New Georgian app ‘Traktor’ helps farmers increase yield

Farmers in Georgia and other emerging markets are now able to get useful agricultural tips and support via new online and mobile application ‘Traktor’.

The Georgian-made application, the first of its kind for Georgian farmers, was officially launched last week with the support of the European Union (EU).

The platform will provide farmers with:

• Digital Crop Calendar: a quick overview of key practices per crop and relevant activity timeline.
• Power Tips: database of distance learning content on key techniques that are proven to significantly improve output quantity and quality.
• Farm Help: free tailored advice from consultants, from agronomists to veterinarians.

Online shop: easy access to the best input supplies from top farmers service centres throughout the country. ‘Traktor’ will initially offer about 300 products to users with convenient home delivery services.

Furthermore, together with corporate partners ‘Traktor’ provides farmers with additional financial and mobile services, such as:

• SME Loans and tailored financial services offered in cooperation with one of the leading banks in Georgia - TBC bank; and
• Android smartphones (‘Agrophones’) and affordable data packages in partnership with mobile communication provider Geocell.

In May of 2016, the Startup Fest Europe competition in the Netherlands announced that 'Traktor' was amongst the top 20 new, online and mobile applications in Europe despite its still being in the development phase.

'Traktor' was developed by experts at Georgian IT development agency Elva with the help of 10 developers from Google.

The Traktor app is free to use and available to farmers and businesses throughout Georgia and in other emerging markets.

‘Traktor’ will work with several organisations and enjoy a close partnership with Mosavali - a non-profit initiative of Elva to produce and disseminate educational content on agriculture in Georgia.