AGRICULTURAL APPS EVERY FARMER SHOULD HAVE

Technology has been touted as the future of industries as it improves efficiency and solves problems.

The agricultural sector has not been left behind in embracing the latest agricultural techniques for profitable crop and animal production.

The mobile phone, the world most common means of communication, is revolutionizing farming with various apps.

The apps aim at making farming easier and more profitable with farmers getting good yields from their work.

Some of the top apps used in Kenya can be easily found on app stores such as Google Play. They include;

MyFugo

This app helps farmers detect when animals are on heat even when they are away from home and keep digital records.

It makes use of smart cow collar which is put on a cow’s neck and has a special sensor that is able to detect when a cow is on heat.

Soko Yetu

This is an app by food supply company Twiga Foods that buy and delivers farmers’ produce to medium sized vendors, often in cities.

The app cuts the need for a middleman who eats into the farmers’ profit by buying products from them at low prices and selling at a high.  

The app has since changed how farmers sell their produce to the market and can now practice farming as an economic activity with good returns.

Farmers can also receive funding through the app to increase production.

Weed Manager

This app helps farmers make the right decisions on the most cost effective weed management strategies for suitable productivity thus food security.

It enables farmers to improve their rice weed control, efficiency, productivity and income.

The app offers a wide range of adapted recommendations for weed management before, during and after the main rice farming season.

Mbegu Choice

The app helps farmers search and select the best kind of seeds to plant depending on an area and altitude for example drought resistant crop varieties to plant during the dry season.

Samaki.ke

This is a fish app that allows fish farmers access to a wide range of smart fish farming products.

Fish farmers can also keep records at the farm pond, track growth of fish, performance of the fish as well as facilitate remote fish farming.

The app uses a system of sensors applied to the fish pond to measure different water conditions such as temperature and acidity and give results analysis to the farmer.  

The farmer can also get stocking and feeding records.

M-Shamba

This app provides farmers with information on production, harvesting, marketing, the weather and climate.

The information is customized to locations for farming to farm best in the seasons in their region.  The app has a monthly subscription to use.

ICow

This app allows dairy farmers get information on animals breeding and feeding method thus know their production patterns and increase their productivity.

Vet Africa

This app enables veterinary, animal health workers and farmers quickly and accurately diagnose livestock illnesses and identify the most effective drugs to use.

Agri-Wallet

This is an app that acts as a wallet that enables farmers tosave, receive payments for their produce, access loans and pay for inputs and other income generating agricultural activities to increase food security and fight poverty.

The app also works with small farmers to enable and empower them.

igiCow

The app enables dairy farmers to make informed decisions and increase profits from data on the cow’s milk production, milk sales, health breeding and feeding information.

FarmDrive

The app gives a farmer access to loans and financial management tools by using the mobile phones alternative data and machine learning to access credit risk.

Agrobase

This is the most popular app for farmers and agronomists. It includes agronomic knowledge database with pests, weeds and diseases catalog and all registered pesticides, insecticides, herbicides in a chosen country. 

Farmers can easily identify diseases, insects or pests and find a hassle-free solution for crop protection as they save money on pesticides, fungicides or herbicides, aiming for higher yield.

It is used among crop, vegetable, fruit, nut, horticultural and livestock farmers to achieve high farming productivity.

Urban Farming App

The app assists farmers to grow natural organic food like vegetables at urban homes easier. 

The farmer is reminded when to water, fertilize and take care of the plants. 

The farmer is also helped to solve problems with pests and diseases in the plants. 
An easy guide also helps the farmer to identify problems and recommend organic solutions.

In addition, in the app there is a selection of delicious recipes from the farm, easy to prepare and enjoy. Story courtesy of Farmers Tv.