CUSTOM AGRICULTURE CHALLENGE; NIGERIA
PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED
An asset-based loan that includes seeds and fertilizer, financing for farm inputs, training on agricultural techniques, and market facilitation to maximize profits.
Learn more about the Custom Agriculture Challenge and why distributing proven agricultural interventions can greatly improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION
Farmwise will assist smallholder farmers by providing the resources they need to succeed. They will provide farmers with farm in put on credit, deliver products to their door, train farmers, and help them sell the harvest. These services must be provided together because without credit, farm inputs are not affordable, without training, farmers do not maximize resources, without delivery, services are not accessible. By delivering all of these services together, Farmwise will enable farmers to significantly increase their farm income and build a path out of poverty. Farmwise's vision is to reach 1 million farm families by 2020 (which is less than 2% of registered smallholder farmers in Nigeria), while expanding the Farmwise model quickly and sustainably.
Farmwise loan packages range in value from $62.5 to $100 and includes crop insurance to mitigate the risks of drought and disease for new farmers. Packages valued at $200 will be available for returning farmers in the second year. Farmers may enroll as little as a quarter of an acre of land or a full acre of farmland. Farmwise will provide a maximum of one loan package per household. To quality for the Farmewise program, farmers are required to form local groups, attend agricultural training, and pay a materials and training fee. Farmwise will accommodate clients with a flexible repayment system in which they may repay their loans in any amount and at any time as long s they complete repayment by July of the same year. To receive the loan and training, farmers must join a village group that is supported by a local Farmwise field officer. The field officers will meet regularly with the farmer groups to coordinate delivery of farm inputs, administer training, and collect repayments. During the pilot, Farmwise plans for one acre per farmer and each farmer is expected to achieve $900 in their first year and $1,600 in their second year.
PILOT AND SCALING GOALS
- Serve 680 farm families during the pilot phase
- Hire 180 staff members during the pilot phase
- Serve 80,000 farm families at the end of year 1
- Grow the staff to include 1,070 employees by the end of year 1
- Reach 319 communities by the end of year 2
- Serve 486,000 farm families by the end of year 2
FOUNDING TEAM
Ugwunwa Nkasiobi Nwamara - Co-Founder
Iheanyi Esse - Co-Founder
Chidochiri Ononuju - Co-Founder