KBL launches app to track sorghum farmers

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has launched an app to accurately track sorghum grown by the 30,000 farmers that it has contracted.

According to the brewer, the app known as Farmforce will be instrumental in tracking the sorghum grown by farmers who supply Keg’s main raw material to the company’s plant in Kisumu.

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The application is tailored to keep farmers’ details including their contacts, location and yields. Consequently, KBL will also gauge performance of the crop using field maps.

“Through this technology, we will be able to track the grain to glass journey. This technology will also enable us to scientifically track the sorghum grown by our contracted farmers and ensure that we are only receiving grain from those on our records,” said KBL MD Jane Karuku.

“Farmforce will be used to track out-growers, eliminate paperwork and enable the brewer to be appraised of the growing and harvesting of the raw materials in real time,” said KBL Managing Director Jane Karuku in a statement.

KBL also said it is trying to add to the 15,000 tonnes of sorghum that farmers produced in the first season.

The brewer is currently implementing ‘West for West’ stratergy aimed at ensuring that majority of the raw materials used to produce Senator Keg are sourced locally.

In July this year, the plant also supplied farmers with 20 threshers in a bid to shore up production volumes.

Supply Chain Director Peter Kamugi said the machines will help the farmers get bumper harvest in a short period of time.

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During commissioning of the Ksh15 billion plant in June 2017, Ms. Karuku said the company would recruit 15,000 farmers from the lakeside region to supply the drought resistant crop.

In its projections, KBL also hopes to acquire all materials locally by 2020.