Being a founder, I share the same experience with my partner co-founder.
My parents were small-scale farmers. I was raised and lived with my grandmother and worked as a small-scale farmer. I have witnessed the suffering of being a small-scale farmer.
Set aside being belittled as helpless poor people . The pain I went through is unforgettable. These painful challenges are still the same challenges facing rural farmers today.
One of the Critical and painful challenge : Lack of Close Agronomic Support. Many farmers do not have close support. Imagine one government agricultural officer responsible for supporting over 3,000 rural farmers manually, most are left struggling with outdated practices on their own. In our village; we had an extension officer called "bibi shamba" in Swahili; from when I was a child to adulthood for more than 17 years I never saw her in our field or even get the support from her. We relied on ourselves for everything. Our lives were lonely and sometimes we felt like we had no value in the society. This is the life of many isolated rural farmers in Africa.
The absence of data-driven agronomy services creates a vicious cycle of low productivity. Many farmers resort to trial-and-error farming, lacking the data to make informed decisions. This not only hinders their yields but also contributes significantly to environmental problems i.e 17% carbon emissions. Without proper knowledge and simple technology tools to assess soil health, crop development, inputs, post harvest practices ; farmers often misuse resources, leading to poor-quality produce that fails to meet market standards. This results in a devastating 50% yield reduction.
These challenges trap farmers in a cycle of poverty, despite having access to over 60% of Africa's arable land. MazaoHub was born out of this very need. We provide a comprehensive solution through our Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. Our approach goes beyond just technology. We utilize the innovative Tech and Touch Model for technology distribution.
Imagine a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology with personalized support. This is what the Tech and Touch Model offers:
MazaoHub empowers smallholder farmers with AI and climate data, enabling them to prosper and regenerate our planet for a food-secure future.
Every farm thriving for people and planet.