Zambian startup eMsika, is an innovative agri-tech company that provides a digital platform tailored to the needs of poultry farmers and a physical store, plans to expand to four new markets soon after strong uptake.
Founded in 2016 by Gilbert Mwale and Elton Chirwa, eMsika provides poultry and livestock farmers with convenient access to farm inputs, such as chicks, feed, and vaccines, as well as on-farm visit support, via its FarmHouse app.
“We identified a significant gap in the market for accessible and user-friendly digital solutions tailored specifically to smallholder poultry and livestock farmers,” Mwale told Disrupt Africa.
“While there are other agricultural technology companies in the market, FarmHouse distinguishes itself by focusing on providing comprehensive on-farm technical advice and quality farm inputs for the needs of smallholder poultry and livestock farmers in urban areas.”
Using FarmHouse, farmers can access training, inputs, and connections with other farmers, while eMsika recently launched a farmer membership programme called Farmhouse Plus. It has also set up a physical store, and partnered with multinational suppliers.”
The app so far has around 2,000 downloads, and trained 8,000 farmers online. eMsika plans to expand into Tanzania, Nigeria, Egypt and Zimbabwe soon, mainly via its Poultry Manager feature, and is looking for partners.
Funded through a combination of equity investment, grants, and strategic partnerships, eMsika has raised a total of US$150,000 since inception, and is currently raising US$50,000 for its marketing, technology growth, and a single key hire.
“Farmhouse generates revenue through subscription fees for on-farm technical support and margins from sales. While we’re focused on scaling our user base, we’re also steadily growing our revenue streams,” said Mwale.
