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Building an inclusive network of sustainable, connected farms
CategoriesSustainable News

Building an inclusive network of sustainable, connected farms

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: For farmers in Africa and the Middle East, reliance on an increasingly volatile climate is making it more and more difficult to achieve a stable, predictable income. And, according to The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, aridity in parts of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region will increase in the next century, shrinking arable lands and disrupting agricultural patterns. This worrying trend inspired the foundation of Jodoor, a Rabat-based startup that designs, builds, and installs hi-tech connected greenhouses for farmers.

The company’s greenhouses are internet-of-things-enabled and can be used by farmers to produce 10 high-quality salad staples and herbs – from iceberg lettuce to basil. By producing leafy greens in a controlled environment, farmers are protected from the vagueries of climate and are able to produce crops year-round. The technology ensures consistent productivity and quality as well as a fixed price for farmers throughout the year. Moreover, the vegetables and herbs grown in the hi-tech greenhouses require no pesticides or herbicides.

The startup plans to use a franchise model to drive the implementation of its technology. Each greenhouse will be tailored to the exact local needs of each farmer, and by building a network of farmers, Jodoor is hoping to match local production to local demand.

Currently in the early stages of its development, Jodoor has nonetheless piqued the interest of several institutions including the Mohammad VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). At the end of 2021, the startup launched its first greenhouse on a 200-square-metre plot in Skhirat, a seaside town between Rabat and Casablanca. Its second greenhouse, which is intended to showcase the commercial potential of the technology, will be installed at UM6P.

Longer-term, the startup plans to hone its model in Morocco before expanding across the Middle East and North Africa. Many of Morocco’s neighbours share similar challenges when it comes to water scarcity and food sovereignty, making them prime candidates for Jodoor’s technology.

Other innovations spotted by Springwise that improve the prospects of small farmers include a startup that provides software and hands-on assistance for farmers in Nigeria and solar-powered irrigation pumps for farmers in East Africa.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Building the largest network of profitable smallholder farmers
CategoriesSustainable News

Building the largest network of profitable smallholder farmers

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Smallholder farmers in many developing countries suffer from a lack of scale – they cannot compete with large conglomerates, even if they offer a high-quality product. This is due to their lack access to financing, food processors, and the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market. In Nigeria, agricultural company ThriveAgric is using technology to help small farmers compete. 

ThriveAgric uses its proprietary Agricultural Operating System (AOS) to assist farmers with financing, development and training, technology and post-harvest services, access to premium markets, and social and financial inclusion. Each season, the company onboards farmers and communities, inputting data about individual fields, soil texture, slope, proximity to water, and creditworthiness into the AOS. This data is used to calculate and disburse loans to each farmer, in the form of improved seeds, fertilisers, and crop protection products, rather than cash.

But that’s not all. ThriveAgric also gives tailored advice and tracks each farms’ progress using multiple data points, assisting, where needed, to maximise harvest. Farmers repay their loans in form of produce, based on agreed amounts. The rest of their harvest is profit. ThriveAgric stores all the produce in its own warehouses and sells it at volume at peak prices to markets where they have established relationships.

ThriveAgric recently raised $56.4 million (€58.2 million) in debt funding from local commercial banks and institutional investors. Discussing the investment, Chief Executive Officer Uka Eje said, “The new investment takes us one step closer to fulfilling our mission of building the largest network of profitable African farmers using technology to ensure food security.” 

The climate crisis has encouraged innovators to explore new ways of increasing crop yields without using intensive methods that can harm the environment. Springwise has recently seen many promising developments in this area, including a sustainable fertiliser that can be manufactured on-site and the use of extremophile bacteria to increase crop yields. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference