Skip to main content

Kenyan farmers to benefit from digital farm extension services


Livestock farmers in Kenya can now access essential extension services from their mobile phones following the unveiling of the the ‘Last Mile’ app. The “LastMile” initiative is an integrated, solutions-driven program seeking to address crucial animal health challenges by making animal medical resources available in hard-to-reach areas. The initiative targets ruminants, such as sheep, goats along with cattle, and poultry.
 
Established by Boehringer Ingelheim, with support from the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) and funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, “LastMile” aims to bridge current gaps in access, availability, and awareness of animal healthcare solutions for smallholder farmers in Africa. The program’s mission is to create long-lasting partnerships with the local farming community in an effort to establish and drive sustainable businesses that are integrated into the wider national economy. It was initially launched in Kenya, and other key markets throughout Africa including Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, with a plan to expand in Tanzania.

With the new recently launched mobile app, field force and teams working on the “LastMile” are now able to manage their day-to-day activities and work more effectively with farmers, retailers and veterinarians. The objective for rolling out the use of the app is to monitor the activities accurately, collect data, measure the impact and reach of the initiative, as well as to improve the understanding and knowledge about the smallholder farmer sector for better-informed decision-making in the future. In addition, the app has proven critical in the current times of social distancing and heightened safety measures for regular and easy interactions with all our stakeholders. 
 
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the project funder, and GALVmed, will also benefit from this app, as more accurate KPI data related to the project will be available. 
 
Some of the main features include a calendar section, farm and retail visit sections, training part covering diseases and product information and also surveys to gather specific information about the target market.

The app has been unveiled at a time when the world is facing a global health crisis posed by the spread of Covid-19 that has forced governments to restrict movement and minimise human interactions to prevent the spread for the virus. Farmers will now be able to liaise with field officers remotely and get the necessary assistance via the last mile app.

Emilie Veillat, Key Account Manager and “LastMile” application lead, The Veterinary Public Health Center at Boehringer Ingelheim shared: “The ‘LastMile’ initiative is an important part of the company’s vision and aims to support our communities as well as improve both human and animal health. I am pleased we have launched this mobile app which is not only critical for accurate data collection and monitoring, but it also helps teams stay connected, particularly in these challenging times of the pandemic.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

British Airways launches new reward app for executive club members

British Airways has launched a brand new app for members of its Executive Club. Members can use the app to discover new ways to collect and spend Avios, find new offers and see personalised ways to spend Avios based on the member’s Avios balance. The Executive Club Reward app will complement the current British Airways app, which is designed to help all British Airways customers book and service pre- and post-travel needs. The app has a simple, intuitive design, to help members navigate its different features. These features include the ability to access and make purchases through the British Airways Avios eStore – an important way many members collect Avios. Customers can also see different ways they can spend their Avios including a helpful tool which says how many more Avios are needed until a member can book reward flights to different destinations. As well as this, customers can see the latest Avios deals, view their last five transactions, and buy Avios, view accou...
Post a Comment
Read more

Narok School benefits from a Dormitory Courtesy of Procter and Gamble

STUDENTS OF OLOIGERO PRIMARY SCHOOL POSE FOR A PHOTO WITH THE P&G TEAM AND PARTNERS OUTSIDE THE NEWLY BUILT DOMITORY Pupils of Oloigero Primary School in Narok County have a reason to smile after Procter and Gamble funded the construction of a girl’s dormitory in the school. The facility, which will accommodate 80 girls, will help support and improve the access to quality education in the area. “Access to quality education is affected by a myriad of challenges in this country. Inadequate infrastructure is one of them.  The situation is even more dire for our girls thus the reason we are here today to commission this dormitory. We believe that this facility will be a critical resource to help keep our girls in school and together with other partners we will work to ensure that we change the narrative about girls missing school due to menstruation,” said Anthony Ng’ang’a,  Associate Brand Director -Commercial Leader - East Africa at Procter & Gamble (P&G)...
Post a Comment
Read more

Column: Caleb Otieno: Make empathy a reflex

‘Empathy is about standing in someone else 's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Reflection is the means of processing thoughts and feelings about an activity, incident, or day. It gives us a chance to come to terms with our thoughts and feelings surrounding it”  People who understand how to watch, listen and observe the actions and emotions of those around them are often perceived as the most successful in life. A conscious alignment of one’s self with others starts with the development of empathy in the early years.  In the early years of life from age two to seven, young children are naturally ego-centric and are very much inclined to think mostly about themselves and their immediate needs. They are not yet ready to consider the needs and feelings of others. Developing a sense of empathy is an important developmental process for young children. It is at the heart of good relationships, and it begins with valuing others and their perspectives....
Post a Comment
Read more