AI Meets Agriculture: IFC and Tolbi Target 2 Million Farmers and Co-ops in Senegal

By 2030, the initiative is expected to reach 2 million farmers and cooperatives, providing agricultural guidance, financing opportunities and stronger connections with buyers.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a partnership with Senegalese agricultural technology company Tolbi to help smallholder farmers improve crop production, access financial services and connect with larger agricultural markets. The investment, developed in partnership with the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program's Business Investment Financing Track (GAFSP BIFT), will support the expansion of digital agricultural services across Senegal. By 2030, the initiative is expected to reach 2 million farmers and cooperatives, providing agricultural guidance, financing opportunities and stronger connections with buyers.

Smallholder farmers in Senegal often face difficulties obtaining affordable loans, reliable farming information and access to markets where they can sell their produce at competitive prices. Financial institutions also struggle to assess agricultural risks because they frequently lack accurate information about crop conditions, production estimates and the financial needs of individual farmers. These challenges can prevent farming families from investing in improved seeds, equipment and agricultural practices that could increase productivity and household incomes.

Tolbi is addressing these problems by combining satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and information collected by field agents to give farmers a clearer understanding of their crops and growing conditions. Its technology helps monitor agricultural production, estimate harvest yields and provide practical recommendations that farmers can use when deciding what to plant and how to manage agricultural inputs. IFC's investment will help expand these services, creating opportunities for farmers to make better decisions and for financial institutions to support agricultural businesses with greater confidence.

AI and Satellite Technology to Improve Farming Decisions

Tolbi's precision agriculture platform uses satellite observations and artificial intelligence to monitor crop development and identify information that can help farmers manage their fields more effectively. Data gathered by local field agents adds practical information from farming communities, allowing the company to provide recommendations based on crop conditions and production needs. Farmers can use these insights to improve planting decisions, manage agricultural inputs more efficiently and estimate potential harvests before their crops reach maturity.

Mouhamadou Lamine Kébé, CEO of Tolbi, said the company's mission has been to use technology to improve the lives of African farmers through better crop yields and higher incomes. He described artificial intelligence and satellite imagery as important tools for improving farmers' access to agricultural information, financing and markets. IFC's support will allow Tolbi to extend its technology-driven services to more farming communities and strengthen its connections with agricultural businesses and financial partners.

Better Agricultural Data Could Unlock Loans and Market Opportunities

Access to agricultural credit remains a major challenge for Senegalese smallholder farmers because banks and other lenders frequently lack reliable information to evaluate production risks and repayment capacity. Tolbi's digital platform can provide lenders, insurers and agricultural buyers with greater visibility into crop performance and expected yields, helping them make more informed decisions about financing and commercial partnerships. Improved access to this information could allow more farmers to obtain funding for agricultural inputs, expand their operations and establish reliable relationships with buyers.

IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop highlighted the importance of connecting farmers with financial institutions and agricultural markets to increase productivity and improve rural incomes. He said supporting technology companies such as Tolbi could help attract private investment, create employment opportunities and strengthen Senegal's agricultural sector. The partnership seeks to address financial barriers by improving communication and information sharing between farmers, lenders, insurers and businesses involved in purchasing agricultural products.

IFC Support to Expand Rural Services and Strengthen Food Security

Alongside its investment, IFC will provide advisory services to help Tolbi expand its network of field agents and develop stronger partnerships with farming cooperatives, agribusinesses and financial institutions. These partnerships will connect farmers with financing, agricultural supplies, technical assistance and commercial buyers through better-coordinated agricultural supply chains. A wider field-agent network could also help farming communities gain access to digital services and practical agricultural guidance that might otherwise be difficult to obtain.

The investment supports the World Bank Group's agricultural development agenda in Senegal and reflects AgriConnect's priorities: strengthening agricultural value chains, mobilising private investment, improving food security, and creating employment. Connecting smallholder farmers with modern agricultural technology and financial services could support stronger rural businesses, increase local food production and improve economic opportunities for farming households. The partnership also demonstrates the potential for digital agricultural services across West Africa, where better production data and stronger relationships with private-sector partners could encourage investment in rural economies.