Farmers in Kenya can now shop and pay for inputs online, thanks to an online advertising site OLX, which has established farm input centres to help farmers’ access seeds and fertilizers bought through its platform.
The centres are in response to accessibility problem faced by farmers buying inputs via its platform.
Those centres are also likely to provide a lasting solution to the security of farmers buying inputs via the site.
The site has been working as linking point between willing sellers and buyers.
According to OLX country manager Peter Ndiang’ui, the firm has opened two centres in Nakuru and Nyandarua dubbed Kilimo Smart OLX centres and expect to open more units in agro-rich zones.
This is the latest agro-based products from the firm that is seeking a share of Kenya’s largest industry in a diversification plan for company popular for connecting buyers and sellers shopping for clothing, electronics and vehicles.
“We are working with input partners Mavuno technology, Osho chemicals and Soil Cares to ensure farmers access quality inputs through our platform,” said Mr Ndiang’ui.
He added that those centres will further give farmers easier and faster access to inputs once orders are placed.
‘’Our ultimate aim is to assist farmers generate more income by producing more yields than they are now’’.
The firm which entered the Kenyan market as an online advertising agent for connecting buyers and sellers of machines and household items last year introduced an agriculture section that allows farmers to sell livestock, especially chickens, cattle, and fresh produce
Recently OLX introduced an SMS service to ease trading on farm produce and inputs because a huge chunk farmers did not have access to the Internet.
Farmers will now buy inputs from Mavuno Fertilizers at a 15 per cent discount.
