Connect with us

Agriculture

Winich Farms in Revolutionizing AGTECH in Africa

Published

on

Joel Ajayi
Highlighting the role of technology and data in transforming the agricultural sector for a sustainable future at GITEX AFRICA 2024
WINICH FARMS is thrilled to announce its participation for the second time in a row in Africa’s largest Tech and startup event; GITEX AFRICA 2024 (https://GITEXAfrica.com) where we showcased our innovation in revolutionizing AGTECH Supply Chain in Nigeria and Africa.

GITEX AFRICA 2024 is a platform for industry peers to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas that will boost the technological advancement in Africa. WINICH farms will be supporting this by leading a conversation on Traceability and Agro supply chain efficiency of the future.

Founded in 2020 by Riches Attai (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/4ee89LA), Chichebem Jibunoh (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/4ejCZSX), and Winner Attai (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/45pMn3t), Winich Farms is an agritech platform specifically designed to tackle the pain points plaguing Nigeria’s agricultural sector. It operates on two key pillars, namely providing farmers with better market access and financial empowerment, and thus successfully operating at the intersection of agritech, embedded finance, and financial inclusion. Through a digital marketplace, Winich Farms connects farmers directly with off-takers like factories and retailers, effectively cutting out the middleman to ensure farmers receive a significantly fairer share for their produce.  

The product tackles a problem facing most of the African continent. Nigeria alone is home to 38 million smallholder farmers – making up about 20% of the population –  who collectively produce 90% of the country’s food. Some 72% of these farmers live below the poverty line, due to poor access to market information and credit facilities, as well as the high cost of farm input.

Today, Winich Farms has over 80,000 users on its platform spanning smallholder farmers, agents, truck drivers, and off-takers. The platform is active in 25 Nigerian states and moved almost USD 30 million worth of produce last year. In a 2023 survey of 5,000 registered farmers on the Winich Farms platform, 93% of the farmers said that it has increased by over 50%. Some 65% of them said that Winich has made them more climate-resilient.

Come explore our solution and discuss the future of AGTECH in Africa. join us to make food move seamlessly from farm to fork. Feed Africa, with WINICH.

#Agriculture #Technology #Agtech #data #feedAfrica #GITEXAFRICA2024
Winich Farms in Revolutionizing AGTECH in Africa
Highlighting the role of technology and data in transforming the agricultural sector for a sustainable future at GITEX AFRICA 2024
WINICH FARMS is thrilled to announce its participation for the second time in a row in Africa’s largest Tech and startup event; GITEX AFRICA 2024 (https://GITEXAfrica.com) where we showcased our innovation in revolutionizing AGTECH Supply Chain in Nigeria and Africa.

GITEX AFRICA 2024 is a platform for industry peers to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas that will boost the technological advancement in Africa. WINICH farms will be supporting this by leading a conversation on Traceability and Agro supply chain efficiency of the future.

Founded in 2020 by Riches Attai (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/4ee89LA), Chichebem Jibunoh (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/4ejCZSX), and Winner Attai (LinkedIn) (https://apo-opa.co/45pMn3t), Winich Farms is an agritech platform specifically designed to tackle the pain points plaguing Nigeria’s agricultural sector. It operates on two key pillars, namely providing farmers with better market access and financial empowerment, and thus successfully operating at the intersection of agritech, embedded finance, and financial inclusion. Through a digital marketplace, Winich Farms connects farmers directly with off-takers like factories and retailers, effectively cutting out the middleman to ensure farmers receive a significantly fairer share for their produce.  

The product tackles a problem facing most of the African continent. Nigeria alone is home to 38 million smallholder farmers – making up about 20% of the population –  who collectively produce 90% of the country’s food. Some 72% of these farmers live below the poverty line, due to poor access to market information and credit facilities, as well as the high cost of farm input.

Today, Winich Farms has over 80,000 users on its platform spanning smallholder farmers, agents, truck drivers, and off-takers. The platform is active in 25 Nigerian states and moved almost USD 30 million worth of produce last year. In a 2023 survey of 5,000 registered farmers on the Winich Farms platform, 93% of the farmers said that it has increased by over 50%. Some 65% of them said that Winich has made them more climate-resilient.

Come explore our solution and discuss the future of AGTECH in Africa. join us to make food move seamlessly from farm to fork. Feed Africa, with WINICH.

#Agriculture #Technology #Agtech #data #feedAfrica #GITEXAFRICA2024

Continue Reading

Agriculture

IWMI: Promoting affordable irrigation technologies for smallholder farmers

Published

on

Mariam Sanni

Smallholder farmers are challenged with erratic rainfall leading to drought spells, crop water stress and eventually reduced growth and yield penalties

Water insecurity is the major risk to smallholder farmers and a major driver for low investments in agricultural innovations

Even when water resources are sustainably available, smallholder farmers are unable to invest in irrigation equipment due to high upfront costs.

Smallholder farmers have limited access to loans and credit facilities even though irrigation usually is a profitable investment.

Promoting affordable irrigation for smallholders involves increasing access to low-cost technologies like drip and sprinkler kits and solar pumps, and supporting them with financial tools like subsidies and credit.

Also the Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) has helped farmers to independently invest in, manage and maintain irrigation equipment, adapting technologies to local needs without relying on large-scale projects, reduces farmers’ reliance on erratic rainfall and leads to increased farm investments (good seed, fertilizers, etc.)

Farmers move from 1 rain-fed crop, to multiple harvests per year, boosting yields, income, and food security

Nigeria and other countries have high potential for solar-based irrigation, irrespective of the type of water resources.

As part of efforts to boost local capacity to produce and maintain simple, low-cost irrigation, International Water Management Institute, IWMI through multi- stakeholder dialogues, policy support is partnering with stakeholders created an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable irrigation development .

The Researcher , Agricultural Water Solution, IWMI Dr Adebayo Oke during his presentation at the International Conference on Climate Change and Just Energy Transition 2025, highlighted that the institute has foster SMEs’ inclusive scaling of bundled irrigation solutions through inclusive business model development and strategic partnerships

The Conference which was theme: Sustainable Clinate Resilience and Just Energy Transition in Africa: A Collaborative Pathway through Policy, Capacity Building, Research and Inclusion was held in Abuja.

He added that its has deployed an impact accelerator program to develop new bundled solutions and SME collaborations that address multiple value chains

According him, IWMI has attracted sustainable finance investments in SMEs to fast-track the adoption of bundled water solutions by smallholder farmers.

Speaking on experience in Nigeria: scaling solar irrigation solutions –Solar scaling pathway studies (Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi) has stratifying the smallholder farmers using the Discrete Choice Experiment.

He mentioned bundling of irrigation technology and financial services to determine scaling pathway/different financing models.

Dr Oke added they also developed a credit facility to enable the scaling of SPI.

Furthermore, he stated IWMI-West & Central Africa Priorities for 2024-2030 as building resilient agric food system against climate change , leveraging water for resilience in fragile and conflict affected settings, enabling circular water and food economy innovations, supporting water infrastructure and allocation decisions among others .

The Country Director , Ghana and Regional Representatives for West and Central Africa, Professor Kehinde Ogunjobi in an interview with newsmen at the event highlighted the importance of evidence-based data for farmers, aquaculture, and environmental ministries.

He said that there is need to raise awareness and emphasized the importance of government support for research and developmental projects on climate change and its impact on agriculture, livelihood, and other sectors.

Professor Ogunjobi has implored government to build capacity of people working in the field of climate change and capacitate farmers to turn evidence-based data into reality.

He encouraged the government to do more to support research and address the impact of climate change, which is more evident in the West African region compared to developed countries.

He urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government and institutions like IWMI Ghana to improve the impact of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and improve the livelihood of people in the region.

He noted the political shift in the US, with the previous administration no longer supporting climate change initiatives, emphasizing the need for Africa to look inward.

Continue Reading

Trending

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)