Digital technology enabling new business models

For small-scale farmers in Africa, tractors are simply unaffordable. So, while preparing a field for planting might take only 8 hours with a tractor, it could take up to 40 days by hand. Added to this, the labour costs are higher than the costs associated with using a tractor.

In response, Hello Tractor, which operates in Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Bangladesh, sells tractors to contractors who rent them out to farmers in need. The farmers can request a tractor with a text message through the Hello Tractor platform. The tractors are monitored with GPS, allowing owners to check the location of their assets, route travelled, fuel consumed and even maintenance required. Local agents are also in place to support farmers who are not used to making business transactions via phone.

Also active in Nigeria, Jolancer provides a platform for freelancers, connecting them with global demand for skilled labour. Skills offered range from graphic design and software building, to editing films, text and audio recordings.

Founded in 2014, Hello Tractor reached 240,000 smallholder farmers within just a few years of operating. Their technology is installed in 75% of commercial tractors entering Nigeria and they ventured into other countries through strategic partnerships.