Digital Tools for Agriculture in Mozambique
Like many African countries, Mozambique has experienced significant growth in digital technology, and agriculture is one sector beginning to benefit from this development. Increased digitalization in agriculture has the potential to improve efficiency, sustainability, and income for small-scale farmers.
The percentage of mobile phone users among farmers in Mozambique is high, and the use of mobile payment services and apps that simplify daily life is increasing. However, the use of digital tools specifically for agriculture remains minimal. Barriers to adoption include poor user-friendliness, lack of offline functionality, and high internet connectivity costs.
Furthermore, small-scale farmers need easy access to credit, especially during off-season periods. However, they often fall outside the formal banking system due to a lack of collateral for loans, a limited number of local lenders, and generally low access to credit.
Norges Vel, in collaboration with the company Hiveonline, has introduced the digital tool My.Coop in Mozambique to address these barriers.
Goal
This initiative is a sub-project of “Sustainable Value Chains for Cashew and Peanuts in Mozambique”, which aims to increase small-scale farmers’ incomes, support the commercialization of the sector, and enhance the efficiency of value chains.
My.Coop will assist small-scale farmers in planning growing seasons, finding buyers for their nuts, and accessing loans. Additionally, the tool will provide agricultural cooperatives with solutions for more efficient operations.
About the project
During the project period, the following key activities will be implemented to achieve the overall objectives:
1. Training and Capacity Building – Small-scale farmers will be trained in using My.Coop as an effective digital tool for managing the production and sale of cashews and peanuts.
2. Market Access – Establishing a network of buyers within the system to improve farmers’ access to buyers, as well as providing real-time market price information, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about when and where to sell their products.
3. Access to Financial Services – Developing the system and securing agreements to connect small-scale farmers with lenders and other service providers, facilitating easier access to credit, loans, and insurance.
4. My.Coop for Cooperatives – Implementing the app within cooperatives to streamline operations, improve financial management, enhance communication among members, facilitate sales revenue payouts, manage membership, organize training sessions, improve data collection and analysis, and more.
5. Gender Equality and Fair Economic Distribution – Providing access to information and resources to empower women and young farmers by ensuring equal access to resources, training, and markets through My.Coop.
6. Collaboration with Other Digital Tools – Developing and enabling integration and data exchange with other systems such as weather forecasting services and ConnectCaju (the cashew sector’s mobile app) to strengthen value chains and access to information.
Norges Vel’s Role and Contributions
• Project management and quality assurance
• Primary contact for system owner Hiveonline
• Coordination of design, system development, and implementation of My.Coop with partners
• Advisory support on export, contracts, and business processes