Alloysius Attah, Co-Founder and CEO of Farmerline Group, has emphasized the transformative power of technology in advancing agricultural development and wealth creation across Africa.
Speaking during Week Two of the Citi Business Festival, themed “How Technology is Changing Agriculture in Africa,” Mr. Attah underscored the enormous potential technology holds for the sector, provided it receives adequate investment.
According to him, agricultural innovation must focus on three essential pillars: access to information, access to capital, and access to markets.
“All farmers need three things to survive: access to the right information where they can grow food well, access to the right kind of capital, and access to the market,” he said. “If they are able to meet these three, they can succeed, and all of our innovations are around these three brackets.”
He revealed that Farmerline has developed digital tools to help address the information gap faced by many farmers, particularly due to the shortage of agricultural extension officers and logistical constraints.
“We have built tools that allow farmers to get access to information any time and anywhere, and in their local languages. The problem we are solving is the shortage of extension officers and the lack of resources to travel to remote areas. Our platform complements the work of extension officers by enabling farmers to receive answers and guidance without needing face-to-face contact,” he explained.
Addressing the issue of agricultural financing, Mr. Attah stated that Farmerline is leveraging innovative models to unlock access to critical equipment like combine harvesters. He noted that in northern Ghana, the company is using its network and proprietary credit scoring system to support farmers in accessing both equipment and capital.
On the topic of market access, he stressed that increased production means little if farmers cannot sell their produce competitively and in compliance with international standards.
“When you grow all the food, you have to sell it. So, we buy their produce—some of which we export. Exporting requires compliance with global standards such as those on child labour and deforestation. We’ve built tools that help farmers meet these standards cost-effectively and efficiently,” he said.
Mr. Attah also pointed to the importance of collaboration in delivering Farmerline’s mission.
“We do not do all these alone. We collaborate with warehouses and other tech platforms. Together, we have truly transformed agriculture and are putting farmers on the path to wealth creation,” he concluded.
SOURCE: CITINEWSROOM
