Hamwe
Hamwe East Africa Limited is a Uganda-based, private mobile agriculture platform founded in 2013 that delivers USSD, SMS, and mobile-app services to smallholder farmers and enterprise clients across Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, digitizing dairy, coffee, seed oil, and cotton value chains.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersKampala, Uganda
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Hamwe does
Hamwe East Africa Limited is a Kampala, Uganda-based digital agriculture platform founded in 2013 that connects smallholder farmers to the mobile economy across Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The company operates a multi-channel technology stack — supporting USSD, SMS, IVR, web, mobile apps, POS machines, and smart cards — designed for environments with intermittent or no internet connectivity. Its core offerings include the M-Farmer mobile application for farmer data collection and mobile payments scheduling, the HAMWEPAY digital payment platform, USSD and SMS-based agricultural information services (weather, market prices, advisory), short-code aggregation infrastructure, bulk SMS gateway services, and an SMS classifieds marketplace. The company reports digitizing four agricultural value chains (dairy, coffee, seed oil, cotton) and serving over 200,000 farmers cumulatively, of whom 40,000+ are active platform users.
The company's business model blends consumer-facing and enterprise-facing revenue streams. On the smallholder farmer side, it generates usage-based revenue from the SMS Classifieds marketplace (220 UGX per message via shortcode 6565), subscription-based access to agricultural information via shortcodes (5040 Rwanda, 6040 Uganda, 192 Burundi), and transaction-fee economics through M-Farmer and HAMWEPAY. On the enterprise side, Hamwe provides tiered bulk SMS services (70 to 30 UGX per SMS by volume with an optional 300,000 UGX/month Sender ID), custom SMS and mobile application development, and short-code aggregation as a white-label B2B telecom infrastructure service. Customers span telecom operators (MTN, Airtel, UTL, Africell, Econet), agricultural cooperatives (e.g., Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust), and UN/NGO partners including UNCDF, UNHCR, Citi Foundation, and CABI. The company is privately held and reports 1-10 employees, with the most recent disclosed funding from the International Trade Centre in December 2021.
Hamwe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hamwe
- Legal name
- Hamwe East Africa Limited
- Website
- https://hamwe.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hamwe East Africa Limited is a Uganda-based, private mobile agriculture platform founded in 2013 that delivers USSD, SMS, and mobile-app services to smallholder farmers and enterprise clients across Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, digitizing dairy, coffee, seed oil, and cotton value chains.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hamwe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Technology Software
- NAICS
- Farm Management Services (115116)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Farm Finance, Input Procurement & Risk Tools (Budgeting, Inventory, Insurance Links) (AFAAAFAO), Agriculture Inputs & Farm Supply Marketplaces (CRAFAHAL), Agricultural & Rural Microfinance (FSAKAGAG)
Keywords
Where Hamwe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kampala
- HQ country
- Uganda
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hamwe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Bulk SMS Services: Tiered bulk SMS pricing for enterprise and SME clients across all mobile networks in East Africa. Pricing decreases with volume, ranging from 70 SHS/SMS (Tier 1: 0-200K) to 30 SHS/SMS (Tier 5: 3M+). Additional revenue from optional Sender ID at 300,000 UGX/month.
- Technology Solutions and Implementation: Custom SMS solutions, application development, data access applications, and implementation services for enterprise clients. Includes 2-way SMS, push/pull messaging, web services, and system integration.
- M-Farmer Platform: Digital platform connecting farmers to information, payments, markets, and quality inputs. Revenue model includes platform fees and transaction facilitation for farmers.
- Agricultural Information Services: Subscription-based access to agricultural advisory, weather data, and market prices via USSD and SMS platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tier 1 (0-200,000 SMS): 70 SHS per SMS |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tier 2 (200,001-500,000 SMS): 50 SHS per SMS |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tier 3 (500,001-1,000,000 SMS): 40 SHS per SMS |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tier 4 (1,000,001-3,000,000 SMS): 35 SHS per SMS |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tier 5 (3,000,001+ SMS): 30 SHS per SMS |
| Subscription | Monthly | Optional Sender ID: 300,000 UGX monthly |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | SMS Classifieds: 220 shillings per message |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hamwe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hamwe East Africa provides a multi-channel digital platform connecting smallholder farmers in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi to agricultural information, mobile payments, markets, and quality inputs. Core offerings include the M-Farmer mobile app for data collection and farmer payments, HAMWEPAY digital payment platform, USSD/SMS-based agricultural advisory services (weather data, market prices, best practices), and a Buy and Sell SMS classifieds marketplace. The company also sells bulk SMS, SMS gateway aggregation, short code services, and custom application development to enterprise clients in telecom, banking, health, and manufacturing.
Product overview
Hamwe East Africa operates a unified digital platform portfolio centered on agricultural technology solutions. The core offerings include M-Farmer (flagship product for data collection and farmer-mobile economy connectivity), HAMWEPAY (payment platform), Agriculture Information Services (USSD-based advisory, weather, and market prices), SMS Solutions, Short Code Aggregation, Bulk SMS, and Buy and Sell classifieds. Over 200,000 farmers have been served through these digital solutions, with presence in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, digitizing diary, coffee, seed oil, and cotton value chains. Access channels include mobile app, USSD, SMS, IVR, WEB, POS machines, and Smart Card solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- M-Farmer: Mobile application for farmer data collection, aggregation, mobile payments scheduling, and connecting farmers to the mobile economy.
- HAMWEPAY
Products and services
- M-Farmer Flagship mobile application for data collection, aggregation, and mobile payments scheduling that connects farmers to the mobile economy. Digitizes value chains including dairy, coffee, seed oil, and cotton. Accessible via mobile app, USSD, SMS, and web.
- HAMWEPAY Digital payment platform enabling farmers to access and manage mobile payments, connecting them to the mobile economy.
- Agriculture Information Services
- SMS Solutions and Data Access Applications
- Short Code Aggregation
- Bulk SMS
- Buy and Sell SMS Classifieds
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200,000 farmers served since 2013
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hamwe
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hamwe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Hamwe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.
- Citi FoundationcoreFoundation partner supporting youth and livelihoods programs in Northern Uganda, with Hamwe participating in Participatory Action Research initiatives.
- United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)coreUN agency partner providing development support and funding for digital financial inclusion initiatives targeting farmers and underserved communities in East Africa.
- UNHCRminorUN Refugee Agency partnership for providing digital solutions to refugee communities and host populations.
- MTN UgandacoreMajor mobile network operator providing SMS gateway, USSD platform access, and mobile money integration for reaching subscribers.
- Airtel UgandacoreMobile network partner for SMS aggregation services across Airtel's subscriber base.
- Africell UgandasupportingMobile network operator partner for SMS services.
- Econet WirelesssupportingMobile network operator partner for SMS aggregation services.
- UTL (Uganda Telecom)corePrimary USSD platform host for agricultural advisory, weather data, and market price services via *180# shortcode.
- CABIsupportingInternational agricultural research organization partnership for pest and disease information, crop management data, and agricultural best practices.
- Innovation Village UgandasupportingUgandan innovation ecosystem hub providing startup support, networking, and visibility for technology ventures.
- UCC (Uganda Communications Commission)supportingRegulatory body partnership for communications licensing and shortcode coordination.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hamwe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Esoko: Esoko (now Farmerline ecosystem) delivers market prices, weather alerts and agronomy tips to African smallholders via SMS/USSD. Directly comparable mobile-first agri-information service model serving smallholder farmers across multiple African countries.
- Farmerline: Farmerline (Ghana-based) provides digital agriculture content, advisory, weather, market access and farm intelligence to smallholders, plus bulk SMS/voice services. Closely mirrors Hamwe's value-chain digitization and last-mile farmer information stack.
- DigiCow Kenya: DigiCow delivers dairy value chain digitization via mobile to smallholder farmers, including recordkeeping, advisory and payments. Highly comparable to Hamwe's dairy value chain digitization in Uganda.
- WeFarm: WeFarm is a peer-to-peer agricultural Q&A and information network for smallholder farmers operating via SMS. Directly comparable SMS-based farmer knowledge distribution model targeting smallholders in East Africa.
Regional players
- Twiga Foods: Twiga Foods is a Kenya-based B2B food distribution and digital marketplace connecting farmers, suppliers and vendors via mobile and mobile money. Comparable East African agritech with mobile-payments underpinnings serving smallholders and off-takers.
- iProcure: iProcure (Kenya) is a mobile-driven agribusiness input procurement and distribution platform for agro-dealers and smallholders. Comparable mobile B2B/B2C agricultural value chain digitization approach in East Africa.
Broad incumbents
- One Acre Fund / Tupande: One Acre Fund / Tupande operates across East Africa providing smallholder farmers with inputs, financing, training and market access via digital and field channels. A broader incumbent in farmer services that Hamwe's mobile platform competes with and partners alongside.
- aWhere: aWhere provides agricultural intelligence, weather and satellite-based agronomic analytics to agribusinesses and digital agriculture platforms. Comparable on the agricultural data, weather and advisory layer that Hamwe distributes via USSD/SMS.
- Safaricom DigiFarm: Safaricom's DigiFarm (Kenya) is a mobile-based platform delivering inputs, advisory, credit and market access to Kenyan smallholders. A scaled MNO-backed incumbent on the same East African smallholder digital agriculture frontier that Hamwe targets.
Emerging players
- AgroStar: AgroStar (India) is an emerging mobile-first agri-input commerce and advisory platform for smallholders. Comparable mobile-first advisory-plus-inputs model though serving a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hamwe social profiles
Digital presenceHamwe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hamwe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Hamwe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hamwe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hamwe
What does Hamwe do?
Hamwe East Africa provides a multi-channel digital platform connecting smallholder farmers in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi to agricultural information, mobile payments, markets, and quality inputs. Core offerings include the M-Farmer mobile app for data collection and farmer payments, HAMWEPAY digital payment platform, USSD/SMS-based agricultural advisory services (weather data, market prices, best practices), and a Buy and Sell SMS classifieds marketplace. The company also sells bulk SMS, SMS gateway aggregation, short code services, and custom application development to enterprise clients in telecom, banking, health, and manufacturing.
Is Hamwe a public or private company?
Hamwe is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hamwe founded?
Hamwe was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hamwe based?
Hamwe is headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, in the Africa region.
How does Hamwe make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Bulk SMS Services are the primary driver. The others are technology Solutions and Implementation, M-Farmer Platform and agricultural Information Services.
Who are Hamwe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Esoko, Farmerline, DigiCow Kenya and WeFarm. Regional players are Twiga Foods and iProcure. Broad incumbents are One Acre Fund / Tupande, aWhere and Safaricom DigiFarm. AgroStar is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hamwe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hamwe.
What industry is Hamwe in?
Hamwe's product category is Agricultural Technology Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAG, Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support), with a secondary code of AFAAAFAO, Farm Finance, Input Procurement & Risk Tools (Budgeting, Inventory, Insurance Links). Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 700.