EzyAgric and Airtel Uganda have embarked on a partnership to extend free farm advisory services to Airtel subscribers across the country.
This program, dubbed the “AGRIVOLUTION”, is designed for every customer regardless of whether they own a smartphone or not & whether they’re a practicing farmer or not. It allows farmers to proactively and interactively access detailed and crop-specific farming advisory information, for improved productivity.
The launch of the partnership happened at Sylvia Agro Park in Zirobwe Town Council.
How to become part of the EzyAgric – Airtel Agrivolution:
To join the program:
- Dial *163#
- Select “Airtel Cares”
- Select “Agriculture”
- Select Preferred Channel to receive the Agricultural Content, i.e. (1: receive “Via SMS”. 2: “receive Via EzyAgric App”)
- Select preferred language
- Select preferred crop
- Select 1 to subscribe and 2 to cancel.
When you subscribe, you choose to receive the weekly advisory content, via one of 2 channels: via the EzyAgric Farmer Mobile App OR via SMS.
When you choose the mobile app option, you get 500MBs free every month to download the app from Google Play Store and then access the well-curated content on the app. You’ll also receive crop-specific information for a better harvest; weather information; weed management; pest and disease control; and post-harvest, among others. The 500 MB will be available every month for 6 months. These MBs cannot be used outside the EzyAgric app.
When you choose SMS, your crop specific content will be sent to you via SMS, 3 times a week. This advisory content includes tips for a better harvest; weather information; weed management; pest and disease control; and post-harvest, among others.
This curated content will be accessible in 6 major languages in Uganda, i.e., English, Runyakitara, Luganda, Luo, Lumasaba, and Lugisu as selected by the user.
Read About: EzyAgric is connecting farmers to markets, inputs and credit
Speaking at the launch event, Mr. Njoroge Henry Kamau , the Marketing Director at Airtel Uganda, affirmed that agriculture presents a very big opportunity especially in that there exists resources like land & human capital in Uganda.
He added that Airtel pursued this partnership to ensure that its subscribers receive first-class agronomy advice from the finest agronomists, hence the reason for choosing EzyAgric.
“Airtel Cares, is an integral part of our business under our sustainability strategy in which we are committed to supporting the reduction of barriers to social and economic empowerment of communities in which we operate.”
Ms Josephine Okot, Founder and CEO Victoria Seeds Ltd, who was the chief guest at the event, noted that farmers have not been able to reach their optimum potential due to limited extension, access to seeds and lack of alignment of information on when to plant, what to plant, where to buy inputs, and at what price.
“I am glad EzyAgric has been able to capitalize this and made it possible to share agronomic information to farmers through their digitized platform The EzyAgric App. So, the farmer no longer needs to look for the extension officer as before, they only have to access all this information via the App. I am also grateful that Airtel Uganda came on board to make sure the coverage is broadened. We are confident that this partnership will go a long way in bridging this gap,” she said.
Mr. George William Luyinda, the Chief Executive Officer EzyAgric noted that the company believes in creating endless farming Possibilities and the only way to do that is through digitization of agriculture.
“Technology continues to be instrumental in improving agri-business in Uganda, and with almost everything being digitized, it then becomes a worthwhile investment to venture into such a partnership like what we have with Airtel Uganda,” he said.
He notes that the farmers onboard will have access to advice from a range of resources that are available through EzyAgric’s long list of extension workers within several districts and the list of products that are available on the EzyAgric App from certified suppliers like Grainpulse, Victoria Seeds, Bukoola, East African Seeds, and Naseco, amongst others, not forgetting a detailed trail of all your purchases and agronomy activities as records throughout the entire farming season.
“And that is the reason we took the Agricultural path. So, all you need to do is talk to your parents, sisters, brothers and Jaja to simply now access this service from the palm of their hands and we do all we do so that agriculture can be commercialized as a business rather than simply subsistence. Therefore, we are very honored and so welcoming to the partnership we and Airtel are getting into,” he concluded.
