Yas urges farmers to embrace digital services to boost productivity

DODOMA: Farmers have been urged to embrace digital services to access market information, weather updates and business opportunities as technology becomes increasingly important in agricultural production and marketing.

Yas Acting Head for the Central Zone, Mr Richard Mmari, said the expansion of mobile connectivity, particularly in rural areas, had made it easier for farmers to access information that could influence decisions on what to produce, when to farm and where to sell their produce.

Speaking at the ongoing Nane Nane agricultural exhibitions in Dodoma, Mr Mmari said Yas had invested in more than 4,900 4G and 5G sites across Tanzania, extending mobile connectivity to different parts of the country, including rural areas where agriculture remains a major economic activity.

“For a farmer, having access to the right information at the right time can make a difference. Today, farmers can use their phones to check crop prices, follow weather updates and look for markets without having to leave their farms or homes,” he said.

However, he noted that connectivity alone was not enough if farmers lacked devices that enabled them to make full use of digital services.

Mr Mmari said Yas had a device financing programme that allowed customers to acquire smartphones and pay for them in instalments, making the devices more accessible to people who might not be able to meet the full cost upfront.

Farmers attending the Nane Nane exhibitions in Dodoma have been encouraged to visit the Yas pavilion to learn about the financing programme and other digital services available to support their farming activities and daily needs.

Mr Mmari said Yas would continue to expand and improve its services, particularly in rural areas, as more farmers embraced technology to access information, markets and other opportunities within the digital economy.