Heifer International has launched the Digital Agriculture Champions (DAC) initiative for smallholder farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in Africa.
The nonprofit, in a statement announcing the project, said the initiative designed to deliver sustainable cost-effective training modules for smallholder farmers will begin operations in Kenya.
It noted that the project will use technology and mechanisation to address some of the post-pandemic challenges across different agricultural value chains in Africa.
Heifer said it will also mentor and empower youths who often constitute the extension staff to become digital champions with entrepreneurship skills.
‘Heifer is committed to catalysing ground-up engagement of the youth in Agriculture. The Digital Agriculture Champions initiative will foster the application of digital technology in agriculture, delivering solutions that address challenges faced by smallholder farmers at scale’, Senior Vice President of Heifer’s Africa Programmes, Adesuwa Ifedi, said in the statement.
‘We are providing a comprehensive digital platform for the front-line extension workers who we are referring to as “Digital Agriculture Champions”; to learn at their own pace, connect with their farmers and grow their agribusiness.
‘We will mentor and handhold them through their journey from incubation to the growth stage via the Kuza OneNetwork platform’.
Data from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) shows that agribusiness contributes about 25 percent of Africa’s GDP and a staggering 70 percent of its employment.
The Africa Development Bank (AfDB) also predicted Africa’s agribusiness sector to reach $1 trillion by 2030.
Agribusiness, according to studies, can promote industrialisation and urban employment, break the productivity gap of development, and improve the quality of life.
Source: Heifer International
Photo source: Agriprohub
