Prerequisites to digitising the agricultural last mile
The digitisation of agricultural value chains is an emerging opportunity in developing countries. Mobile-based enterprise solutions for the agricultural last mile might include mobile money payments to help agribusinesses digitise the procurement of crops from smallholder farmers, agricultural advisory via mobile phones to help farmers improve agricultural practices and digital farmer records to support tractability and certification requirements.
The active participation of mobile operators is required to unlock the opportunity to digitise the agricultural last mile, primarily to enable coverage and connectivity in rural areas but also to support functioning and liquid mobile money networks. Besides mobile operators, the industry at large – mobile money providers, AgTech companies and regulators – must work together to create enabling environments for the uptake of mobile money services in rural regions.
This report explores the challenges and the range of initiatives that can be implemented to address the foundational issues (prerequisites) to digitise agricultural value chains. The report is aimed at mobile operators, third party tech providers, donors and financial regulators.
Prerequisites to digitising the agricultural last mile
The digitisation of agricultural value chains is an emerging opportunity in developing countries. Mobile-based enterprise solutions for the agricultural last mile might include mobile money payments to help agribusinesses digitise the procurement of crops from smallholder farmers, agricultural advisory via mobile phones to help farmers improve agricultural practices and digital farmer records to support tractability and certification requirements.
The active participation of mobile operators is required to unlock the opportunity to digitise the agricultural last mile, primarily to enable coverage and connectivity in rural areas but also to support functioning and liquid mobile money networks. Besides mobile operators, the industry at large – mobile money providers, AgTech companies and regulators – must work together to create enabling environments for the uptake of mobile money services in rural regions.
This report explores the challenges and the range of initiatives that can be implemented to address the foundational issues (prerequisites) to digitise agricultural value chains. The report is aimed at mobile operators, third party tech providers, donors and financial regulators.