Esoko is Powering the Digital Transformation of Africa’s Agricultural Sector

Smallholder farmers in Africa remain trapped in poverty despite their hard work and the various investments in the agricultural sector. Some of the main contributing factors are the disorganized and fragmented value chain and information availability.

Esoko, however, hopes to solve the information asymmetry and integrate farmers into the formal value chain. With their robust communication infrastructure, smallholder farmers can be reached quickly and inexpensively via mobile phones.

Before Esoko, setting produce prices was a gamble for many rural farmers due to lack of information. As a result, they often sold at below-market prices, reducing their profit.

Daniel Asare-Kyei, a co-founder of Esoko, says the platform allows smallholder farmers to have real-time access to crucial information such as market price, weather forecasts, and agronomic content. The platform also offers digital financial services for farmers like credit, payments, transactions, and insurance coverage over mobile channels.

Services provided by the Esoko are delivered in two main pathways:

1. Data collection and profiling
2. Service delivery
   

Through this platform, agribusinesses and relevant development organizations can easily reach rural farmers with services and solutions that can improve their livelihoods.