FARMERS & AGRO-DEALERS DIGITAL PLATFORM / APP

Challenge

To establish a digital Platform for Sorghum Farmers in Shinyanga and Simiyu Regions in Tanzania;

a. Marketplace: Enabling farmers to sell their produce to a wide network of buyers on the other hand providing flexibility to the buyers to locate sorghum in the market.
b. Service Providers: Bring closer service providers to the farmers (Fertilizers, Seeds, Pesticide, Vet services). By the use of inputs ordering and delivery options on one platform.
c. Market price Info: Offer real-time price information and alerts to the farmers to get updated on the commodities price changes to secure fair incomes.

Approach
MFCL in partnership with Kilimo Trust (KT), a non-for-profit organization working on agriculture for development across the East Africa community and Dreamchasers Technologies (DSL) an ICT Service Provider based in Tanzania, teamed up to meet MFCL’s needs and requirements. KT funded the entire project whilst assisting in registration of authorized agro-dealers agents (VBA) in Simiyu and Shinyanga regions. The VBAs are to manage the local farmers profiles, locations, acreage, produce information, market pricing and payments. DSL was tasked to design, develop, installation and commissioning of the platform.

Solution by DSL

DSL developed a digital marketplace platform powered by a Web-based Administrative Panel, an Android Mobile App (for smart phone users) and a USSD SMS-based Application (for feature phone users). The platform would manage the following;

Administrative Dashboards: For MFCL Admins (Super User): A web-based Dashboard to Push Notifications (Prices, Events, Produce Information, Updates etc) – To All Agro-dealers, Manage Admin Users, Register,  Products Details, Regions/Locations, View Farmers Details & Locations, View All Orders & Reviews,  View Transactions & Manage IT Support Incidents. For Agro-deallers (VBA): A web-based Dashboard + Android Mobile App to Push Notifications (Prices, Produce Information, Updates etc) – To All Farmers, Manage Farmers Register, Locations, Products Info, Stocks Status, View Orders & Reviews,  Transactions and Payments Information.

Mobile APP: For Farmers (Smartphone users): An Android App to Receive Notifications (Prices, Events, Produce Information, Updates etc), Update Farmer Profile Details, Manage Farm Location, Details, Products Details (Varieties, Pre/Post Harvest Info. & Quantity), View/Chat w/ Nearest Agro-dealers, Accept / Reject Orders, View Transactions (Payments from Agro-dealers), View Reviews and Report IT Incidents

Click here to Download the MFC Farmers App;