Walid Battal
Ghana is one of the leading countries in agricultural digitalization with solutions like M-PESA. These technologies enhance financial inclusion and access to financial services for agricultural producers, contributing to the digital transformation of this sector.
Agricultural digitalization involves implementing technological innovations to benefit farmers. It represents a significant improvement in terms of time, cost, quality, and effort for operators. But what about Ghana, a country known for its digital transformation efforts on the continent?
In this context, the technological solution M-PESA (M for mobile and pesa meaning “money” in Swahili) has been introduced since 2020 in several African countries reliant on agriculture (Kenya, Congo, Tanzania, and including Ghana). It allows for money transfers directly via phone, while also facilitating access to online financial services for farmers such as purchasing agricultural supplies, accessing credit, and agricultural insurance, among others.
Among the benefits of this agricultural digitalization solution, financial inclusion is notable as it facilitates access to financial services even for small-scale farmers. It increases their purchasing power, enabling them to invest in and acquire more agricultural products.
Thus, agricultural digitalization in Ghana contributes to the overall digital transition effort and simultaneously improves the living conditions of small-scale local farmers.