Solidaridad has partnered with Viamo, a global social enterprise, to deploy tailored digital solutions to farmers and artisanal small-scale (ASM) miners in Ghana under its Acting Now and Pathway to Prosperity (P2P) programmes. The partnership is part of Solidaridad's continued efforts to enhance its service delivery to farmers and ASM miners through the integration of cutting-edge digital technology aimed at empowering them by fostering the adoption of digital tools and technologies to improve their farming and responsible mining practices. A statement issued in Accra by the Solidaridad said the partnership would also allow Solidaridad to expand its reach and impact, particularly in remote areas where access to information and resources can be limited. It said 80, 000 farmers and miners were expected to be reached through the innovation. It said the partnership services to be offered by Viamo include an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, which would enable farmers and miners with basic mobile phones to access timely and critical information needed to cultivate sustainably and mine responsibly. 'When deployed, the automated system will share pre-recorded messages in native local languages with farmers and miners to guide them through the good production practices,' it added. With IVR, farmers and miners can obtain personalised advice, weather updates, market prices, and agricultural and mining techniques simply by answering a phone call or dialling a designated phone number. The statement said participants in the two programmes would also receive SMS with daily tips on good agronomic practices and responsible mining practices. The SMS campaigns allow Solidaridad to send targeted messages to specific groups of farmers and ASM miners, providing them with tailored information based on their needs and location. 'Additionally, the system will be used to conduct surveys to measure the adoption of best practices,' it said, The statement said the solution would benefit farmers and miners in remote areas wit h poor road networks and access routes, allowing them to fully benefit from advisory services. The added benefit is the increased frequency with which extension services are delivered, compared to the face-to-face approach, which may be constrained by poor accessibility. Mr Bossman Owusu, Country Representative of Solidaridad Ghana, said Solidaridad's adoption of these innovative solutions showcases its commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of our farmers and miners. He said by embracing digital solutions, we were not only expanding our reach but also empowering farmers with the knowledge and resources they needed to thrive. He said it was inspiring to see how technology-driven approaches were revolutionising the agricultural and mining landscape and paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future. The bouquet of digital solutions to be offered also caters to urban home farmers who require quick access to information on the go. A chatbot integration with WhatsApp will offer urba n farmers instant responses and answers through a designated number. He said the technology solutions provided by Solidaridad through Viamo were entirely free for the beneficiaries. Nii Lante, Country Director of Viamo, said the partnership between Solidaridad and Viamo exemplified the importance of technology in agricultural and mining landscapes. 'By harnessing the power of digital solutions, farmers and miners can overcome geographical barriers and gain access to vital information that can significantly impact their livelihoods and their communities,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency