iCow: new ways of doing old things.
Between 1995 and 2016 Africa’s population grew by an
average of 2.7% annually, more than twice the global rate
This makes food security imperative. Kenyan start-up iCow,
launched in 2011, is one of the simplest but cleverest tools
being used to optimise every aspect of farming. Registered
farmers are sent useful data and advice on best practice, and
can see measurable improvements to yields in as little as
three months.
Many users only have basic phones, so iCow communicates
via SMS messages. iCow is having a demonstrable impact on
farming in East Africa, with an estimated 50,000 to 60,000
users, 70 to 80% of them in Kenya, with the remainder in
Ethiopia and Tanzania.