: GSMA) and the educational needs of smallholder farmers for knowledge and time sensitive information. There are currently 5 million smallholder farmers in disenfranchised rural communities relying on 5,500 extension workers across Kenya for this information and knowledge in a process that is today slow, inefficient and expensive. The Haller Farmers App addresses this directly at the touch of a button.
The App incorporates an e-commerce function that will empower farmers to buy and sell the goods they produce and develop a nano-economy. It will also enrich the local community beyond just farmer training, acting as a platform to give the community a voice and connect people with functionalities such as instant messaging and local trader advertising.
The Haller Farmers App www.hallerfarmers.org is an exciting new web-based smartphone App. It contains basic and sustainable agricultural techniques for smallholder farmers.
The App builds on the growing demand for smartphones in Kenya, with penetration expected to reach 31% by 2017 (source: GSMA) and the educational needs of smallholder farmers for knowledge and time sensitive information. There are currently 5 million smallholder farmers in disenfranchised rural communities relying on 5,500 extension workers across Kenya for this information and knowledge in a process that is today slow, inefficient and expensive. The Haller Farmers App addresses this directly at the touch of a button.
The App incorporates an e-commerce function that will empower farmers to buy and sell the goods they produce and develop a nano-economy. It will also enrich the local community beyond just farmer training, acting as a platform to give the community a voice and connect people with functionalities such as instant messaging and local trader advertising.
It is simple, graphic, visually rich and a highly practical online interactive resource in English and Swahili, with audio options in both languages, to appeal to a broader audience.
In time the Haller Farmers App has the opportunity to empower smallholder farmers across the world and encourage them to be the entrepreneurs of the future.
All Haller Farmers App content is free, although users will need to check the cost of data from their mobile provider if using 3G rather than wifi (please check with your 3G provider so you do not get charged for extra data usage). Once the total content (less than 1MB of data in total) has been downloaded it will be stored for future reference. Reconnection to 3G or wifi is only necessary to post and receive new messages on the noticeboard and for updates.
The Haller Farmers App has been developed by Pearlfisher and Red Badger – leading London design and software agencies – who have combined to bring cutting edge technology and creative force to its development.
Laurie Bennett of Within People and Henry Hicks of Futerra have been advising us on sustainable business strategy.
Source: Haller.