mFarms, which is an Image AD, a software company’s flagship app aims at improving the operational efficiency, communication and viable linkages within the agricultural value chain system.

It would unlock the potential of the sector and provide farmers with information on good agricultural practices, pest and disease management,” Mr Kwame Bentil, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Image AD said at the launch.

He explained that the service would provide solution for value chain actors dispersed over a large area.  “The solution is a mobile and web based which will help in managing and communicating with actors within the agricultural value chain. “This service is delivered via SMS and voice messages to farmers,” he said.

Mr Bentil noted that the service sought to bring good agricultural practices to the doorstep of smallholder farmers in order to increase their yield and incomes. He said the public could subscribe to the app by texting #AGROTIP Region and Crop to register on 0238101010. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA),  Mr Bentil disclosed that mFarms was currently operating in 19 countries in Africa and was active in seven regions.

“With 16 apps developed over the past four to five years,” he said.

Mr Bentil said three platforms namely Agribiz, Farmer to Market and m-Xtension were the main components of the mFarms.  “And so far two types of businesses have been recognised under the agribusiness which are the goods and services,” he said. Mr Bentil said the mFarms agribusiness solutions offered services such as field agent management, actors, transactions, loans management and warehouse management.

Other services include crop production, market information, extension monitoring and communication hub.  Mr Larry Attipoe, the Director for International Development of FAIRTRADE International, lauding initiators of the app said it was interesting and called on them to help make it attractive to the youth.  He also called for active support from all for extensive solutions to be developed towards agriculture in the country.

“This is a potential change to the face of agriculture not on the continent but beyond,”  he said.  Mr Bentil said the mFarms came in handy in this technologically advanced era and urged farmers to take advantage of it.  The mFarms solutions could be used by NGOs, farmer base organisations, logistics and Haulage companies, agricultural inputs companies and warehouse companies.

Other target audience includes aggregators, processing companies and importers as well as farmers. Participants were taken through some technical demonstrations as to how the app would be used and also help value chain actors.