On Meta and Twitter, Instagram and WeChat, YouTube and TikTok, and in countless WhatsApp groups, farmers around the world use everyday social media platforms to support their agricultural livelihoods.
Meta (formerly Facebook) is being utilized for agricultural purposes in Kenya more than all other social media platforms and dedicated agricultural platforms combined in the region.
This is according to a survey in The Platform Livelihoods Project, recently released by leading research and advisory firm, Caribou Digital.
Through posts, shares, photos, and videos, Kenyan farmers, like their counterparts around the world, build and exchange knowledge, offer mutual support, and invent new markets and marketing channels.
In a small survey, 52% of participants surveyed indicated buying information and 27% reported selling produce, advice and/or services on social media.
The top three social media platforms used for agriculture in Kenya according to the findings are Meta (62%), YouTube (16.15%), and WhatsApp (13.35%). Only 3% of respondents preferred dedicated digital agriculture platforms such as WeFarm.
Social agriculture trend
Traditionally, agricultural commodities have been sold at local markets through brokers who control most aspects of the value chain, including marketing, pricing, and access to clients.
With the rise of online platforms, many farmers are now aiming to connect directly with customers and offer competitive prices, especially through social media and farmer-owned websites.
This trend, known as social agriculture, supports agricultural livelihoods in regions where a substantial portion of the workforce is engaged in farming.
Social agriculture has a large addressable market. Facebook’s ad platform showed a potential market of more than 220 million people in South Asia, East Asia and Pacific alone. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the greatest potential growth regions, with Kenya serving as an indicator of other SSA markets.