Tech in Africa
Thrive Agric, a Nigeria agritech offering smallholder farmers access to finance, high-quality farm inputs, data-driven advisory services, and a marketplace for their produce. The tech-driven startup is looking to support over 50,000 smallholder farmers around Kaduna, Kano, and Kebbi states, growing rice, soybeans, and maize. This is part of its commitment to strengthening agricultural value chains across the country.
The one-year ambitious plan by Thrive Agric is financed by the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub (Trade Hub) which is USAID-funded, through a $1.75 million co-investment grant. Aside from this capital infusion, Thrive Agric is looking to raise $10 million for the endeavor.
Thrive Agric has already supported over 140,000 farmers across Nigeria, with the support required to increase the capacity of their supplies, quality, and food safety standards for both the domestic and export markets. The company achieved this by bundling a variety of products and services out of the reach of smallholder farmers, distributing them in rural areas through their networks, and partnering with other agricultural organizations to expand these efforts. Participants will receive advisory services, support on pre and post-harvest logistics, link to credit and agricultural insurance products, access to current and future mobile apps.
Thrive Agric uses the Tradr mobile app to give farmers direct access to providers of seeds and inputs, farm machinery, and off-takers. The Tmoni mobile app offers a phone digital wallet used for sending, receiving, saving, and borrowing money.
In the Press release sent to Tech in Africa, Ayodeji Arikawe (CTO), described their approach towards smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, offering them “nuanced support to facilitate their participation in markets” and “increase food security and incomes at the household and national levels.”
