The encyclopedia · Software & IT · Product decision · 2010–2020
iCow delivered dairy advice to Kenyan farmers by SMS
SMS-based extension raised dairy farmers' milk per cow 13%, milk income 29% and household income 22% in a 2020 study.
iCow
the move
Smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya struggle to access timely and reliable agricultural information, which limits farm output. Public extension services have shrunk, leaving a gap that mobile phones could fill.
iCow is a mobile extension service that sends dairy farmers SMS-based information and reminders about their herds. The service aims to reverse the information gap and improve farmers' outputs and incomes.
A 2020 study in the Journal of Agricultural Science used propensity score matching on survey data from Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua and Bomet counties. It found that using iCow increased annual milk production per cow by 13%, milk income by 29% and household income by 22%, and urged partnerships between network providers and research institutes to bridge the extension gap.
why it works
- SMS works on the basic phones farmers already own.
- Timely reminders change daily management decisions.
- The service substitutes for scarce field-based extension officers.
- Measured income gains give farmers a clear reason to keep using it.
what transfers
When expertise can't be physically present, push it through the channel farmers already have: a well-timed message can substitute for a field visit.
what came after
iCow grew into a recognized digital-agriculture service in Kenya, and the impact evidence helped make mobile advisory services a mainstream extension tool across East Africa.
references
- Impact of ICT Based Extension Services on Dairy Production and Household Welfare: The Case of iCow Service in Kenya
- iCow History
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