Malawi: mFarms training and workshop

A two day workshop was Lilongwe, Malawi to train AGRA grantees on how to use the mFarms platform to profile and manage their network of farmers dispersed over space and to reach out to their network of farmers through SMS and interactive voice response services.

In attendance were actors from the agribusiness sector including agro-input dealers, Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs), SMEs, Output marketing companies. In total were 22 participants from six organizations namely; Farmers union of Malawi [FUM], WASAA, TAPP, ACE, Muzuzu Cadecom and NASFAM.

WASAA for instance is into empowering women in agribusiness by loaning seeds to farmers and providing them with tips on how to grow them. Farmers pay back after harvesting in double. This activity, WASAA explained that with the mFarms platform, they would have a properly organized database of the 30,000 farmers they are working with and also offer extension service to them.