Mercy Corps
AGRI-FIN MOBILE PROGRAM
Mercy Corps Zimbabwe, through the Agri-Fin mobile programme has been working closely with EcoFarmer since 2013. The AgriFin Mobile Program is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The programme works with partners to build sustainable models, where farm and crop management tools and financial services are "bundled" and offered via mobile platforms to promote mass uptake commercially. The program targets partners with existing financial, MNO and agricultural technical service mobile platforms, applications or demonstrated interest in developing and investing in them. The overall goal is that smallholders increase and stabilize their incomes and manage their production cycle in a more effective way with the aim to improve livelihoods and increase food security.
Zimbabwe’s smallholder farmers play a vital role in the largely agrarian economy. However, they face a number of challenges that impact their productivity and their contribution to food security. These include limited access to rural advisory services, financial services and limited access to, and interactions with, lucrative markets. Mercy Corps has been working closely with EcoFarmer in the development and roll out of mobile based innovative services.
-
Mercy Corps has worked with EcoFarmer and the World Bank–CGAP & IDEO.org to carry out Human Centered research which has assisted in the design of farmer-centric financial products which are now under development.
-
As a key step towards promoting the uptake of mobile services, Mercy Corps has played a key role in digital & financial literacy training of smallholder farmers which has assisted in driving the uptake and use of EcoFarmer services.
-
Mercy Corps is also working closely with EcoFarmer in designing and promoting the use of the Dial-a-Mudhumeni (Agric Advisor) call centre –(Field & Horticultural Crops Line).
-
The program has fostered a partnership between the Zimbabwe Farmers Union and EcoFarmer. This partnership has seen the development of a product that bundles funeral cover, Weather Index Insurance, union member subscriptions and advisory services, the ZFU EcoFarmer Combo. Mercy Corps is supporting the roll out of this product by supporting development of farmer friendly communication materials, and capacity building of field based agents.