Farmshine is a Nairobi based agritech startup founded in 2016 that runs a global agriculture platform where farmers, buyers and service providers can trade on mutually beneficial terms.
Farmshine’s platform connects farmers with the information, suppliers and service providers they need to minimize costs and maximize harvests. Farmshine’s technical field agents provide farmers with advice and support throughout the growing season, helping them to increase crop productivity while practicing climate smart agriculture techniques.
The company’s ultimate objective is to create an efficient market environment in which farmers can earn the highest possible income through a combination of increased crop productivity and higher contract prices for crops.
Investment Rationale
Women are often excluded from the formal economy in Kenya, and it is difficult for them to find better opportunities or higher paying work. Farmshine’s platform enables women, who constitute 70% of its farmers, to receive significantly higher incomes by providing access to completely transparent pricing information before they plant, as well as the freedom to select the buyer they would like to supply to.
In addition to growing more crops and receiving higher prices, women will receive an economic identity and trade history. Farmshine’s app records quantity, quality and timeliness of each harvest sold, as well as loan repayments, trainings received, and other indications of a successful, reliable farmer. Based on this, women will be able to apply for small loans, purchase inputs on credit and access more profitable growing opportunities with the entire agricultural ecosystem in Kenya and beyond
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