Green Agro Solution PLC ("Lersha")

Pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in Ethiopia’s lowlands face recurrent drought and flood risks but often lack timely, localised early-warning information they can act on. Forecasts may not reach remote communities in local languages or through accessible channels, particularly where mobile connectivity and digital skills are limited. These last-mile gaps can prevent households from taking anticipatory action, such as moving or destocking livestock, conserving feed or arranging finance and insurance before losses occur. 

In the Somali Region alone, up to 1.8 million people across 76 woredas face recurrent drought risks, while around 400,000 people in the Shebelle Zone are vulnerable to flooding.

Founded in Ethiopia in 2016, Green Agro-Solution PLC operates Lersha, a “phygital” platform that registers farmers and pastoralists, builds verified household profiles and turns weather and climate forecasts into practical, local-language advice, such as when to destock, conserve feed, move livestock or protect crops. Information is delivered through the Lersha app, SMS, voice messages, a call centre and trained local agents, helping reach people without smartphones or reliable connectivity. The platform also connects households to finance, inputs, markets and index-based insurance. 

With the WFP Innovation Accelerator, Lersha is expanding this model through a scalable early-warning communication system designed to deliver timely, localised information to pastoral households and support anticipatory action.

Lersha aims to reach and onboard approximately 47,000 pastoral and agro-pastoral farmers across Aba-Korow and Adadle woredas in the Shebelle Zone, priority areas in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, with additional indirect reach through households and community networks. During the upcoming flooding season, communities will have better access to timely, localised early-warning information, supporting greater preparedness and earlier action in response to drought and flood risks. With additional support, Lersha will be able to expand to more locations and provide a more comprehensive package of services.

Lersha is supported by the John Deere Foundation and through the WFP Innovation for Food Systems Resilience initiative and CGIAR through the Palm programme, helping to strengthen the resilience, productivity and livelihoods of smallholder farmers and rural communities.