AWARD YEAR
2017
CATEGORY
Work
GOALS
Zero Hunger
KEYWORDS
farming, peer-to-peer, service
COUNTRY
Kenya
DESIGNED BY
Kenny Ewan, Ceo and Founder
WeFarm
WEBSITE
http://wefarm.org/
WeFarm
A peer-to-peer service using simple network to help farmers stay informed and improve livelihood
An estimated 70% of the world's food comes from small, isolated farms that are no bigger, than 2 acres. Until now, people working on these farms relied on word of mouth to solve life's daily puzzles. In Africa the productivity is one-fifth of that in Europe and the United States. Though small-hold farmers produce the majority of the food we eat, they are more vulnerable to factors beyond their control: climate change, failing seeds, volatile markets and infectious crop diseases.
WeFarms is a social enterprise that enables farmers to share and access information through even the most basic mobile phone.
When a farmer sees something strange about his crops, he sends a message to the local WeFarm number. The question is then processed and sent out to select members of the messaging community. A useful answer could be returned within minutes.
More than 120,000 farmers are connected using the service, and more than 280,000 questions have been answered.