Five disruptive West African agri-tech companies
AppsAfrica.com have put together a list of start-ups that are using agri-tech to disrupt West Africa’s agricultural industry. Agri-tech is a blanket term; it covers the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture. Agriculture is an incredibly traditional industry in West Africa, so it’s interesting to track successful ventures into the agri-tech arena. Here’s what AppsAfrica.com dug up:
Fresh Direct NG
Fresh Direct grows produce in shipping containers. Within a 20 ft shipping container, Fresh Direct can grow the same produce as a football pitch. Founder Angel Adelaja impressed judges at the She Leads Africa Demo Day 2016. She also recently received a 2,000,000 naira cash prize presented by Guaranty Trust Bank.
Verdant AgricTech
This start-up has received close mentorship with Richard Branson, among other accolades. Verdant offers solutions to rural farmers for improved production, using mobile phones. Via mobile technologies, the start-up provides agricultural extension, market information, managerial support, and financial services access to rural farmers
Farmerline
This platform focuses on Ghana’s smallholder farmers. Farmerline connects farmers to markets, finance, inputs and equipment services via technology. The start-up produces mobile voice services that provide timely and improved agricultural information access and better communication channels for small-scale farmers and agricultural workers through their mobile phone, in any local language.
AgroData
AgroData specialises in precision agriculture. The aim is to support and improve tropical farming with the creatively use of spatial data and processes agricultural information and agricultural research data.
Esoko
The team at Esoko have built a communication tool for businesses, government, NGOs and others to connect with farmers. Esoko offers web and mobile apps, original agricultural content, and on-the-ground deployment services. They are ideal for clients’ marketing, monitoring and advisory needs
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Source: AppsAfrica.com
