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Mobile app helps African farmers turn a profit

A mobile app is helping farmers in Ghana increase crop yields and connect with industry players through an online communications medium that is easily accessible and cost-effective.

'mFarms' is an internet based platform that links all actors in the agricultural industry giving farmers access to vital information.

Farmers in Ghana are finding a way to cultivate their crops in a more cost-effective way, thanks to a new mobile app called mFarms.

Farmer Bawa Yamusah says his produce is bringing in more money, helping to pay for his family's education and health needs.

"It improved the yields and alternatively our income level has risen and we get food for our homes and the family then we get extra income from what we are going to dispose off", said Yamusah.

mFarms connects to an agricultural industry network, providing information about agricultural practices. The technology was brought to Ghana by software development firm, Image-Ad with the help of the 'Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa'.

Image-Ad's CEO, Kwame Bentil says mFarms promotes more effective agricultural planning. "Because we're connected with other stakeholders we are able to give them [farmers] best technology in terms of seeds, fertiliser and this really helps them to be able to cultivate within the small area and get better yield."

And farmers can also access maps showing the locations of warehouses that have available space for storing crops ready for market.

Seventeen African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda currently use the platform. And farmers in Ghana say that so far, mFarms is improving production and profits from seed all the way to market.

Take a further look.

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