Mastercard Foundation in collaboration with Yo Uganda Limited (“Yo!”), a Ugandan-based technology solutions company has launched a digital platform that seeks to ease farmers’ lives by connecting them to needful farming services in a bid to improve their production and income.
The platform, YoPay Agric which was launched during the 28th National Agriculture Show in Uganda held in Jinja last week by Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) shows how one simple innovation can make farmers’ lives easier – and creating more wealth in the process by helping farmers to solve many of their pressing challenges.
It links farmers to different partners in the agricultural sector. This includes suppliers that sell quality seed and fertilizers, financial institutions such as banks or SACCOs, and buyers from far and near.
Already, more than 350,000 farmers in over 170 farming associations and cooperatives are using YoPay Agric and the number is growing. Farmers who have enrolled have been able to get up to 50% more for their crops and have also reduced the amount of wastage they have.
“This momentum is what excites his team the most: “By year-end, we estimate 1 million farmers in Uganda will benefit from YoPay Agric,” said Daniel Huba, Vice President, Community Pass Market Development at Mastercard.
He added that the innovative solution goes right to the root of where it can do the best, that is, the farmers who want to grow production, incomes, and profitability.
“At Mastercard, we believe that digital inclusion is necessary to put more growers on a path to financial prosperity, and by connecting Uganda’s farmers with this simple digital solution, an exciting new growth journey for each farmer is set in motion. Technology is transforming livelihoods for the better,” he said.
Farmers’ registration
According to the developers, farmers themselves do not even need a smartphone or internet to join the YoPay Agric platform. Instead, agents working at local farming cooperatives can quickly register individual farmers with just a few details about them and their crops.
Participation is then confirmed by an SMS to any ordinary or feature mobile phone. What follows is the beauty of technology as it transforms the value chain – automating harvest collection and payment.
With the crop records captured digitally, farmers and farming cooperatives don’t have to worry about paper reports and the risk associated with losing them.
Yields information, prices and payments
Farming cooperatives receive expected harvest yield information quickly and accurately, so they can swiftly negotiate fair prices with buyers looking to place orders.
Farmers also have a choice in how to receive payment, with the option to take advantage of secure digital payments to a mobile money or bank account, or cash if this is preferred.
Since each harvest and payment are supported by a digital transaction record, farmers automatically build a credible financial history, which is especially useful when the day comes to apply for a loan.
Great prospect
Gerald Begumisa, Managing Director at Yo-Uganda Limited expressed his enthusiasm on the great prospect ahead for the agriculture ecosystem in Uganda.
“At Yo, we are proud that through our partnership with Mastercard and we are committed to connecting farmers to better markets and are also in advance planning to launch Ag focused financial services in partnership with multiple financial institution based on data insights emerging from YoPay Agric,’” said Begumisa.
He noted that bringing farmers into the digital economy creates new jobs, increases competitiveness, and improves food security for communities across Uganda.
YoPay Agric is fuelled by the technology of Farm Pass, the agricultural solution of Mastercard’s Community Pass. This shared interoperable digital platform connects people in the most remote communities to various service providers, making it easier and simpler to benefit from the growing digital economy.
