The verdict in three sentences
For an exporter farming 600 hectares of green beans and mangoes, the biggest risk is a lot rejected in Europe over a maximum residue level (MRL) breach or an incomplete GlobalGAP record. Custom farm software linking plots, treatments, pre-harvest intervals, seasonal worker attendance and container traceability can be delivered in 4 to 6 months. At Kolonell this sits between the medium application band, 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670), and the complex band, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870+), with the rest set in the quote.
The problem: compliance kept in notebooks
The technical director of an export farm on the Thiès plateau runs dozens of drip-irrigated blocks, several green bean types (fine, extra-fine, bobby) over the November to April season, and Kent mango orchards harvested from May to August. Spray records are written in notebooks by plot supervisors and copied into a spreadsheet before each GlobalGAP audit. UK, Dutch and French buyers impose different MRLs by market, sometimes stricter than EU law.
At peak, 1,200 seasonal workers harvest, grade and pack. Attendance is on paper sheets, daily pay takes two days of data entry, and linking an exported carton to its plot, harvest crew and the last 21 days of treatments is slow.
| Control point | Current practice | With one platform |
|---|---|---|
| Spray register | notebooks copied | mobile entry, time-stamped, geotagged |
| Pre-harvest interval | checked from memory | automatic plot lock |
| MRL per buyer | printed table | rule per buyer, alert before shipping |
| GlobalGAP audit preparation | 10 to 15 days | 2 days, ready extracts |
| Carton to plot traceability | partial, 1 to 2 days | under 5 minutes, by code |
| Pay for 1,200 workers | 2 days of entry per week | mobile attendance, payroll export |
Software scope
The core includes a plot register (area, crop, variety, sowing date, irrigation), an input register (approved products, active ingredient, dose, operator, protective equipment) and automatic pre-harvest interval calculation. A season and yield module tracks forecasts and harvested tonnage per block. The labour module records attendance by badge or QR code on a smartphone, tasks and piece rates, then exports payroll.
Traceability gives every pallet a code at the packhouse: plot, date, crew, line, then container or air waybill number. An export dashboard matches orders, harvest forecasts and packhouse capacity.
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | Pros | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notebooks and spreadsheets | near zero | no training | long audits, rejection risk |
| Imported farm software | EUR 15,000 to 40,000 licence per year, order of magnitude | proven features | poor fit for local daily attendance |
| Kolonell simple application | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (EUR 3,810 to 6,100) | register and plots | no payroll or container trace |
| Kolonell medium application | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100 to 10,670) | register, MRLs, traceability | simplified payroll |
| Kolonell complex application | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (EUR 10,670 to 22,870+) | full scope, offline, multi-site | 4 to 6 months |
| Kolonell maintenance | 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (EUR 53, 114 or 183) | fixes, season changes | hosting set in the quote |
Field constraints in Senegal
Network coverage varies from block to block, so the app must work offline and sync back at the office or packhouse. Crew leaders use entry-level Android phones: the interface has to be light, in French with icons, and readable in full sun. Payroll data must comply with Senegal's Law 2008-12 on personal data. GlobalGAP auditors expect precise extracts: the tool produces the register by plot and period in the expected format.
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Moussa, technical director of a 600-hectare farm near Thiès, had a lot rejected last year: 20 tonnes of green beans at about 1,500 FCFA per kilo ex-farm, or 30,000,000 FCFA (about EUR 45,700) lost, after a spray applied 4 days too close to harvest. He also counts 12 days of audit preparation for 2 managers, 24 days, plus 2 days of payroll entry per week over 26 peak weeks, 52 days. With a complex-band project at 12,000,000 FCFA and maintenance at 120,000 FCFA per month, 1,440,000 FCFA per year, avoiding a single rejected lot covers the first year more than twice over.
FAQ
Is the software enough to get GlobalGAP certified?
No, certification depends on practices and an accredited body's audit. The software cuts preparation from 10 to 15 days to about 2 and limits documentation non-conformities.
How are different buyer MRLs handled?
Each buyer or market has its own list of active ingredients and thresholds. Before a pallet is assigned to an order, the tool checks the last 30 days of treatments and blocks shipment if there is a conflict.
Do seasonal workers need smartphones?
No, only crew leaders do, about 1 per 25 to 40 workers. Workers are logged by badge or QR card, which scales to 1,200 people at peak.
Does the tool work without signal in remote blocks?
Yes, entries are stored on the phone and synced when the network returns. A daily sync at the packhouse keeps the register current.
Can seasonal workers be paid through Wave or Orange Money?
The tool exports a payroll file per worker; bulk mobile money payout is an integration priced in the quote depending on the operator.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your crops, blocks and buyer requirements and we will scope plots, treatments and traceability, live before the next season. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
