An agricultural technology firm known as Sesi Technologies is dedicated to providing affordable, technology-driven solutions for farmers. The company’s flagship product, the GrainMate, is a grain moisture meter designed to help individuals handling grains easily determine moisture content, thus reducing post-harvest losses.
Isaac Sesi, the founder, demonstrates the latest version of the GrainMate by using a small bucket of maize. After powering the device with batteries, he navigates through a white screen displaying various grain options, selects maize, and initiates the reading. Sesi, hailing from a farming community in the Ashanti region of Ghana, understands the challenges of grain storage and aims to address them through his innovation.
Moisture content is a critical factor in determining the quality of agricultural products. The GrainMate simplifies this process, providing an efficient solution for farmers, aggregators, and others in the grain value chain. Sesi, having experienced the struggles of his parents and fellow farmers, dedicated his academic career to finding a solution to post-harvest losses.
The first iteration of the GrainMate was completed in 2018, to help reduce food loss in rural farming communities. Sesi Technologies offers two models: one for regular grains and another for high-value commodities, such as shea nuts, at affordable prices.
Sesi’s breakthrough came with selling 150 devices, initially financed through a pre-order from an international non-profit. The success allowed the company to produce the first batch and hire its first employee. Since then, revenue from sales and various funding sources has sustained the company.
Despite the slow adoption of the technology, feedback from over 5,000 farmers keeps Sesi and his team motivated. Poultry farmers, for example, use the GrainMate to check feed moisture content, leading to improved feed quality, higher productivity, and healthier birds.
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