The session focused on the challenges faced by global agtech innovators/entrepreneurs and farmers during COVID-19, lessons learned, use cases of digital tools, and tips for other innovators developing agtech solutions

In this session, the moderator asked a series of questions to global agtech innovators / entrepreneurs and farmers from Bangladesh, Colombia, Paraguay, Ghana and Brazil. In the case of the entrepreneurs, the questions were around the challenges faced during COVID19, lessons learnt, and tips for other innovators who wish to enter the agtech space. In the case of the farmers, the questions pertained to challenges faced during COVID-19, use cases of digital tools and future needs. 

AGTECH INNOVATORS

Challenges faced: 

• Coordinating with multiple stakeholders within the supply chain, such as the manufacturers, suppliers, tech specialists, and marketers. The challenge was more pronounced during COVID-19, and has created difficulties in fulfilling engagements with customers.

• Inability to test the mobile applications due to mobility restrictions during COVID-19, thereby making it difficult to understand the viability to launch the tools for customer use.

Lessons Learnt: 

• Going digital: Push from innovators to adopt digital tools during COVID (in forms of text messages, WhatsApp, radio, and physical posters), led to increased comfort and acceptance from smallholder farmers, who later joined digital cooperatives and collectively sold their produce at better terms. 

• Continuous update: It is important to continuously revisit the application design, to ensure that the technology is actually benefiting the end-users. Further, it is important to take suggestions and co-develop the updates along with the frequent users, who will be ready to test and ensure the solution is more aligned with the end-user needs.

• Engage Youth: Involve youth in the design and delivery of technology solutions. This will increase their involvement in the overall adoption and usage, make them influencers within the community and get them more engaged in the agriculture sector as a profession.

• Focus on value creation: Private investments in the agtech solutions space have been growing, but the value generated from providing services to smallholder farmers and the data captured from the digital tools are not being optimally utilized. 

Advice for new entrepreneurs: 

• Focus on product-market fit for the solution developed- this requires a combination of social capital, human capital, and sufficient funding.

• Assign responsibilities: It is important to assign distinct responsibilities to personnel within the team, and appropriately valuing the enterprise for investors.

• Seek for private equity: In terms of funding, private equity may be the most suited form of financing for agtech innovators, as compared to financing in the form of grants or startup loans. Private equity brings in a higher degree of accountability from the entrepreneur to focus on creating social and economic change. 

• Stay agile in the business and focus on the key value proposition that the business offers; if needed, entrepreneurs should pivot their service or product offering to better serve their target segment i.e. farmers and agricultural stakeholders.

FARMERS

Challenges faced:

• Difficult to identify a convenient location where buyers can meet the sellers

• Lack of mobile connectivity in farm areas

• Difficulty in transportation owing to limit availability of transport vehicle and poor condition of roads

• Lack of access to inputs such as quality feed for cattle, seed and fertilizers, farm equipment 

• Absence of qualified and professional healthcare service providers for cattle

Use cases for digital and mobile technology:

• Use of text messages to receive information on price trends and technical support for farming practices

• Mobile wallet to receive payments from buyers 

• Digital trainings on sustainable farming, cattle management, and climate-smart agriculture technologies

Future needs, where they will need support from the government and international development organizations:

• Market linkage for cocoa farmers and access to farm implements 

• Provide access to financial services to purchase inputs and insure against climate events like drought

• Improve quality of infrastructure 

• Provide support with health and education for farmers’ families  

• Conserve forests and preserve natural habitats