Technology is changing agriculture in Kenya.
A new app allows farmers who cannot afford their own machinery to connect to tractor owners and hire their services.
Jehil Oliver is a former US investment banker, founder and chief executive of the company behind “Hello Tractor”.
Various set up shots of Jehiel Oliver, founder and chief executive of “Hello Tractor”, (an agriculture technology company that connects tractor owners to small holder farmers in need of tractor services) working in his office
“Nearly all farmers in the Africa region are reliant on rain fed agricultural systems. This means that they have to plant on time in order to maximise their yield. There is simply not enough labour available in these rural communities to ensure farmers have access to the labour that they need to plant on time and maximise their productivity. That is where Hello Tractor comes in”, explains Jehil Oliver.
After installation on a smartphone, the app connects farmers to their nearest available tractor with the right equipment for the job required.
The app has improved business for both tractor owners and farmers as easy access to machinery can vastly increase production.
Dominic Kimani is a tractor owner that realises the benefits of the new system.
“In the old days we used to park our tractors at shopping centres and patiently wait for customers who would not show up sometimes. However, with the use of this application I can get customers from far and wide and it has been easy to find work”, says the tractor owner.
Currently, the platform has access to around 3,000 tractor owners.
The company also recruits agents in the community tasked with signing up farmers and providing assistance.