Innovation: The Dairy Farmers Information System (DFIS)

Since April 2010 Tanga Fresh has run DFIS, an SMS service for dairy farmers, Milk Collection Centre leaders and operators. It addresses the information gap faced by farmers.

Around 2000 out of Tanga Fresh’s 4500 farmers access the service. Tigo Pesa, a mobile provider, is offering free phones to those farmers lacking a phone, and payment for milk will also soon be accessible through the mobile network. Farmers pay for the mobile phones in installments through deduction in milk payments.

The DFIS informs milk producers about the market, sector developments, animal husbandry practices and local news. It also puts farmers in touch with vets and extension support.

Examples of Sent Messages

‘Milk price from Tanga Fresh is going up by Tsh40 as of January 2011’
‘Animal feed is now available at Pangami MCC’
‘There will be a meeting of the Cooperative Society on 2 October’
‘Milk was received with high acidity yesterday. Make sure you clean the cows thoroughly’.