STRED Digital Farming Institute · SDFI
Farming know-how, right in every farmer’s pocket.
SDFI is Africa’s first mobile-first digital farming institute. We bring practical, offline-ready training to farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses — so real knowledge reaches every farm, not only the ones near a training center.
- 50+ practical courses
- Works offline
- Local languages + audio
- Live progress tracking
Why SDFI exists
The knowledge exists. Getting it to the farm is the hard part.
Every season, farmers make decisions that decide their harvest and their income. Too many make them without the training that would make the difference.
Training is hard to reach
Extension teams are stretched thin, and in-person workshops mean travel, lost workdays, and real cost. Many farmers never get the sessions they need.
The phone is already there
Mobile phones have reached farming communities faster than training centers ever could. But farming content online is scattered, outdated, or made for someone else’s soil.
Knowledge gaps cost harvests
Without practical know-how, crops are lost after harvest, premium markets are missed, and cooperatives struggle to keep quality and members steady.
The SDFI answer
Training that meets farmers where they are.
SDFI puts structured, practical learning on the phone farmers already own — and gives your organization the tools to reach them at scale.
- Mobile-first. Made for basic smartphones and low bandwidth.
- Offline access. Download once, learn anywhere.
- Practical by design. Video demonstrations, step-by-step guides, and local languages.
- Partner-led. You bring the farmers; we bring the training.
- Measurable. See progress and completion as it happens.
How SDFI works
From knowledge gap to thriving farm in three steps.
- 1
You partner with SDFI
Cooperatives, NGOs, government agencies, and agribusinesses choose from 50+ courses or ask for custom content. Your platform carries your organization’s name and look.
- 2
Farmers learn on their phones
Farmers receive their login by SMS, download their courses, and learn offline at their own pace — through video, audio, and simple text.
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You track progress and results
See completion in real time, give farmers certificates they can be proud of, and use learning and adoption data to show funders and members what is working.
The course library
50+ practical courses, from seed to market.
Every course is built around real techniques on real farms. Pick a topic to see what’s inside.
Crop Production
12 courses- Cocoa Farming Best Practices6 modules · 4 hours
- Maize Production & Management8 modules · 5 hours
- Cashew Cultivation & Processing10 modules · 6 hours
- Rice Farming for Smallholders7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Vegetable Farming Year-Round9 modules · 5 hours
- Cassava Value Chain Mastery8 modules · 5 hours
- Oil Palm Plantation Management10 modules · 6 hours
- Soybean Production & Marketing6 modules · 4 hours
- Organic Farming Certification12 modules · 8 hours
- Climate-Smart Agriculture8 modules · 5 hours
- Integrated Pest Management7 modules · 4 hours
- Soil Health & Fertility Management6 modules · 4 hours
Post-Harvest Management
8 courses- Reducing Post-Harvest Losses5 modules · 3 hours
- Proper Drying & Storage Techniques6 modules · 4 hours
- Quality Control & Grading Standards7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Value Addition & Processing10 modules · 6 hours
- Packaging for Premium Markets5 modules · 3 hours
- Cold Chain Management8 modules · 5 hours
- Food Safety & Hygiene6 modules · 4 hours
- Warehouse Management for Cooperatives9 modules · 5.5 hours
Cooperative Management
10 courses- Starting a Successful Cooperative8 modules · 5 hours
- Democratic Governance & Leadership7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Financial Management for Cooperatives10 modules · 6 hours
- Bookkeeping & Record-Keeping8 modules · 5 hours
- Conflict Resolution & Mediation6 modules · 4 hours
- Gender & Youth Inclusion5 modules · 3 hours
- Membership Recruitment & Retention6 modules · 4 hours
- Strategic Planning for Cooperatives9 modules · 5.5 hours
- Legal Compliance & Reporting7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Building Trust & Accountability5 modules · 3 hours
Business & Marketing
8 courses- Farm Business Planning8 modules · 5 hours
- Market Analysis & Price Negotiation7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Accessing Credit & Financial Services9 modules · 5.5 hours
- Contract Farming Essentials6 modules · 4 hours
- Export Market Preparation10 modules · 6 hours
- Digital Marketing for Farmers8 modules · 5 hours
- Aggregation & Bulk Marketing7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Risk Management & Insurance6 modules · 4 hours
Digital Tools & Technology
6 courses- Using Mobile Money for Farm Transactions4 modules · 2.5 hours
- Weather Apps & Climate Information5 modules · 3 hours
- Digital Record-Keeping for Farmers6 modules · 4 hours
- E-Cooperative Platforms8 modules · 5 hours
- Precision Agriculture Basics7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Social Media for Agribusiness5 modules · 3 hours
Specialized Topics
6 courses- Youth in Agriculture: Building a Career8 modules · 5 hours
- Women in Agriculture Leadership7 modules · 4.5 hours
- Agroforestry & Sustainable Land Use9 modules · 5.5 hours
- Livestock Integration with Crops8 modules · 5 hours
- Water Management & Irrigation10 modules · 6 hours
- Agricultural Mechanization for Smallholders7 modules · 4.5 hours
Need training built around your crop, region, or program?
Our content team develops custom modules with your subject-matter experts — so farmers learn what matters most where they farm.
Platform features
Built for African realities, not imported from somewhere else.
Every feature starts with one question: will it work for a farmer with a basic phone and unreliable signal?
Mobile-first design
Runs smoothly on basic Android smartphones. No expensive devices, and easy to use with a thumb.
Learn offline
Download courses once, then learn anywhere with no signal. Progress syncs when the phone reconnects.
Local languages + audio
English, Twi, Hausa, Yoruba, and Swahili, with audio narration for farmers who prefer to listen.
Real farmers, real techniques
Video lessons filmed on real farms. Pause, replay, and practice at your own pace.
Progress tracking
Live completion data for your team, and a certificate for every farmer who finishes.
SMS support
Login details, course reminders, and Q&A support delivered by text message.
Your brand, your platform
Carry your logo and colors on every screen, with custom domain options available.
Ready to scale
Cloud-based and built to grow with you — from one cooperative to a nationwide rollout, with new content added regularly.
Who SDFI serves
One platform. Four ways to put it to work.
Whether you lead a cooperative or a ministry, SDFI is shaped around the farmers you serve.
Cooperatives & farmer organizations
Your members need training, but can’t spare the travel or the workdays.
How SDFI helps
- Governance and technical courses, bundled for your members
- Your name and branding on the platform
- Real-time view of every member’s progress
NGOs & development organizations
Training at scale is costly, and impact is hard to show.
How SDFI helps
- Cost-effective delivery to thousands of farmers
- Built-in dashboard for learning and adoption data
- Custom content for your project’s crops and regions
- Learning that keeps going after your project closes
Government ministries & agencies
Extension services can’t reach every farmer, and budgets are tight.
How SDFI helps
- Built for national-scale rollout
- Complements your existing extension services
- Learning data that informs policy and supports national food-security goals
Agribusinesses & corporates
Your outgrowers need the skills to meet your quality standards, every season.
How SDFI helps
- Train your whole outgrower network at scale
- Courses tailored to your crops and standards
- More consistent supply and quality
- Your brand on every lesson
Backed by STRED Consult
Built by people who turn research into results in the field.
SDFI is the training institute of STRED Consult Ltd., a West African leader in sustainable agricultural development, training, and policy advisory. For more than 15 years, we have connected the farmer in the field to the policy room — and the policy room back to the field.
That experience shapes every SDFI course: practical first, grounded in evidence, and made to work in African conditions.
Founded and led by Dr. Godwin Kojo Ayenor, who led the authorship of Ghana’s National Agricultural Policy. STRED’s institutional clients and collaborators include FAO, UNDP, USAID, the World Bank, the EU, GIZ, and ILO.
Partnership opportunities
Grow the SDFI ecosystem with us.
Great farmer training is built together. Find where you fit.
Content partners
Research institutions, universities, and subject-matter experts
- Co-develop courses in your field
- Put your research in front of thousands of farmers
- Explore revenue-sharing on course enrollments
- Extend your institution’s reach and reputation
Distribution partners
NGOs, cooperative networks, and farmer organizations
- Offer SDFI to your members and communities
- Explore commission on subscriptions
- White-label the platform with your branding
- Strengthen what you offer your members
Technology partners
Fintechs, agtech companies, and mobile platforms serving farmers
- Integrate SDFI into your platform (API integration available)
- Bundle training with your products and services
- Reach farmers through SDFI’s network
- Co-create new solutions together
Ready to put SDFI in your farmers’ hands?
Tell us about your farmers, your crops, and your goals. We’ll shape an SDFI package around them.
Request a QuoteTrain. Transform. Secure.