Esoko, an agricultural technology platform has launched a new product in Ghana to boost agriculture and address the challenge in acquiring inputs and access to credit for local farmers.
The product, ‘Fasiba’, is Esoko’s M-Commerce solution for farmers, aimed at helping farmers to lessen the suffering they go through in accessing farm inputs and credit facility from both financial and non-financial institutions in the country.
The company disclosed that, it has renewed its commitment of delivering competitive services in order to meet the needs of its clients.
Speaking at the national launch of the product at Forikrom in the Techiman North Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday, Mr. Castro Antwi-Danso, the Business Development Manager of Esoko, stated that, the company over the years has focused on developing products that make a significant difference to the lives of farmers because of the importance of the agricultural sector to the nation’s development.
He added that, the new product was a demonstration of his organization’s resolve to boost agriculture as a profitable business and source of employment for many in the country.
On the product and its usage, he explained that Esoko’s nitiative was a solution in a virtual marketplace that allows farmers to save and borrow towards the purchase of discounted agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and pesticides through the use of a mobile wallet.
“Through the marketplace, farmers lay-away cash in dedicated mobile wallet and once they reach the goal which is determined by the price and quantity of inputs they want to purchase, they receive an electronic voucher to redeem the inputs at designated outlets”, he explained.
He disclosed further that, qualified farmers will receive top up credits for inputs after making minimum deposits and will also receive targeted agronomic information on the proper use of the inputs they have purchased in order to increase their return on their investments.
Mr. Antwi-Danso noted that, the product ultimately aims to increase usage of fertilizer and other inputs amongst smallholder farmers, to increase productivity on their farms and reduce food insecurity and poverty.
He said the Esoko was collaborating with RMG and ADRA to ensure inputs were delivered promptly to farmers at their doorsteps.
The Akwamuhene of Forikrom, Nana Owusu Gyan II, commended the organization for the initiative and said it will go a long way to help farmers modernize their activities.
He noted that, with the use of a mobile payment system, investment and savings can be ensured, and also the incident of robbery on farmers in the area will be reduced.
He appealed to the company to extend the facility to more communities and appealed to them to introduce access to tractor and other heavy duty equipment services.
Some farmers at the programme lauded the initiative and appealed to Esoko for more intensive education to fully understand and operate the system.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)