aWhere, Inc. announces agreement with Esoko to put weather data into the hands of African farmers
Thousands of small-scale farmers in Ghana will receive daily text messages reporting localized weather information.
The importance of localized weather information for farmers cannot be understated. We’re very excited to see our weather data put to good use and getting into the hands of those who need it most.
WHEAT RIDGE, CO, USA, March 10, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Thousands of small-scale farmers in Ghana will receive daily text messages reporting localized weather information through an agreement between aWhere, Inc. and Ghana-based Esoko. — John Corbett, PhD. aWhere CEO
“Agriculture is the heart of the economy in Ghana; it’s vital for Ghanaian farmers to have access to timely, relevant information,” says Esoko product manager Thomas Moellmann. “aWhere’s daily weather forecast data will help us deliver important, usable information to farmers and extension workers”.
Esoko will access aWhere’s weather data via an API service. They will translate aWhere’s daily data as well as an 8 day forecast into relevant and accessible weather updates for farmers, which will be delivered via text messages or text-based symbols for illiterate farmers. Farmers will receive information on precipitation, temperature, wind speed, humidity, and growing degree days. With access to daily, highly localized weather information, farmers can make informed decisions and reduce their vulnerability in the face of weather variability.
“The importance of localized weather information for farmers cannot be understated,” says aWhere CEO and Agricultural Climatologist Dr. John Corbett. “We’re very excited to see our weather data put to good use and getting into the hands of those who need it most.”
About aWhere: aWhere, Inc. transforms the way agriculture initiatives are managed and monitored through the generation of real-time, climate smart recommendations and alerts for farmers. The Platform also provides a robust data management infrastructure to manage complex agricultural information and enable evidence-based decisions. aWhere’s gridded weather data are also made publicly available through the aWhere Platform.1 www.awhere.com
About Esoko: Esoko is a private company setup to drive social and economic impact among rural communities through the innovative use of mobile phone technology. Since 2005 Esoko has grown to be the leading initiative in delivering market information to farmers across Africa, operating in 8 countries, employing over 200 people, and increasing farmer incomes by 10%. Esoko is an example of how the public sector can participate and encourage private sector innovation and investment to drive food security and improved livelihoods. It is also an example of how Ghanaian software developers can build world class technology that is used throughout the Continent.
Dave Lundberg
aWhere, Inc.
303-279-9293 x.200
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1 http://www.awhere.com