Solidaridad has partnered with Viamo, a global social enterprise improving lives via mobile, to deploy tailored digital solutions to farmers and artisanal small-scale (ASM) miners in Ghana under its Acting Now and Pathway to Prosperity (P2P) programmes.

The partnership is part of Solidaridad’s continued efforts to enhance its service delivery to farmers and ASM miners through the integration of cutting-edge digital technology aimed at empowering them by fostering the adoption of digital tools and technologies to improve their farming and responsible mining practices.

The partnership will also allow Solidaridad to expand its reach and impact, particularly in remote areas where access to information and resources can be limited.

Eighty thousand farmers and miners are expected to be reached through the innovation.

The partnership services to be offered by Viamo include an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, which will enable farmers and miners with basic mobile phones to access timely and critical information needed to cultivate sustainably and mine responsibly. When deployed, the automated system will share pre-recorded messages in native local languages with farmers and miners to guide them through the good production practices.

With IVR, farmers and miners can obtain personalised advice, weather updates, market prices, and agricultural and mining techniques simply by answering a phone call or dialling a designated phone number.

Participants of the two programmes will also receive SMS with daily tips on good agronomic practices and responsible mining practices. The SMS campaigns allow Solidaridad to send targeted messages to specific groups of farmers and ASM miners, providing them with tailored information based on their needs and location.

Additionally, the system will be used to conduct surveys to measure the adoption of best practices. This solution will benefit farmers and miners in remote areas with poor road networks and access routes, allowing them to fully benefit from advisory services. The added benefit is the increased frequency with which extension services are delivered, compared to the face-to-face approach, which may be constrained by poor accessibility.
“Solidaridad's adoption of these innovative solutions showcases our commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of our farmers and miners. By embracing digital solutions, we are not only expanding our reach but also empowering farmers with the knowledge and resources they need to thrive,” said Bossman Owusu, Country Representative of Solidaridad Ghana.

He said it is inspiring to see how technology-driven approaches are revolutionising the agricultural and mining landscape and paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

The bouquet of digital solutions to be offered also caters to urban home farmers who require quick access to information on the go. A chatbot integration with WhatsApp will offer urban farmers instant responses and answers through a designated number.

The technology solutions provided by Solidaridad through Viamo are entirely free for the beneficiaries.

For his part, Nii Lante, Country Director of Viamo indicated that the partnership between Solidaridad and Viamo exemplifies the importance of technology in agricultural and mining landscapes. By harnessing the power of digital solutions, farmers and miners can overcome geographical barriers and gain access to vital information that can significantly impact their livelihoods and their communities, he said.