The commercialisation of African Smallholder Farming is a logical step for the 70% of small-scale subsistence farmers on the continent. Excess produce translates to profits and this, in turn, improves livelihoods. However, the logic step is usually the hardest to take, as is illustrated by the farmers that Rural Farmers Hub considers clientele.
Farmers in Northern Nigerian have the odds stacked against them: unpredictable rainfall patterns; old harmful farming practices and unavailability of markets. These are only some of the challenges crippling farmers who could otherwise profit tremendously from the land they work so hard on.
Enter Rural Farmers Hub. Founded by Gabriel Eze and Olusegun Adegun in 2018, the agtech start-up is a private e-Extension Service provider that is helping farmer organisations and extension Agents support their farmers through the use of better farming decisions via satellite remote sensing or in-person facilities. The company’s core product – Capture™ – uses a proprietary algorithm and big data to assess crop and soil health, then generate near-real-time farming insights and advice.
“Our value proposition is to provide data-driven advice so that farmers can see improved yield based on that advice,” says CEO Adegun.
Advice is delivered via SMS, voice or mobile app and it is available in local languages. To date, Rural Farmers Hub has served over 25,000 farmers and they are currently serving 16,000 farmers courtesy of cooperation with Mercy Corp and patronage from Save The Children. Farmers using Rural Farmer’s hub’s services have experienced over 45% yield increase and an increase of over 80% in their income.
“We are driven by the question: how do we get farmers to live large? We see tech as an enabler. The farmers we work with are happy and extension agencies are invested and open to ways that they can make this more mainstream at the village level.” adds COO Eze.
There is a huge gap when it comes to mobile infrastructure but Rural Farmers Hub is also addressing bottlenecks that come in the form of traditional forms of farming that are harmful more than helpful. The mindset shift that is needed to accustom farmers to new practices is one that needs education and demonstration. This is one of the reasons why Rural Farmers Hub’s strategy includes an education drive that takes the form of backward simulation.
The impact of data-driven agriculture is far-reaching and should not be ignored. Nigeria relies on imports to meet its food and agricultural product needs and this costs the country about €8.5 billion annually. Rural Farmers Hub reduces this cost implication drastically by increasing crop yield in Nigeria and in turn reducing exports. The data collected also helps lenders and the government measure the productivity of farmers and their ability to pay back loans. Rural Farmer’s Hub is positioning itself as a company that can revive and revamp Africa’s rural community through Agriculture and they are well on their way to doing so.