Kilimo BaNDO – Empowering smallholder farmers with comprehensive digital solutions for sustainable growth.
In Tanzania, smallholder farmers constitute the backbone of the agricultural sector, playing a pivotal role in ensuring food security and driving rural economic growth. Despite their significance, these farmers often face challenges such as limited access to quality inputs, financial services, and reliable market linkages.
Addressing these issues, Kilimo BaNDO (site), a digital platform from software development company Bizy Tech, offers integrated solutions tailored to the needs of small-scale farmers. “We identified inefficiencies in access to quality inputs, timely financing, and reliable market linkages for over nine million smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Current solutions lack integration and scalability, making our platform uniquely positioned to fill this gap,” said Rahim Shoo, chief of product and business development.
Comprehensive Service Offerings
Kilimo BaNDO provides a suite of services designed to enhance various aspects of farming operations:
- Kilimo Bora: This service delivers agronomy advice, focusing on soil health and crop maintenance, to help farmers cultivate high-quality produce.
- Kilimo Akiba: Encouraging financial inclusion, Kilimo Akiba enables farmers to save steadily within the formal banking system, laying the foundation for securing essential agricultural services during planting seasons.
- Kilimo Bima: Offering insurance coverage for crops, health, life, and equipment, Kilimo Bima aims to protect farmers against unforeseen challenges that could disrupt production.
- Kilimo Mkopo: By collaborating with financial institutions, Kilimo Mkopo provides accessible loans, empowering farmers to invest in their farms and adopt sustainable practices.
- Kilimo Soko: This component facilitates market linkages, ensuring farmers have access to reliable markets for their produce.
Technological Integration and Adoption
The platform has gained significant traction, with 1.8 million farmers actively utilizing KILIMO BaNDO’s infrastructure for input access and financial services. “Adoption is growing as we expand our network of agro-dealers, financial institutions, and rural agents,” Shoo said.
Strategic Partnerships and Financial Backing
Kilimo BaNDO’s growth is bolstered by strategic collaborations and financial support from notable organizations such as the MasterCard Foundation, CRDB Bank, UNDP Funguo Catalytic Fund, UNCDF Tanzania, and the GSMA Innovation Fund. These partnerships have facilitated the platform’s expansion and service delivery. The system is fundeded through a subscription service according to Shoo, ““We generate revenue through subscription fees for Kilimo Bora and AgriMerchant services, a transaction-based model on inputs, and revenue share from partnerships with financial institutions. Current revenues are growing as we scale operations, with profitability expected within the next nine months with completion of expected fundraising,” he said.
Future Expansion Plans
Looking ahead, Kilimo BaNDO aims to scale its operations to neighboring countries in the Great Lakes region, with an ultimate goal of serving the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. This expansion aligns with the platform’s mission to empower smallholder farmers across the continent, enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Kilimo BaNDO exemplifies how digital integration can revolutionize agriculture by providing smallholder farmers with the tools and resources necessary for success. Through its comprehensive services, technological accessibility, and strategic partnerships, the platform is transforming Tanzania’s agricultural landscape, offering a model that could be replicated across Africa to promote sustainable agricultural development.
For more stories of agriculture, visit our dedicated archives.