Safaricom has rolled out a new integrated package targeting farmers in Meru County, bringing together mobile connectivity, insurance, agricultural advisory services and discounted farm inputs in a bid to boost productivity and strengthen food security.
The Bundle Ya Wakulima initiative, unveiled during a farmer engagement forum attended by more than 500 farmers in Meru, enables farmers to access essential services through affordable daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and biannual packages.
Safaricom Chief Consumer Business Officer Fawzia Ali said Meru’s importance as an agricultural region made it a key target for initiatives aimed at supporting farmers.
“Meru is one of Kenya’s agricultural powerhouses, and supporting farmers is critical to strengthening food security,” Ali said.
She said the package, offered under Safaricom’s PATA MORE customer value proposition, would give farmers access to connectivity, protection and services designed to support their livelihoods.
Bundle Ya Wakulima provides voice, data, SMS and WhatsApp access, alongside Tunza Mapato insurance, agricultural advisory services through Seeds of Gold, discounted farm inputs and mechanisation.
Eligible farmers can also access credit pathways through DigiFarm.
The daily package costs Sh40 and provides 250MB, 20 minutes and free WhatsApp access.
A weekly package costs Sh300 and provides 1.5GB, 100 minutes, Tunza Mapato insurance covering Sh30,000 inpatient treatment and Sh100,000 funeral expenses, farm input discounts, Seeds of Gold advisory services and access to a WhatsApp Farming Companion.
The monthly package costs Sh1,200 and provides 7.5GB and 500 minutes, while the 90-day package costs Sh3,500 and provides 25GB and 1,500 minutes.
The six-month package costs Sh6,500 and provides 56GB and 3,000 minutes.
Farmers can access the Bundle Ya Wakulima by dialing *544*16#.
The Meru engagement was the fifth regional event after similar farmer forums in Kirinyaga, Bomet, Nakuru and Bungoma.
Safaricom said the packages were developed using farmer insights, including the importance of voice-based communication in enabling farmers to share information and make decisions.
The company said the flexible packages would allow farmers to select plans that match their individual needs and farming seasons
