Th iCow ICT-platform is a tool for disseminating information to smallholder farmers. The iCow services are offered by Green Dream Technology (GDT) in partnership with the Safaricom Foundation and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) with the aim of improving extension services among smallholder farmers. The iCow platform achieves this through a cost-effective, scalable mobile phone extension service, which provides farmers with basic, pure, timely knowledge and digital solutions that would improve their production. The iCow platform offers innovative products that include weekly messages on various livestock and agricultural topics, livestock calendars, farmer SMS library, and an expert directory. The expectation is that farmers participating in iCow would use the acquired technical knowledge and apply superior production technologies and practices to realize higher outputs and consequently improving their incomes

The use of ICT-based iCow services is shown to increase Annual milk production per cow, milk income, and household income by 13%, 29%, and 22%, respectively. Partnerships between network providers and research institutes should be encouraged as part of bridging the extension gap occasioned by reduced public expenditure on extension services