iShamba
iShamba is a Kenya-based mobile agricultural advisory service that delivers SMS, WhatsApp, and call center farming advice from agronomists and veterinarians to smallholder farmers across East Africa via a freemium subscription model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What iShamba does
iShamba is a Kenya-based agricultural information service that delivers farming advice to smallholder farmers via mobile channels, including SMS, WhatsApp, and a call center. Founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Mediae's Shamba Shape Up television program, the company provides agronomic tips, weather forecasts, and Q&A support on 44+ commodities (30+ crops and 12+ livestock types), staffed by in-house agronomists, veterinarians, and research specialists. The platform reaches over 500,000 farmers across three East African countries and is accessible on basic mobile phones without requiring internet connectivity, targeting rural smallholder households that are typically underserved by smartphone-dependent agricultural apps. The core technology stack is a multi-channel messaging and call center system with expert-curated content libraries, supplemented by WhatsApp Community Groups for peer-to-peer exchange.
iShamba operates a freemium model: a free tier provides baseline agronomic content, while a premium subscription is priced at Ksh 100 per month or Ksh 800 per year (approximately USD 0.77 monthly or USD 6.20 annually). Revenue is supplemented through partnerships with NGOs and research organizations (e.g., Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, AgriFin, IITA) and county government collaborations that drive farmer acquisition via gamified national competitions and targeted programming such as the Desert Locust hotline. The company is a privately held subsidiary of Mediae, with a lean 1–10 person team, and received institutional funding from the SAIS program in 2024.
iShamba firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- iShamba
- Legal name
- iShamba
- Website
- https://ishamba.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- iShamba is a Kenya-based mobile agricultural advisory service that delivers SMS, WhatsApp, and call center farming advice from agronomists and veterinarians to smallholder farmers across East Africa via a freemium subscription model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
iShamba industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Advisory Services
- 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 industry
- Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development (AFACAJAB)
Keywords
Where iShamba is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
iShamba business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Premium Subscription: Monthly or annual subscription service (Ksh 100/month or Ksh 800/year) providing access to agritips on 4 commodities, unlimited weather updates, WhatsApp community groups, call center access, farmer event alerts, and comprehensive farming information across 44 commodities.
- Freemium Tier: Free tier offering agritips on 1 commodity and free weather updates, designed to drive adoption and convert users to premium subscriptions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free access to basic farming information |
| Subscription | Monthly | Full access subscription for comprehensive farming support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
iShamba product offering
Product offeringCore offering
iShamba operates a mobile-based agricultural advisory service delivering farming advice, weather forecasts, and expert consultations to smallholder farmers via SMS, WhatsApp, and a dedicated call center. The platform employs trained agronomists, vets, and research specialists who provide personalized support on crop cultivation, livestock care, pest management, and weather-based planning for 44+ commodities. It operates on a freemium subscription model with a free tier and a premium tier (Ksh 100/month or Ksh 800/year) unlocking comprehensive content and unlimited expert access.
Product overview
iShamba is a mobile-based agricultural information service platform offering a Freemium and Premium subscription model. The core offering provides farming advice via SMS and WhatsApp, weather forecasts, direct access to farming experts through a call centre, and comprehensive farming information resources covering 44+ commodities. The Freemium tier offers basic services (1 commodity, free weather updates) while the Premium tier (Ksh 100/month or Ksh 800/year) provides full access including Agri-tips on 4 commodities, unlimited call centre access, community WhatsApp groups, and farmer event alerts. Services are delivered through a team of agronomists, vets, and research specialists, leveraging mobile technology to bridge the gap between TV agricultural programming (Shamba Shape Up) and daily farming challenges.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Agri-tips via SMS and WhatsApp Timely agricultural tips and farming information delivered directly to farmers' mobile phones via SMS (shortcode 21606) and WhatsApp, covering crop cultivation, livestock care, and pest management.
- Weather Forecast Service Weekly weather updates tailored to farmers' specific farm locations, helping with planting, irrigation, and harvesting decisions. Premium subscribers receive unlimited updates.
- Expert Call Centre & Q&A Service Direct phone access to a team of trained farming experts (agronomists, vets, research specialists) available 8am-5pm daily for instant advice, with 24-hour Q&A response via SMS or phone for submitted questions.
- Community WhatsApp Groups
Quantifiable outcome
- 500,000+ farmers reached across multiple countries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use iShamba
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
iShamba technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
iShamba partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIATcorePartnership to deliver farming and climate services to Kenyan farmers. Collaborated on a national competition enabling 25,312 farmers to sign up for the iShamba service, receiving information on crops, livestock, weather, and market prices.
- MediaecoreParent company that produces Shamba Shape Up, the popular farming makeover TV show that inspired iShamba's creation. Provides brand equity and content foundation.
- Usiku GamesminorCollaborated with iShamba, Alliance CIAT, and Mediae on a gamified national competition to attract farmers to the mobile service.
- AgriFincoreCollaborated with iShamba's parent company Mediae on farmer-focused communication interventions and developed the Desert Locust programming hotline as a citizen reporting tool.
- CMYK / Jameel ObservatoryminorListed as a partner organization supporting iShamba's mission to empower farming communities.
- Drop Access LimitedminorPartner organization contributing to iShamba's farmer empowerment initiatives.
- IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture)minorInternational agricultural research partner collaborating with iShamba.
- KenchicminorPoultry and livestock partner providing input supply connections for farmers.
- Murang'a CountyminorCounty government partnership to support farmers with timely agricultural solutions, including collaboration with CIAT.
- Sais AcceleratorminorPartner for agricultural input distribution and farmer support services.
- Alama Ya Ubora (Unga Group)minorAgricultural inputs and farm care products distributor connecting farmers to quality inputs.
- Chemical IndustriesminorAgrochemical supplier partner for crop protection products and pesticides.
- CLK (Cooperative League of Kenya)minorCooperative partner providing access to farmer networks and agricultural inputs.
- Dry DevminorDevelopment partner supporting agricultural resilience programs.
- KLPA (Kenya Livestock Producers Association)minorLivestock industry association partner for farmer support.
- Mavuno FertilizersminorFertilizer supplier partner connecting farmers to quality agricultural inputs.
- SidaiminorAgricultural services company providing livestock and crop input supplies.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
iShamba competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
iShamba social profiles
Digital presenceiShamba financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
iShamba leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
iShamba funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
iShamba 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 iShamba
What does iShamba do?
iShamba operates a mobile-based agricultural advisory service delivering farming advice, weather forecasts, and expert consultations to smallholder farmers via SMS, WhatsApp, and a dedicated call center. The platform employs trained agronomists, vets, and research specialists who provide personalized support on crop cultivation, livestock care, pest management, and weather-based planning for 44+ commodities. It operates on a freemium subscription model with a free tier and a premium tier (Ksh 100/month or Ksh 800/year) unlocking comprehensive content and unlimited expert access.
Is iShamba a public or private company?
iShamba is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was iShamba founded?
iShamba was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is iShamba based?
iShamba is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does iShamba make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscription is the primary driver. The others are freemium Tier.
Does iShamba have an API?
No public API is recorded for iShamba.
What industry is iShamba in?
iShamba's product category is Agricultural Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAG, Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support), with a secondary code of AFACAJAB, Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development. Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 700.