New Customer
Help
All Sites
Help
Home Media center Frequently Asked Questions Digifarm

DigiFarm

DigiFarm is a FREE Safaricom service that offers farmers convenient, one-stop access to quality farm inputs at discounted prices, input loans, learning content on farming as well as access to market. Other value-add services provided through DigiFarm include insurance yield cover and extension services through remote agronomists located at the DigiFarm call center or on ground DigiFarm Village Advisors (DVA).

Buy Inputs:

Registered farmers will have access to discounted farm inputs from DigiFarm Master Agents located nearest to them in different counties across the country.

Learn:

Registered farmers will be able to access learning information on livestock and crops to educate them on best farming practices that will help them maximize their yield.

Loan:

Registered farmers will have access to a credit voucher which they can redeem to receive farm inputs such as feeds, seeds and fertilizers from the DigiFarm Master Agent.

DigiSoko:

Registered farmers will be provided with access to market services where they will have an opportunity to sell their produce at competitive rates.

My Profile:

This feature enables registered farmers to view their details including farms, value chains, loans, learning in progress and insurance options.

No, DigiFarm services are free.

To register and access DigiFarm services:

Option 1:

Download the DigiFarm app from Google Play Store and follow the onscreen instructions to register.

Option 2:

  • Dial *944#
  • Accept the Terms and Conditions
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the registration process

To register you will need your ID Number, County, Sub-county, Ward, Value Chain (s) and your Size of land. Once registered, you will receive an SMS confirming the registration and your DigiFarm Farmer Number.

To access DigiFarm services after registration:

  • Dial *944#
  • Select the service you would like to access from the menu

Once you have registered on DigiFarm platform, you will be issued with a DigiFarm Farmer Number which is your unique identification number on the DigiFarm platform. You will use this number to redeem input loan vouchers and use other services in the DigiFarm ecosystem.

To know your DigiFarm farmer number:

Option 1

  • Go to the DigiFarm app home screen navigation bar
  • Select ‘My Profile’
  • Your farmer number will be listed on your profile page

Option 2

  • Dial *944#
  • Select ‘My Profile’
  • Select ‘Farmer details’
  • You will receive an SMS with the number

A DigiFarm contracted farmer is a farmer who has entered into an agreement with DigiFarm to farm a specific value chain that is linked to a buyer or has ready market available. DigiFarm will walk the journey with the farmer by providing access to credit facilities, quality input and training on best farming practices to ensure that the harvest is of the highest quality as required by the buyer. At the end of the season, DigiFarm will buy all the harvest from the farmer at competitive market prices.

DigiFarm uses a buyer-led model which means that the demand and ready market for the produce comes directly from buyers who have expressed an interest in buying particular value chains. By the time DigiFarm is contracting a farmer to farm a specific value chain, we already have a ready market for the produce.

A DigiFarm Master Agent (DMA) is a local inputs distributor who has a relationship with the farmers they serve in their area. They act as a DigiFarm service center where the farmers can redeem their loan vouchers to receive inputs, get agronomy advice on their crops and aggregate their yield at the end of the season for DigiFarm to collect.

Visit any of your closest DigiFarm Master Agents to buy inputs at discounted prices. In order to transact, you will be requested to present your DigiFarm Farmer Number and National ID. This feature is only available for contracted farmers.

To know your nearest DigiFarm Master Agent:

Option 1

  • Go to the DigiFarm app home screen
  • Select ‘Find a Master Agent’
  • You will be prompted to enable location services on your mobile phone so as to determine the DigiFarm Master Agents that are closest to your location.
  • Alternatively, Select the “All Master Agents” tab to view Master Agents by region or search for a Master Agent by name.

Option 2

  • Dial *944#
  • Select ‘Buy Inputs’
  • Select ‘Find Nearest Master Agent’
  • You will receive a SMS with the name of your nearest DigiFarm Master Agent.

  • Mineral supplements (livestock & dairy)
  • Feeds
  • Fertilizer
  • Agro-chemicals
  • Seeds
  • Veterinary Products

To pay for inputs:

  • Contracted farmers – redeem the e-voucher issued by DigiFarm based on the credit loan awarded at the nearest DigiFarm Master Agent.
  • Non contracted farmers – pay cash through the Lipa Na Mpesa till number provided or displayed at the DigiFarm Master Agent premises.

To access learning content:

Option 1

  • Go to the DigiFarm app home screen
  • Select the learn module of preference to view.

Option 2

  • Dial*944#
  • Select ‘Learn’
  • Select the content provider you want to learn from
  • The learning content will be sent to you via SMS

Learning content and messages are free.

The farmer will be able to get learning any of the topics below:


i) Crop training

 - Learn how to increase your yield with farming best practices.

 - Learn about safe and proper use of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides.

ii) Dairy Farming – learn how to reduce costs and increase milk production by following best practices in:

  • Health management
  • Breeding
  • Feeding and milk production
  • Milk handling
  • Housing
  • Record Keeping

iii) Poultry Farming – Learn how to farm improved kienyeji poultry for business by following best practices in:

  • Chick rearing
  • Feeding
  • Breeding
  • Farmer groups
  • Improved kienyeji chicken
  • Housing
  • Pests and diseases
  • Health and vaccination 

iv) Financial education - Learn how to manage your money learning about best practices in:

  • Saving
  • Borrowing

v) DigiFarm Loan Training:  

Learn about DigiFarm loans and how to qualify and access them.

DigiFarm offers a value-chain based loan called Mavuno to support a farming activity. Mavuno loan is tied to a value chain (crop) under cultivation and the size of land cultivated for that specific value chain.

The loan is currently for inputs only and allows you to get farming inputs at the start of the season, and then pay it back little by little during the season or later once a you have harvested and sold your produce. The loan balance will be automatically deducted through the check-off process once you have sold your produce to DigiFarm at the end of the season

The Mavuno loan amount is determined by the input package required per crop per acre and includes a facilitation fee of 1.83% per month and bundled with a MANDATORY insurance cover of 15%. (See insurance section below for details)

This is the process by which Digifarm automatically deducts the loan value the farmer owes through the DigiFarm platform once the farmer sells the produce to Digifarm.

The insurance bundled with the Mavuno loan covers:

  • Yield impacting natural calamities e.g. drought, excessive rainfall, etc 

  • Monthly Credit Life Cost at 0.05% of sum assured with a benefit of 100% loan upon Death or permanent total Disability.

  • Free Life Assurance Cost with last expense (Funeral benefit) of 50,000/- to the main member.

**The Last Expense should not exceed the loan amount**

No, currently you can only get a redeemable credit voucher.

You qualify for a DigiFarm loan if you have accepted the Terms & Conditions and have been contracted by DigiFarm to farm a specific value chain.

The Mavuno loan amount is determined by input mix required for the specific value chain you will be farming and the size of land you will be farming on. For more information on the exact amount per season, the farmer can get more information from their DigiFarm Master Agent (DMA) or Village Advisor (DVA).

Before applying for the loan, the farmer will be required to pay a percentage of the loan amount up-front which is deducted from your M-PESA account during the loan application process with your consent. The percentage is dependent on the financial partner per season and the farmer can get more information from their DigiFarm Master Agent (DMA) or Village Advisor (DVA).

To progress and apply for a loan:

Option 1:

  • Go to the DigiFarm app home screen
  • Select ‘Loans’
  • Select ‘Apply for loan’
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Option 2:

  • Dial *944#
  • Select ‘Loans’
  • Accept the Terms and Conditions
  • Select ‘Apply for loan’
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process

Once your loan application is approved you will receive an SMS with a loan voucher code. Present the loan voucher code at a DigiFarm Master Agent within 60 days to redeem and collect your inputs. The loan amount repayable is the total cost of inputs you collected, plus the facilitation fee of 1.83% per month.

Yes, for the Mavuno loan the amount is issued with respect to the value chain milestones e.g., during planting, the farmer can collect inputs needed for that planting milestone, e.g seed and fertilizer

The facilitation fee is 1.83% per month for Mavuno loan and it will be added to the total loan amount redeemed.

Mavuno loan repayment is fully due at the end of the crop season for which the loan was taken but the farmer is allowed and encouraged to pay bit by bit throughout the specific season.

Once you collect your inputs, you will receive an SMS with the loan amount and repayment details.

  1. To pay:

Option 1

  • Dial *944#
  • M-PESA menu
  • PayBill, Business No.: 3014147
  • Account No.: 07xxxxxxxx (this should be the number you used to register on DigiFarm).
  • The amount you are paying
  • Follow the instructions to complete

Option 2

  • Go to DigiFarm App
  • Select Loan module from the home screen
  • Select ‘Pay Loan’ option
  • Follow the instructions to complete

**Remember you can pay any amount at any time during the season with no transaction charges**

  1. DigiFarm will deduct the loan amount and facilitation fee through an automatic check-off process when paying the farmers who have sold their produce to DigiFarm through the DigiFarm platform.

Farmers must avoid side selling to maintain good a credit record and increase their chances of qualifying for higher loan amounts in the future.

A late repayment fee of 15% of the outstanding balance will be applied. Late and irregular repayments will also lead to a lower loan limit in future.

Defaulting on the loan or non-repayment of the Mavuno loan, will lead to blacklisting by DigiFarm and also the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB).


       When you are blacklisted with DigiFarm, you will not be able to apply for another loan until you repay your loan in full.

When you are blacklisted with the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), you cannot borrow from most lenders, including banks, SACCOs and M-Shwari.

The loan limit is determined by the specific value chain and phased out per milestone e.g. for the sunflower value chain, the input mix amount is Ksh 17,000 issued out across 5 phases, planting, weeding 1, weeding 2, harvesting and winnowing. However, based on your credit worthiness you can get less than the required amount.

You can progressively increase your loan limit in two ways:

  1. Repay your loan on time.
  2. Continue using DigiFarm services, like purchasing inputs at the Farm Master Agent, learning on the DigiFarm platform and using Safaricom services, like topping up airtime and using M-PESA and M-Shwari.

Credit worthiness is the extent to which a farmer is considered suitable to receive financial credit from DigiFarm based on their reliability in paying money back in the past with most lenders, including banks, SACCOs and M-Shwari..

DigiFarm will be issuing a milestone-based loan type which allows the farmer to access the input required at each milestone within their loan limit.  The farmer can top up at any stage to acquire the required quality input using the following steps:

  • Go to M-PESA menu
  • PayBill, Business No.: 3014147
  • Account No.: 07xxxxxxxx (this should be the number you used to register on DigiFarm).
  • The amount you are paying
  • Follow the instructions to complete

You might also like

  1. Spark Venture Fund
  2. M-TIBA

Was this information helpful? If not tell us how we can improvesafaricom images safaricom images

Manage all your services in one App

safaricom app safaricom app
Hi I am Zuri say hello , how can I help you today?
Safaricom Neo

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read our Cookie Policy to learn more