In 2014, we launched the Haller Farmers Web App, designed to improve the lives of smallholder farmers by providing open access to farming techniques and agricultural information. Releasing potential with practical ideas that are sustainable, empowering and resourceful. Before the end of 2016, the Haller Farmers Web App was a finalist in BT and Abilitynet’s Tech4Good Awards and had been visited by over 30,000 people from over 125 countries worldwide. We saw this as just the beginning.
With the on-going technological revolution happening across Eastern Africa, the time has come to evolve the Haller Farmers Web App, making it more accessible, intuitive and reliable for a universal community of smallholder farmers.
2020 saw us creatively collaborate with the award-winning app development agency, Red C, and our long-term design partner, Pearlfisher, to launch version 2 of the Haller Farmers App.
Haller Farmers – now available to download for free on the App and Google Play Stores – leverages the increasing penetration of mobile technology in Africa to promote sustainable growth across both landscapes and communities. We have digitised 60 years of local agricultural knowledge and made it open access in the hope of helping to ensure world food security.
The new redesigned Haller Farmers won Best Android App of the Year in the UK App Awards 2020, was a finalist for AbilityNet’s Tech4Good for Africa Award 2021 and was awarded the Certificate of Honour in the Energy Globe Awards 2022.
To increase awareness of Haller Farmers in communities across Eastern Africa, we have devised the app ambassador scheme, whereby selected ambassadors provide in-depth app training to friends, family and neighbouring communities. In line with this, Haller has partnered with Mara Phones, initiating a year-long social media campaign, to encourage individuals and organisations to donate a phone to a farmer. Mara Phones are the creators of the first high specification, affordable smartphone manufactured in Africa, committed to enhancing and enriching the lives of the people of Africa. Throughout this campaign, Haller will distribute donations to ambassadors and community members that have not yet had direct access to Africa’s technological advancements.
Although technology is becoming ever-more attainable for rural communities, access to reliable sources of electricity remains a challenge. To overcome this, we have partnered with Deciwatt, pioneers of the Innovative NowLight, providing independent off-grid energy by harnessing human effort. Deciwatt has donated NowLight’s to our Haller App Ambassadors, providing them with a source of light and power to charge their smartphones and in turn, to share Haller Farmers with their friends, family and neighbouring communities.
Our goal is to support thousands of smallholder farmers across East Africa, by providing them with affordable, organic and environmentally friendly farming techniques. Haller is seeking expertise and financial support from people who share our vision for empowering communities with agricultural information using technology. Please visit our Scale page to discover more about Haller Farmers. Alternatively, you can download our press release here or app brochure here. If you want to get involved, please get in touch. You can reach us at: app@haller.org.uk
If you’re a farmer looking to use Haller Farmers, you can download our step-by-step guide in English or Swahili.
Some of the sustainable agricultural content included within the app has been developed in partnership with Greenpeace Africa, Key Farmers Cameroon and FAP Cameroon NGO.
“By redesigning Haller’s original farmers’ app we have once again set the pace in line with technological advancement in sub-Saharan Africa and most importantly for the needs of the end-user – Haller inspired farmers everywhere. Pearlfisher and Red C have collaborated to make a positive impact in people’s lives through a creatively engaging experience. Haller’s forward-thinking and sustainable farming methods are now shared freely and intuitively via widely available affordable app platforms. In doing so, it transforms both the lives and land of some of the most unsupported communities, drawing them together via a truly empowering tool.”
– Jonathan Ford, Chairman of the Haller Foundation, & Founding Partner of Pearlfisher.
