(LONDON)
A pioneering agriculture technology (AgTech) startup helping smallholder farmers access quick and free offline support has secured $5 million in new funding.
Wefarm makes it possible for farmers in remote locations to get information by sending a free SMS to its peer-to-peer community platform, which provides a swift answer. There are 660,000 farmers in the network – and the number is growing.
“We invested in Wefarm because their innovative solution helps to achieve the United Nation’s sustainable development goals,” said Anna Ryott, Deputy CEO of the Norrsken Foundation, one of those that joined the funding round, which was led by Silicon-Valley based True Ventures.
She added: “It enables small farmers to become more efficient, thereby directly contributing to the eradication of hunger and poverty.”
Wefarm currently operates in Kenya and Uganda and aims to extend its reach further into Eastern and Sub-Saharan Africa. This investment will support these ambitions and also allow the startup to add more interactive features.
With 70% of all food produced by the world’s 500 million ‘small-scale’ farmers, it is a vital service.
