Finnpartnership

Mobile service to help millions of farmers in East Africa

Sibesonke Ltd is a Finnish mobile-service company established in 2009 in Espoo. From the outset it has been directing its operations towards developing markets, and has successfully piloted a mobile farming service in Tanzania. Sibesonke received Business Partnership Support from Finnpartnership for conducting the preliminary studies before starting operations in Tanzania.

Sibesonke cooperates with the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development. The collaboration allows both Ministries to better reach the 33 million Tanzanian farmers with relevant up-to-date farming content on mobile phones. The aim of the project is to expand the service portfolio of life-relevant services and to make it accessible to large numbers of low-income people across Tanzania.

Support from Finnpartnership

It received support from Finnpartnership for partner identification, preliminary studies of the project and for employee training. Finnpartnership and other early-stage financiers play a vital role for start-up businesses focused on developing markets, Sibesonke says.

Help is needed in establishing a company in the target market, as well as in starting the actual business. Only after that can negotiations with the investors begin. Finnpartnership’s support, alongside the entrepreneur’s own capital and the work of business angels, is a prerequisite for success.

Strategic importance of solutions for higher farming productivity

Poor transport and communications infrastructure mean that farmers in countries like Tanzania struggle to get access to vital agricultural information, as well as training on proven farming practices. Sibesonke’s mobile service offers cost-effective and scalable solutions to these challenges. Farmers get real-time weather forecasts and crop and livestock management tips, including advice on pests and disease treatment.

This collaboration in Tanzania is a major step for Sibesonke in expanding its award-winning and patented mobile community platform in East Africa. Emerging markets have not previously seen life-improving content on a social network for basic phones. Sibesonke’s next services will address health questions of Tanzanians.