Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

FarmHub provides personalized advisory support to farmers through a mobile app where they share photos or videos of a problem they are facing on the farm which is responded to by experienced extension officers. The app also has farming videos to educate.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

In Kenya and Africa at large, smallholder farmers face a myriad of challenges around productivity, market access and climate change. In Kenya, for example, farmers have highly limited access to extension officers with the current ratio at 1:1800 farmers, far below the recommended 1:400 by FAO. Moreover, there is low awareness and poor adoption of climate-smart farming and modern farming technologies greatly caused by low knowledge levels among farmers who have few training opportunities. To contribute to solving this interconnected problem of farmer productivity and embracing agribusiness, we are developing a mobile app called FarmHub. FarmHub is a mobile app that provides farmers with digital advisory services through a virtual extension support platform coupled with farming videos on climate-smart farming, affordable farming technologies and agribusiness lessons. With FarmHub, a farmer can ask questions by sharing photos and videos from the farm and they receive same-day responses.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

In Kenya and Africa at large, smallholder farmers face a myriad of challenges around productivity, market access and climate change. In Kenya, for example, farmers have highly limited access to extension officers with the current ratio at 1:1800 farmers, far below the recommended 1:400 by FAO. Moreover, there is low awareness and poor adoption of climate-smart farming and modern farming technologies greatly caused by low knowledge levels among farmers who have few training opportunities. Directly related to production is market access, where farmers are limited to selling their produce to local markets and traders who exploit them with low farm gate prices. These problems have made Kenyan and African farmers economically disempowered, with climate change worsening the situation. This is as the continent continues to be malnourished and food insecure.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1. We intend to recruit well-experienced, government-registered veterinary officers and agronomists who will remotely provide advisory services to farmers. This way, we build a platform that can quickly scale and reach millions of farmers who would otherwise not have a qualified extension officer within their reach. 2. Due to the economies of scale and job flexibility of the team of extension officers we will work with, this will enable us to provide advisory support to farmers at a much lower cost than what they have to pay currently when these advisors independently visit their farms. Many farmers are not able to access advisory services also because of the current consultation fees they charge which can be expensive. 3. With our model, one extension officer can serve up to 120 farmers in a day, which is not achievable with the current farm-to-farm visit model. Our model also greatly improves the extension- officer-to-farmer ratio from the current 1:1800 to 1:250.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

We are targeting smallholder farmers in Kenya and later on in Africa. In Kenya, it is estimated that 6.4 million households are involved in agriculture. It is further estimated that at least 45% of smallholder farmers own smartphones representing over 3 million farmers, which is our addressable market in the mid-term. As smartphone ownership is growing at a faster rate than basic phones, this market is expanding year-on-year. In Africa, 33 million households are involved in smallholder farming. It is further estimated that 30% of these farmers own smartphones. This translates to 9.9 million farmers, which is our African addressable market. By the end of Year 1, we intend to serve at least 20,000 unique farmers monthly in Kenya handling around 75,000 advisory questions/month. By Year 5, we forecast to serve 500,000 unique farmers monthly across Africa handling around 750,000 questions/month.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-05-09

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

5

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Kevin Wanambisi, Founder Entrepreneur & Founder with 8 years of experience in Agriculture sector Holds a BSc. in Project Planning & Management from Moi University. 2. Jackson Achila Team Lead, Extension Services & Veterinary Officer 15 years experience as an animal health expert. He holds a BSc. in Animal Science from Egerton University. 3. Edwin Muriithi, Lead Mobile App Developer Computer Science graduate from University of Nairobi. Graduate of Moringa School where he did Software Development and DevOps Engineering. 4. Lincy Cherono, Agronomist Holds an MSc. in Agronomy and a BSc. in Horticulture (First Class Honours), both from the University of Nairobi. 4 years of experience in horticulture and crop farming support to farmers. 5. Beatrice Wanjiru, Veterinary Officer Holds a BSc. in Agriculture from Chuka University. 5 years experience in dairy farming and poultry training. 6. Barack Wesonga, Agronomist Holds a BSc. in Food Security from Jaramogi Oginga & 7 years experience.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

https://farmers-hub.co.ke/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Through FarmHub, we're enabling smallholder farmers who cannot afford quality access to extension support to to get it at a much lower cost which will enable them realise more yields and consequently have more produce to sell thus earn more.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Many smallholder farmers cannot produce enough food even for their own consumption. Through FarmHub, we will enable them to produce more food, and learn how to handle post-harvest losses so that they can feed themselves through the year.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Many smallholder farmers are not well versed in the available variety of crops and livestock that they can plant and rear to provide complete and alternative sources of nutrients. Through our farming videos and advisory services farmers will get on FarmHub, they will diversify their farming activities and explore new food types that provide better nutrition.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

The patriarchal system that characterises communities in Kenya makes it hard for women to engage productively in agriculture. The hoarders of knowledge and resources have traditionally been men, leaving the women majorly as providers of labour on the farm. FarmHub will be highly accessible and easy to use, providing a technology that millions of women can use on their own to equip themselves with climate-smart farming skills and agribusiness knowledge.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

We will educate farmers on the proper use and disposal of pesticides which is contributing to the pollution of streams and rivers.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

The majority of smallholder farmers in Kenya are stuck in outdated, unproductive and highly laborious farming practices that still give them low yields. Through FarmHub, these farmers will be able to learn modern farming techniques and affordable farming equipment and technologies that they can adopt to make their work less exhausting and more rewarding.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

While medium-sized and large-scale farmers can afford access to dedicated and premium advisory support for their farming, smallholder farmers do not have the same opportunity. Through FarmHub, we will enable the smallholder farmers access high quality and continuous support for their day-to-day farming needs at a highly affordable, thus helping bridge the existing huge gap.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Agriculture is one of the hardest-hit sectors of our society because of climate change. There is therefore a need to equip today's farmers with knowledge on climate change and what needs to be done to still produce more food while also also contributing to the fight against climate change. FarmHub is an ideal platform for this, through the farming videos we will share to the farmers and advisory support from the extension officers,

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

6

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

Pesticides if not used and disposed of correctly are a pollutant to water, air and soil. Through the farming videos on FarmHub, farmers will learn about this and reduce improper disposal of pesticides which end up in stream, rivers and eventually to larger water bodies.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Through FarmHub, farmers will not only learn about better farming, but they will also learn the impotrance of protecting and restoring the ecosystems they farm in. They will also learn practical ways through videos that they can contribute in achieving this.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

Currently, there exists no visual digital extension platform run by remote-based extension officers in Kenya that farmers can use. Other forms that exist are physical visits, group training SMS and telephone support. Farmers will be able to share photos and videos, which will enable more accurate diagnosis of the farmer's problems. We are thus developing a new technology and platform that can scale rapidly and able to provide high-quality support to farmers in minutes.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Our competitors include private practicing extension officers and organizations such as DigiCow, Shamba Shape-Up, Haller Farmers and KALRO.org. Currently, there exists no visual-based digital extension platform in Kenya like ours. Other forms that exist are SMS, telephone-based, and print. Visual advisory will provide a superior and more accurate diagnosis of farmers' diseases in crops and livestock, than what any other current platform or start-up provides.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Not at the moment