Real-time, climate smart recommendations and alerts platform for farmers aWhere, Inc. has partnered with Ghana’s Esoko, a private firm aiming at driving social and economic impact among rural communities via innovative use of mobile phone technology to give farmers real-time weather data in a move to increase their yields.
The deal between the two will see small-scale farmers in Ghana will receive daily text messages with localized weather information on precipitation, temperature, wind speed, humidity, and growing degree days among others via an SMS platform.
The two firms say with the aWhere Platform farmers will access to daily, highly localized weather information, to help them make informed decisions and reduce their vulnerability in the face of weather variability.
“Agriculture is the heart of the economy in Ghana; it’s vital for Ghanaian farmers to have access to timely, relevant information,” says Esoko product manager Thomas Moellmann. “aWhere’s daily weather forecast data will help us deliver important, usable information to farmers and extension workers”.
Esoko will access aWhere’s weather data via an API service. They will translate aWhere’s daily data as well as an 8 day forecast into relevant and accessible weather updates for farmers, which will be delivered via text messages or text-based symbols for illiterate farmers.
“The importance of localized weather information for farmers cannot be understated,” says aWhere CEO and Agricultural Climatologist Dr. John Corbett. “We’re very excited to see our weather data put to good use and getting into the hands of those who need it most.”
Launched in 2005, Esoko provides market information to farmers across Africa, operating in 8 countries, employing over 200 people, and increasing farmer incomes by 10% and recently Esoko launched an emergency hotline for farmers whenever they need help on their farms.