2SCALE is helping to catalyze innovation in agribusiness – but the project usually starts cautiously, with a small pilot program to test a new marketing model, a new financing mechanism, a new type of fertilizer. Many 2SCALE pilots have been successfully concluded and many have transitioned into full-fledged, self-sustaining initiatives.
In 2018, pilots will be tightly targeted and relatively short-duration (six to eight months). Five will be launched in the first quarter of 2018:
- Agri-wallet (Kenya) | Key partner: IT firm Dodore Ltd
AgriWallet is an IT platform that encourages farmers to save and invest. Farmers get an e-wallet into which they can “bank” their savings and later withdraw the money for specific designated uses (mainly input purchases). - myAgro (Mali) | Key partner: myAgro
myAgro is a social enterprise offering smallholder farmers a mobile-phone based “layaway” platform to make regular savings easier and facilitate access to agro-inputs for the next cropping season.
- Service Commercial Silvain (SCS, Mali) | Key partner: SCS
SCS trades in fresh vegetables and aims to expand sales in retail markets. SCS will purchase vegetables from smallholders and grade, clean, and package the produce for sale. 2SCALE and other partners will help improve quality, production methods, and business relationships with other market actors. - Spar Supermarkets (Nigeria) | Lead partner: Artee Group
Spar is setting up a training academy for vegetable farmers; “graduates” will be offered technical support and long-term supply contracts. 2SCALE will focus on mobilization and training; other partners include leading Dutch seed companies. - Onion Value Chain (Nigeria) | Lead partner: Tays Foods
Tays Foods is a woman-headed firm that aims to professionalize the onion value chain in northern Nigeria with quality seeds, improved production methods, better storage, and supply contracts with smallholders. Partners include the Dutch seed company Bejo.
A limited number of new pilots will be launched in the second quarter of 2018, following technical review and viability analysis.
