M-shamba
Increasing Farming Supply & Matching with Demand
M-shamba supports smallholder farmers in the production of safe and quality food and thereafter, using their digital platform that supports digital learning on agronomy, regenerative agriculture and food safety to farmers through Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service, USSD and interactive SMS. This digital platform also uses data to match demand from the market with supply availability from farms, creating a ready-market for farmers.
Head office: Kisumu, Kenya
Digital Technology for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Farming. Creating Profitable Farming Enterprises.
Key Facts
Farmers reached
Land Acreage
Jobs Created
Impact
Economics
- Increasing Smallholder farmers income increase by 60%, which secures the livelihood
- Increasing farmers productivity by 35%
- Increasing vendor profitability by 20%
Social
- Tackling the food problem through higher yielding crops
- Reducing post harvest losses by 80%
- Addressing the problem of poor food distribution across regions
Why M-shamba?
M-shamba is a Kenyan based digital platform that uses a market-based approach to link smallholder farmers to fair, reliable and rewarding markets for their produce. Working with over 40,000 farmers and 5,000 vendors, M-shamba matches the demand from the vendors with supply from the farms. Farmers who sell through M-shamba get higher market prices, benefit from technical advice and market intelligence, leading to increased productivity of 35% and general increased income of 60%. Mshamba’s key selling point is how they use technology to reach farmers, using Interactive Voice Response ( IVR) and USSD prompts.
My day with Calvince, the founder of M-shamba, made me understand that most farmers have to make a living from just one or two acres.
Sub-Saharan Africa has a quarter of the world’s arable land but only produces 10% of the world’s agricultural output. Successful small farms provide jobs and support off-farm activities. Small family farms generate income that is spent in rural communities and stimulates rural economies, which in turn contribute to peace and security and lift families, communities and countries out of poverty.
The social background
Many smallholder farmers in Africa are characterized by low productivity, limited pricing information and selling opportunities, as well as limited access to markets. Typically, farmers have no choice and therefore sell their commodities in markets that have low demand, while others sell through intermediaries who tend to exploit them.
Kenya’s GDP is estimated at USD 107 Billion, which makes it the largest in East and Central Africa. However, the country still faces challenges related to accelerated growth and boosting shared prosperity. Poverty among rural farmers is at 40% and has stood out as a difficult problem to solve. Lack of reliable market access for smallholder farmers has impeded the economic development of rural areas because farmers often live far from the wholesale markets and it is not feasible for them to deliver their produce directly and this usually leads to postharvest losses of up to 30%.
Meet the Founder
Calvince Okello
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Calvince Okello is the Founder and CEO of M-shamba, an agritech start-up that leverages data to improve food security and support farmers in adapting to climate change. Through M-shamba, Calvince has been at the forefront in providing ready market access to farmers and easy-to-access climate-smart agriculture content and support via mobile phones.
Our other ventures
WashKing
Ghana
Biodigester toilets for underprivileged communities
Gjenge Makers
Kenya
Building materials from plastic waste
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