Tech Innovation in the Developing World

Nearly a decade ago smartphones began to change culture as we know it. The surprise is where it has had the greatest effect. We like the fact that we can check the weather, take quality pictures of weeds and pests, and exchange problem solving ideas and recommendations without ever leaving the field. But in Kenya a cheap Android phone radically changed the way rural farmers bought supplies and connected their commodities with their markets. That was over five years ago.

Today Safaricom, the leading mobile telecommunications company in Kenya, has launched a new mobile tool for agriculture called Connected Farmer. 

"Our aim is to digitize the end to end operations of agricultural produce processing firms creating supply chain efficiencies, linking farmers to commercial markets while facilitating productivity improvements.” 

Moses Kiprop, Safaricom Customer Support (in spects) with Joseph Mwangi, Enterprise Services Safaricom during the launch of Connected Farmer App launch in Eldoret

That's a big goal and exceedingly important in the grand scheme of things as we farmers, from all over the globe and all walks of life, aim to feed a growing world.

Norman Borlaug is credited with saving upwards of a billion lives through the innovations he pioneered during what would come to be known as the Green Revolution. Perhaps mobile technology will provide the raw materials for the next major innovation in the fight to prevent starvation.

Any way you cut it, how growers and agronomists manage crops and resources the world over is increasingly important. Partnership, cooperation, networking, and a little agronomic imagination are necessary components to keep agriculture ahead of the growth curve. That brings it full circle to Northeast Oregon and right here in La Grande. Working together to make the best decisions at the right time to leverage technology and a network of relationships has implications that ripple beyond the boundaries of our valley.