About
Agribuddy connects farmers to resources and networks. Their digital platform is both a mobile application and a web application, which farmers use alongside a “buddy” to store data and order supplies as needed. Agribuddy enables farmers to have access to capital through bank loans, as well as higher quality farm inputs.
Capability and features
Farmers get the necessary inputs to their farming needs as and when required in the value chain. The digital platform understands what farmers need (seeds, pesticides, tractors, etc.) and when they need it, so farmers can focus on farming. This reduces the stress and hassle for the farmers and significantly improves the output in terms of harvest.
Buddies are the main sources of data input into the system, and are mentors to farmers who are learning to use the digital platform. Buddies enable the connection of suppliers to farmers using the platform and also enable all aspects of transaction payment throughout the lifecycle.
Buddies who potentiallycan manage up to 50 farmers get a commission from the farming lifecycle.
The goal is to connect the input suppliers to the digital platform using a cashless transaction system. Agribuddy’s large farmer network boosts their revenues, and in the future all aspects of the transactions will be on the blockchain which improves traceability.
Progress to date
Achievements:
Agribuddy has over 47,000 registered farmers with 4,000 availing fill services, as well as partnerships with banks in Cambodia, Crop insurance companies and local governments.
Upcoming initiatives include credit rating of farmers to enable loans, harvest forecasts, and improved data tracking through IoT sensors and drones.
About
CropBASE is a platform that provides solutions for agricultural diversification. CropBASE includes a global evidence base of key genetic, agronomic and nutritional information on under-utilised crops. Combining this data with climatic, soil and other information will support a range of models to predict the performance of value chains that include under-utilised crops under current and future climate scenarios.
CropBASE has developed an online crop suitability evaluator, based on multi-criteria land suitability methodology and local priorities. The app shortlists potential under-utilised crops that can grow at any location for a range of end uses. CropBASE will help transform agricultural business by improving information flows and reducing production risks using the vast potential of under-utilised crops and information technology.
Capability and features
Governments can improve land related decisions and extend land-use options. The platform simulates crop suitability and demonstrates value-chain traceability from seed to market with emphasis on nutrition. The platform will provide a link between science and local knowledge for the benefit of decision makers that are looking for robust evidence bases to back their decisions.
CropBASE helps extension workers to disseminate information to the end-users including farmers, retailers, buyers and other decision makers about the gaps that exist in knowledge allowing them to communicate the needs better. It provides access to aggregated insights that are generated regionally, allowing quick identification of local issues and their appropriate responses.
Farmers can use location-based insights to see possible business options that are custom-built for their own property given the current soil, climate conditions and future forecasts. This allows them to increase their productivity, add new lines of business and boost their incomes.
Progress to date
CropBASE is currently rolled out in a major plantation and is working with two different categories of farmers. They are collaborating with a consortium of 19 global partners under ‘LANDSUPPORT’ project to develop and test a decision support system (DSS) that enables evaluation of trade-offs between land uses, and are completing cases studies in Malaysia and 3 European countries.
About
HARA uses a blockchain-based traceable and transparent data exchange to drive the use of informed data-driven decisions in society, and address one of the world’s most fundamental problems: food security. Many smallholder farmers are still invisible to the connected world, making them unable to access loans, crop insurance or the best input products. HARA incentivises these farmers, who are given a simple tool to provide data throughout their production process. Each village has a field agent who collects information from farmers, and who receives a small margin from any subsequent transactions. This information could then be used by data buyers to improve the services they provide to the farmers, for instance financial institutions who provide microcredits.
Capability and features
Smallholder farmers can use supply-chain data to improve operational efficiencies, access current market information, and become more visible to other agriculture stakeholders. HARA’s technology can facilitate the farmers’ data collection process, which will help farmers get better access to agriculture loans.
Financial institutions use HARA’s verified data to access untapped market segments, perform credit scoring/risk profiling and monitor the loan.
Governments are better equipped to anticipate and tackle agricultural-related problems, thereby boosting their economy in a sustainable manner.
Progress to date
HARA is now already deployed in 212 villages across in Indonesia and engaged with over 9,000 farmers, and works with several banks and insurance companies to provide financial products. Preparations are being made to expand to other developing countries on the equator, and HARA has started negotiations with potential partners in Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, and Peru.
About
GeoTraceability exists to “put smallholders on the map” – giving them the opportunity to participate in supply chains that are connected via data, and to give them the standing as independent businesses. They provide technical solutions that increase the visibility of suppliers and products in complex value chains. GeoTraceability design and implement software solutions for public, private and non-governmental organizations in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, livestock, fishing, forestry and mining. Their data collection tools, traceability systems and online data hosting services enable organizations to collect, process, visualize and analyze data in a cost-effective way, at scale.
GeoTraceability is designed to be affordable, with mills and traders paying fees for an off-the-shelf product and subscription, or requesting system customization where appropriate
Capability and features
Traders are able to trace crops from field to processing plant, monitor and support the smallholder supply base, and pass traceability data to customers. This increases the security of supply through farmer engagement, avoiding illegal crop processing and negative NGO campaigns.
Extension workers use the Farm Business Plan builder to support each individual smallholder with bespoke recommendations for increasing output based on the field data stored in the GeoTraceability database. Extension workers use the software to produce thousands of personalized Farm Business Plans with one click, taking their agronomic advice and training to the next level.
FMCGs have visibility on where the crops in their supply chain originated down to an individual field and farmer. This helps them avoid damaging publicity by being able to demonstrate precisely who is in their supply chain, where they are and how they are supported.
Progress to date
GeoTraceability has been used by Ferrero with 13,000 hazelnut farmers in Turkey, as well as ECom tracing coffee and cocoa from 85,000 smallholder farmers, as well as projects with most of the largest palm companies, including Wilmar, GAR and Cargill. There are over 300,000 farmers with detailed profiles currently in the GeoTraceability database and incorporated in traceable supply chains.
GeoTraceability is currently developing a multi-stakeholder platform that will drive traceability to plantation in the palm oil sector.
About
Eragano offer a range of solutions for farmers who are otherwise trapped by middle men. Eragano connect farmers to lenders, who giving them access soft loans. This helps farmers buy good quality inputs, while they also receive guidance and financial literacy training – all through the mobile app. Their unique formulas and credit scoring methodologies gives them insight into farmers’ specific needs, allowing them to prescribe the most appropriate financial and agricultural products.
Capability and features
Farmers participate in workshops to learn how to use the technology, and are provided ongoing support to build their tech literacy. They are connected to a range of partners; banks for soft loans, open markets for better prices, agricultural experts for relevant advice, and field managers for offline assistance. This frees them from middle men, who use predatory loans and offer low crop prices.
FMCGs can access good quality harvests, since farmers have expert assistance in harvesting and grading their crops. They are also able to bypass middle men, and can ensure that their purchasing in in line with their CSR policies. Eragano generates revenue through these crop sales, whilst ensuring farmers get a much better deal than what they would have otherwise received.
Lenders receive access to trusted and recommended farmers, who will then purchase financial products.
Progress to date
Achievements:
Eragano has over 5,000 farmers to date, with some farmers currently supplying to Unilever. They have been recognised by Swiss Innovation, Women In Tech, Asian Ricebowl Start Up and awarded “Best agriculture startup (Telkomsel Version)”. The team are currently developing Eragano station centres in Indonesia.
About
Agreo offers farmers a real global management tool for their farm allowing them to plan, organize and supervise all of their productions. By opening the Cloud to farming applications, SMAG works with all stakeholders in the international farming community, deploying and integrating agronomic information systems to optimise the technical and economic steering of farm production.
Capability and features
Agreo is designed for a variety of agriculture-related professions, including suppliers, storage organisations, collectors, transformers, seeding specialists, agro-industrialists, breeders, viticulture and accounting associations.
These groups benefit from a responsive, competent and innovative partner, an expert in new web and management information system technologies, bringing innovative product offers that corresponds to their requirements and farming practices.
Farmers are able to control their productions, ensure the quality of their inputs, monitor their technical and economic results with ease.
Progress to date
Over 30,000 farmers use Agreo’s platform, as well as over 400 sector operators.
Michelin have chosen SMAG to develop a CSR web platform for their natural rubber supply chain.
About
Cropital is a financial platform for smallholder farmers, serving as an alternative to predatory loan sharks. Cropital enables value chain financing, which improves profitability of farmers and decreases risks for lenders.
Cropital enters a community by establishing a local program that gathers farmer’s details, led by a community manager. Each farmer is assessed and given a credit score, then Cropital makes recommendations to both the farmer and a lender about how a mutually beneficial arrangement can be structured. Funding comes from a crowdsourced pool of lenders, who want to support farmers through fair financing.
Capability and features
Farmers are able to join a contract growing program whereby they have access to low-interest loans (typically at rates of approx. 12%), interventions that can increase yields, appropriate financial products and fair market prices for their harvests.
Lenders may select and lend directly through the Cropital’s crowdfunding platform. Lenders receive impact updates on the farmer they lent money to, along with fixed interest returns, upon farmer’s harvest/payment.
Traders are contract growing partners who commit to purchase the produce of farmers at fair market price. This creates an assurance for specific varieties of crop, which are secured through an agreement as part of the program.
Progress to date
Cropital has raised over USD600k of loans for farmers, and has acquired over 37,000 individual lenders on the platform.
To date, over 600 farmers are onboard.
About
Cadasta is a global land technology and services platform designed to help collect, analyze, store and share data on land and resource rights. Cadasta’s tools empower vulnerable communities to affordably and easily document, map and secure inclusive land and resource rights at scale for a more sustainable and equitable planet. Cadasta Foundation, a Washington D.C. based nonprofit founded in 2015, works with more than 60 partners from the private, public, and grassroots sectors to implement projects and to document and secure land, housing, and resource rights.
Capability and features
Partners can use Cadasta’s suite of mobile and web-based tools to help collect, manage, and store land and resource rights data. The Cadasta platform is designed to allow for on- and off-line collection of information about people’s relationship with land and resources, including spatial dimensions, footage from drones, digital maps, video and audio interviews, photographs, paper attestations, tax receipts and other supporting documents. The platform is also able to process and store data that has already been collected through traditional paper-based surveys and maps. Cadasta platform and tools are built on the principles of open standards and access, supported by Esri ArcGIS technology
Cadasta’s tools can be used to document a range of data, including land claims, land use, housing conditions, and agricultural practices, as dictated by cooperatives or agribusinesses which they supply. With the information gathered using Cadasta’s tools, farmers can gain a better understanding of their landholdings, ensure traceability of their products and increase security of their land rights.
Progress to date
In five years, Cadasta has reached over 5 million people in 42 countries on their platform, strengthening land and resource rights. A growing network of 90 implementing partners are using Cadasta to increase tenure security and improve livelihoods, empower women and youth, and achieve better climate outcomes for a more equitable, sustainable planet. Cadasta has also worked with 24 governments to issue 269,106 official land documents.
Cadasta received Esri’s Special Achievement in GIS Award for 2021.
About
Weather and agriculture solution Agrimedia provides agriculture advisory information services to farmers and input manufacturers. This gives farmers accurate forecasts, and allows them to take appropriate actions that protect the value of their harvests. With a wide range of platforms (SMS, call centre, web and mobile application), farmers can access information in a cheap and efficient manner. This service is currently provided in Vietnam through partnerships with mobile network operators.
Capability and features
Farmers use Agrimedia for weather updates and to receive agriculture advisory information by SMS, call centre or mobile app. This information helps to increase productivity and quality, leading to higher incomes.
Input Manufacturers use Agrimedia for advice on the weather, disease models and irrigation.
This helps them to improve productivity, save money and increase revenues.
Governments can use Agrimedia to broadcast official information to farmers.
Progress to date
Agrimedia has over 1 million users to date, and is currently creating a M2M application which will see them become a B2B agriculture business. It was the first company to have a weather forecast and hydrometeorology license in Vietnam.
Agrimedia has partnerships with Vinaphone, Mobifone, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture, Pessl Instruments and Weather News.
About
Enveritas is an international NGO that provides innovative and data-driven sustainability verification programs for coffee, allowing all farmers to participate in a sustainable coffee market regardless of farm size, location, or affiliation. Smallholders gain additional opportunities to participate in a global sustainable coffee industry, including a path to improved farming practices that protect the environment, safeguard human rights, and ensure sustainable future for generations to come.
Capability and features
Enveritas assesses sustainability practices across three pillars at coffee origins: social, environmental and economic.
Roasters use Enveritas’ as part of their focus on risk assurance in sustainability compliance. They can monitor sustainability practices in every region where coffee is produced, allowing them to map out the challenge and design appropriate interventions (e.g. social, economic and environmental interventions).
Farmers use Enveritas for data-driven, yield-increasing technical assistance. They use a mobile application to conduct control trials that test different interventions. This tracks the results of each test, highlighting the improvements that will boost farmer’s yields and incomes. The solution is free for farmers, who benefit from the technical assistance programs that are designed based on the sustainability verification data. Data is often collected on the ground by a local team, who then enter the information into the application on behalf of the growers.
Progress to date
During 2017-18 harvest, Enveritas has conducted training for 20,000 farmers and surveyed over 35,000, representing 26% of total smallholders globally. They are currently operating in 10 countries across the world.
Enveritas has an app to address technological challenges while ensuring prerequisite SOPs are met, and are rolling out technical assistance programs for coffee farmers in Ethiopia.
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