Economy

'Hotlines' provide free advice to Ethiopia farmers

Approximately 70 million of Ethiopia's 91 million population are farmers

20.09.2014 - Update : 20.09.2014
'Hotlines' provide free advice to Ethiopia farmers

By Abebech Tamene

ADDIS ABABA

New hotline services are enabling Ethiopian farmers to access market information and equip themselves with farming knowledge free of charge.

"The service enables the farmers get access to information on issues related to agriculture, including utilization of fertilizers, pre-planting and planting of crops, plant protection and harvesting, among others,” Elias Nure, ICT Project Lead with the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency, told Anadolu Agency on Saturday.

Ethiopian farmers are now able to call hotline "8020" to get advice on agriculture and farming.

So far, 300,000 farmers have benefited from the service since July 1, when the hotline was launched by the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency.

Most of the calls were made by farmers from Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and South Ethiopia Peoples’ States during the reported period.

The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX), a commodities exchange market established in April 2008, also provides a similar service.

ECX Communication Manager Samuel Mochona said Ethiopian farmers are now able to receive advice via SMS and interactive voice response.

"A voicemail service is put in place for farmers, who cannot read," Mochona said.

"Electronic market data boards are installed in 90 major market areas in different parts of Ethiopia for farmers, who are unable to benefit from SMS, interactive voice response or voicemail," he said.

Mochona said that studies indicate that 2.7 million farmers are benefitting from the service.

Approximately 70 million of Ethiopia's 91 million population are farmers.

Introduction of telecommunications services in Ethiopia dates back to 1894.

 

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