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MICROSOFT PARTNERS WITH TECHNO BRAIN TO IMPROVE FARMERS YIELDS
Microsoft and Techno Brain partners to use technology to improve agriculture in Africa.
Microsoft Corporation is partnering with Techno Brain to launch a digital Agriculture platform in Africa. The aim of the platform is to enhance farmers crop yields and then increase their income.
The plan is to first test the platform in Malawi and Tanzania. With a later expansion to other parts of the continent, like in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Farmers in the Sub-Saharan region practice rain-fed agriculture, and are pregnable to impacts of climate change. The farmers face risks like drought, diseases and also pest epidemics.
Techno Brain is a digital company, and have operations in Africa, USA, India and the UAE.
The Techno Brain technological solutions will collect data such as farm location using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, expected rainfall and weather patterns, land type and soil nutrition, and process the information on intelligent cloud ( AI tools) to create insights that help farmers in Africa make better farming decisions.
Microsoft is already working with government departments and enterprises in India to help subsistence farmers practicing rain-fed agriculture. This opportunity is now being extended to Africa.
The test phases starting in Malawi and Tanzania, is in partnership with the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM) and ETG Farmers Foundation, respectively.
Farmers under the platform will receive insights by mobile via short message service (SMS) and voice platforms. The insights will include best crops to plant, optimal sowing week, pest growth alerts, adverse weather notices, preferred harvesting time, market information and also farming tips.
Agriculture is the main stay of African economies but has a lot of untapped potential. So this digital solution will help create sustainable livelihoods in Africa, and even other continents.