Ghanaian-based Agritech Startup, Farmerline Expands to Francophone African Countries
Ghanaian agri-tech firm, Farmerline has announced the launch of operations in the Ivory Coast as part of its expansion into the Francophone African countries.
Founded in 2011 by Alloysius Attah and Emmanuel Owusu Addai, and has since collaborated with more than 3,000 partners in 48 countries to deliver daily voice and SMS agronomic messages to 1.7 million small-scale farmers via its technology platform, Mergdata.
Meanwhile, Farmerline’s expansion in Ivory Coast will provide farmers with access to high-quality fertilizers and seeds, free education on climate-smart farming practices, and connections to international markets.
Furthermore, Joel Amani Kouame has been appointed as Farmerline’s new regional manager for Francophone Africa, while the firm’s co-founders have committed to partnerships with local agribusinesses, farm cooperatives, government, and food trading companies to create lasting profit for small-scale farmers and promote sustainable agriculture.
Commenting on the expansion, the CEO said, the company had worked with partners in Ivory Coast for six years, and the time was right to expand and commit fully to supporting Ivorian agribusinesses. Ivory Coast is home to more than three million smallholder farmers, and Abidjan is the center of the Francophone Africa region. Kouame said agriculture remained at the core of African economies, and Farmerline could create lasting benefits for small-scale farmers and help drive economic growth by bringing big data management technologies and predictive analytics into farming, providing quality inputs promptly, agronomic support, and a marketplace for smallholders.
Last year, Farmerline raised $14.4 million in a Pre-Series A investment round and expanded its team across West Africa. The company has a model that combines local and global industry stakeholder partnerships, well-trained field agents, farm resources, logistics, and digital tools to support and improve the lives of small-scale farmers.
What you should know about Farmerline’ s Expansion
Meanwhile, the launch in Ivory Coast is part of Farmerline’s commitment to supporting small-scale farmers across Africa, providing access to technology, finance, education, and markets. The firm aims to drive the farmer and agribusiness digitization agenda, creating and distributing localized agronomic and farm services to support as many farmers in the country as possible. The company’s technology platform allows farmers to access personalized and timely information on planting, harvesting, pest control, and, market prices via their mobile phones, helping to increase crop yields and reduce post-harvest losses.
Also, Attah and Owusu Addai were named among the Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs in 2015 for their work in using technology to support small-scale farmers in Ghana. Farmerline has won numerous awards, including the Ecosystem Best Business Model prize at the 2020 Africa Green Revolution Forum Virtual Summit. The firm is committed to driving innovation and sustainability in agriculture, and to promote the adoption of best practices in farming, processing, and marketing.
In expanding its operations to Ivory Coast, Farmerline has shown its commitment to supporting small-scale farmers across Africa and to promoting sustainable agriculture. The company’s technology platform provides farmers with access to personalized and timely information on farming practices, helping to increase crop yields and reduce post-harvest losses. With its model combining local and global industry stakeholder partnerships, well-trained field agents, farm resources, logistics, and digital tools, Farmerline is well-placed to support the growth of agribusinesses across Africa and to create lasting benefits for small-scale farmers.