Solidaridad Ghana has partnered with Viamo, a digital commerce and tech-solution agency to deploy tailored solutions to farmers and miners under its Acting Now and Pathway to Prosperity (P2P) programmes.
The partnership is part of Solidaridad’s continued efforts to enhance its service delivery to farmers using digital technology and help farmers adopt digital tools and technologies to improve their farming practices and operations.
A statement issued in Accra by Solidaridad Ghana said the partnership would allow Solidaridad to expand its reach and impact, particularly in remote areas where access to information and resources can be limited.
It said 80,000 farmers and miners were expected to be reached through the innovation.
The statement said the services to be offered by Viamo include an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, which will enable farmers with basic mobile phones to access timely and critical information needed to cultivate sustainably and mine responsibly.
‘When deployed, the automated
system will share pre-recorded messages in native local languages with farmers and miners to guide them through the cultivation and mining process,’ it said.
Additionally, the system will be used to conduct surveys to measure the adoption of best practices.
It said the solution would benefit farmers and miners in remote areas with poor road networks and access routes, allowing them to fully benefit from Solidaridad’s advisory services through the power of technology.
The statement said for Solidaridad, the added benefit was the increased frequency with which extension services are delivered, compared to the face-to-face approach, which may be constrained by poor accessibility.
‘With IVR, farmers and miners can obtain personalised advice, weather updates, market prices, and agricultural and mining techniques simply by answering a phone call or dialling a designated phone number,’ it said.
The statement said the bouquet of digital solutions to be offered also caters to urban home farmers, who require quick
access to information on the go.
It said a chatbot integration with WhatsApp will offer urban farmers instant responses and answers through a designated number.
It said farmers and miners under the Acting Now and Pathways to Prosperity programme would also receive SMS campaigns with daily tips on good agronomic practices and responsible mining practices.
The SMS campaigns allow Solidaridad to send targeted messages to specific groups of farmers and miners, providing them with tailored information based on their needs and location.
Mr Bossman Owusu, Country Representative for Solidaridad Ghana, said, ‘Solidaridad’s adoption of these innovative solutions showcases our commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of our farmers and miners.’
He said by embracing digital solutions, they were not only expanding our reach but also empowering farmers with the knowledge and resources they need to thrive.
He said it was inspiring to see how technology-driven approaches were revolutionising the agricultural
and mining landscape and paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The Country Representative said the technology solutions provided by Solidaridad through Viamo were entirely free for the beneficiaries.
Mr John Spio Ashun, Full Stack Engineer for Solidaridad Ghana, said, ‘Innovative solutions enable farmers to make informed decisions, adopt best practices, and overcome various challenges they face, ultimately leading to improved livelihoods and food security.’
The partnership between Solidaridad and Viamo exemplifies the importance of technology in agricultural and mining landscapes.
By harnessing the power of digital solutions, farmers and miners can overcome geographical barriers and gain access to vital information that can significantly impact their livelihoods and their communities.
Source: Ghana News Agency
