Digitizing Farming in Kenya

What is our solution?

Producing food in a country of 50 million people is an uphill task, especially when farmers are practicing traditional farming. SOKO likes to change that. Our aim is to equip sheep farmers with scientific tools. Key area of focus is genetically aimed breeding, online farm management, VetCare and real-time information sharing through free notifications. Our free app and website will equip farmers with new and innovative scientific tools that are currently not offered to them.

SOKO has acquired a farm just outside of Nairobi city. Here we like to set up a smartfarm, a new way of farming that takes advantage of existing mobile technology in Kenya. While working with a team of vets and software developers, SOKO intends to breed healthy sheep while recoding the data in the Soko App and user-friendly website.

The smartfarm will play a giant role in shaping a new way to rare sheep. This will be achieved by collecting data on the sheep being raised at the model farm. With a profile for every sheep, it will be easy to keep records and draw conclusions backed up with data models. These models will then be tailored and promptly communicated with farmers.

The Soko App will be offered as a free service to Kenyan farmers and other players in the sheep farming supply chain. The services offered will incorporate breeding, animal nutrition, vet services, insurance options and marketplace access. This will be of great benefit to them as they have in the past practiced traditional farming methods. They will start using cost-effective, easy-to-implement and sustainable ways of improving their sheep husbandry in a resource-saving way. The startup will have an impact of reaching many farmers that would be inaccessible in the current analog sheep farming business. Farmers will also be able to buy well-bred sheep at the smartfarm to improve their stock.

SOKO will offer many farmers online access to veterinary services for the first time - a huge advantage for all those who live in remote areas and otherwise can’t access vet services. Vet checkups will empower farmers to optimize their livestock management resulting in healthier animals and higher yields.

Insurance penetration rates in Kenya are less than 2.4%. Majority of Kenyan farmers do not cover their assets and work against risks. This increases chances of suffering huge losses when animals die due to diseases and climate related disasters such as drought and famine. SOKO likes to use mobile APIs (Application Programming Interface) to bring tailor-made insurance closer to sheep farmers. This will help to minimize financial losses that they suffer, especially when climate-related risks occur.

Why is the solution special?

Farming in Kenya gives «analog» a new meaning. With the Soko app, we aim to bring off grid farmers online. For the first time farmers will be able to use our smart tools to monitor their sheep by paying attention to specific details advised by our team of professionals. Working with vets has already begun and guarantees a professionally well-founded platform that can be continuously developed and expanded.

Kenya is facing a fast growth in population and the demand for food and in particular meat has increased. It is important that sustainable solutions towards food security are found and pursued. With an efficient way of sheep breeding and market access, SOKO will productively increase meat supply.

The sale of animals is associated with risks for small farmers. The smartfarm aims to connect farmers and consumers directly, therefore creating a reliable and predictable supply chain. Ultimately, smallholder farmers will have more money in their own pockets.

Think green! The farm will use solar energy to cover its daily electricity needs and thus promotes climate-friendly energy production.

What will we do with the money?

We now need your help to set up the first phase of the infrastructure.

• Building a smart sheep pen for housing the sheep and the newborns: about 2000 CHF.
• Building of a store where animal feeds and other material will be kept for safe and dry storage: about 2000 CHF.
• Starting stock of sheep for the smart farm: about 2500 CHF.
• Software development, testing and publishing of the apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store: about 3500 CHF.
• Instructions / Evaluation / Documentation: approx. 1000 CHF.

Long-term project investment

• Solar energy capacity to power our servers and computer devices: about 3000 CHF.
• Smart technologies, including watering troughs for sheep, bottle feeders and automated water taps: about 1000 CHF.