EABL adopts mobile app to track contracted farmers' sorghum

White sorghum in a market in Kisumu. /MAURICE ALAL
White sorghum in a market in Kisumu. /MAURICE ALAL

East African Breweries Limited has rolled out a mobile app to track sorghum in the entire supply value chain and to evaluate the yield expected.

The app is also set to ensure they only receive produce from the contracted 30,000 sorghum farmers.

EABL managing director Jane Karuku said the mobile phone platform, Farmforce, will track out-growers, eliminate paperwork, and enable the brewing capacity to be evaluated from the growing and harvested produce.

"We will now be able to track the grain from the time of planting and estimate our certainty and what to expect from each farmer," she said on Thursday.

"We will be able to follow through in all stages from planting, tending to the crops, harvesting, and delivery to our factories. This ensures we maintain the quality of our products," Karuku said in a statement.

The app will facilitate automated data collection and analysis, automated reporting for effective management, simplification of government audits and effective communication with farmers.

Farmforce will also include the small-scale farmers to promote access to markets and improve productivity.

The app will keep a record of the farmers’ details their contacts, location, and acreage planted, and to monitor the performance of the crop using field maps.

EABL has contracted 15,000 farmers in Migori, Homabay, Kisumu, Siaya and Busia to supply white sorghum valued at Sh15 billion to it recently opened plant in Kisumu.

The produce will be used in the production of Senator Keg beer.

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