AI-Powered Extension and Advisory Services
Our AI-powered advisory platform offers farmers an intuitive, conversational experience that goes beyond traditional extension services.
To use the service, farmers simply text “Manya” (which means “know” in the Luganda language) followed by their question to 8228.
Available through SMS and voice, this solution provides a direct, real-time connection for farmers seeking accurate, expert advice on agricultural practices. With a quick text or voice message, farmers receive tailored guidance to make timely, informed decisions about farm management, crop health, and more—all from the convenience of their mobile phones.
To use the service, farmers simply text “Manya” (which means “know” in the Luganda language) followed by their question to 8228. For instance, a farmer might ask, “Manya, what’s the right spacing for planting coffee?” The AI-powered system then instantly provides a clear, practical response, enabling the farmer to proceed with confidence. This reliable and responsive service adapts to farmers’ needs, offering practical advice that boosts productivity and supports sustainable farming practices.
We are committed to expanding accessibility and inclusivity. Currently available in English, the service will soon support additional local languages, ensuring that more farmers across diverse regions can benefit from our advisory platform. By offering advice in local languages, our platform overcomes language barriers, allowing farmers from every background to access knowledge tailored to their crops, locations, and seasonal requirements.
Our platform isn’t just about answering questions; it’s a digital farming partner that evolves with each farmer’s journey, continually adapting to provide contextual, proactive advice based on location, season, and previous interactions. This service embodies our mission to empower farmers with knowledge, fostering resilience and productivity in rural communities through the power of AI.
M-Omulimisa Mobile App
The Mobile App supports extension service providers in the provision of interactive extension services. The app includes an agricultural information repository—in summarized text and illustrative graphics—that includes easy to use guides for farmers and extension agents.
The app provides accurate, relevant and up-to-date information on pests and diseases, good agronomic practices, post-harvest handling among others.
Additionally, farmers can use the App to ask agricultural-related questions (can even attach pictures of diseased plants/animals) in their local languages and receive feedback from their respective agents or technical M-Omulimisa staff and government extension officers who have been trained on how to use the platform.
The app also enables farmers and extension agents to report disease and pest outbreaks using geotagged pictures. The same mobile App enables village agents to profile farmers and their groups and aggregate farm-inputs demand to secure subsidized credit through our Group Input Loan Facility.
Toll-free SMS Service
Our Toll-free service provides a free medium of information exchange where farmers ask any questions related to agriculture in their languages, on any kind of phone, free of charge, and receive feedback from extension officers around the country.
Our extension service heavily relies on partnerships with existing actors in the agricultural extension ecosystem. We integrate within their traditional extension systems to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
Some of our key partnerships include nonprofit organizations providing conventional agricultural extension services such as World Vision, Sasakawa Africa Association, and Government Ministries. We leverage their well-established networks with farmers and extension officers to mobilize and train farmers.
We train their extension staff how to use the platform and the trained extension officers then train their farmers as well as respond to farmers’ questions through the platform.
Mobile Extension System Statistics
We have over 20,000 registered farmers from 23 different districts and have received and responded to 12,000 questions in 10 different local languages. These languages include: Luganda, Acholi, Lango, Lusoga, Lugwere, Lunyole, Dhopadhola, Runyankore, Runyoro and Lumasaba. We have 325 registered extension officers but only about 100 are actively engaged in responding to farmers’ questions.
13,314
Farmer Registered
11,311
Questions Answered
14,000
Questions From Farmers
109
Ext-Oficer Registered
51
Districts Served
35%
Female Farmers
