1 Own Digital Solutions for AgricultureAPIIoTSensorsSMSSoftware solution
SMS-agroline – SMS-based agriculture extension service and early warning system
SMS-agroline is an SMS-based agriculture extension service and early warning system in Tajikistan. SMS-agroline consolidates and disseminates market prices, agro-climatic information and agro-advisories from crop input use to post-harvest handling. Early warning system of SMS-agroline sends SMS Alarms to alert in cases of frost, heavy rain, high temperature, floods, storm warnings, unforeseen weather events, disease/pest outbreaks, etc.
| Type | Digital Solution |
| Organization | Neksigol Group (Neksigol Navovar is responsible for software development and Neksigol Mushovir is for technical backstopping on the agronomic part) |
| Organization Type | Startup / Small-medium enterprise |
| Country / Territory | Tajikistan |
| Location | Khujand |
| Implemented in | Tajikistan |
| Link | - |
| Use case | Agricultural extension and advisory services; Disaster risk management and early warning systems |
| Domain | Plant health and production |
| Description |
SMS-agroline is an SMS-based agriculture extension service and early warning system in Tajikistan. SMS-agroline consolidates and disseminates market prices, agro-climatic information and agro-advisories from crop input use to post-harvest handling. Early warning system of SMS-agroline sends SMS Alarms to alert in cases of frost, heavy rain, high temperature, floods, storm warnings, unforeseen weather events, disease/pest outbreaks, etc. The earliest version of the system was implemented in 2010 by the Neksigol Group with the technical guidance of UNDP under the "Aid for Trade" project and HELVETAS under the "Local Market Development" project, and Neksigol took full control of it in 2016. In 2018, Neksigol conducted an upgrade of the system transferring its back-end part to the web-platform which allows managing subscription data, message templates and timelines, etc. Currently, Neksigol cooperates with CARITAS to provide more accurate and localised weather data and agro-climatic information through development of agrometeorological services which be based on locally installed network of agrometeorological stations and adopted disease models, soil moisture, insect flights, etc. |
| Since | 2010; 2018; 2022 |
| Maturity | Proven (Scale-up) |
| In partnership | UNDP; HELVETAS; CARITAS |
| Technology | Software solution; Digital (online) platforms (forums, communities, portals); SMS; Sensors (weather, geotagging); Internet of Things (IoT); API (Application Programming Interface) |
| Technology description |
SMS-agroline is a software solution supported by other systems like API connections with other platforms for sourcing raw data, web-platform for managing subscription data, SMS and chatbot for distributing information. SMS-agroline connects to the Price Monitoring and Analysis System via API for accessing market prices for food commodities, agricultural products, inputs supplies and non-food items (such as fuel, unskilled and skilled wage labour rates, etc.). Currently, SMS-agroline sources weather data from the agromonitoring.com platform via API, which includes air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other significant weather parameters (soon it will source weather data from the locally installed network of agrometeorological stations). While expert-verified instructions on crop production and management such as planting, irrigation, spraying and harvesting are accumulating in the established knowledge management database. The developed software solution combines the weather data sets with the instructions on crop production and management to form agro-climatic information and agro-advisories and present information in an actionable way to farmers. Also, SMS-based agro-advisories provide information about agri-inputs suppliers and buyers of agricultural products. Currently, Neksigol also works on developing a user-tailored web-platform which will allow interface organizations to manage subscriptions of their farmer groups by themselves. |
| Users | Smallholder farms; Civil society organizations (NGOs, local action groups); Public sector; Private sector (other businesses); Research institutions or academic organizations; Field agro-consultants; Village advisors; Agri-inputs suppliers; Agro-shops; Buyers of agri-products |
| Users’ description |
SMS-agroline uses scalable dissemination channels such as SMS and chatbot systems to reach smallholder farmers with low-level technologies and have a wider approach for users that may not have an internet connection readily available. To date, SMS-agroline database contains a list of 15 000 smallholder farmers and it is updated and extended regularly. SMS-agroline is in use by several NGOs which implement projects for agriculture and rural development. Cooperation with interface organizations to outreach groups of farmers helps achieve critical mass and economies of scale. The early warning system of SMS-agroline can be used by relevant governmental agencies, international development organizations, banks and other interested stakeholders for providing actionable information to communities thus helping them to reduce disaster and climate change-related risks. Also, indirect users of SMS-agroline are agri-input suppliers, traders and processors because they can use it as an additional channel for advertising, sales for input supplies and sources for agricultural raw materials. |
| Business model | Regular subscription; Advertising |
| Business model description | SMS-agroline charges small amounts for market prices, agro-climatic information and agro-advisory messages with monthly and crop-based subscriptions allowing to pay for the messages throughout the season in different ways via ATMs, mobile wallets and mobile phone credit balance. Additionally, most of the subscriptions are linked to partnerships with interface organizations like NGOs implementing projects for agriculture and rural development. Also, the dissemination of early warning messages is paid for by either the supporting organizations or private businesses as part of their advertising campaigns. |
| Challenges | There is a need to upgrade the system and extend its functionalities by connecting it to the network of agrometeorological stations and extending it by adopted disease models, soil moisture, insect flights, etc. to provide more accurate and localised weather data and clear actionable agro-advisories that drive sustainable agricultural practices. Also, a feedback mechanism should be established which will allow users to provide feedback regarding information they receive and take into consideration how they perceive improvements could be made. Furthermore, the establishment of a coordination mechanism is needed amongst information providers/producers (Ministry of Agriculture, Agency of Hydrometeorology, Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation, Research Institutions and Universities). |
| Food Value Chain stage | Production; Post-harvest handling and aggregation; Processing; Distribution (wholesale and retail) |
| Impact | The solution applies low-level technologies for the dissemination of information thus making available market and climate information services for vulnerable smallholder farmers thereby contributing to their awareness raising and capacity strengthening which is crucial in accompanying local communities for activities related to climate adaptation and livelihood diversification. If access to market information is enabling farmers to better link their local production with market and supply chains, then access to climate information is helping them to reduce weather related risks. |
| SDGs | SDG 1: No poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth; SDG 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure; SDG 13: Climate action |