eSusFarm®: Empowering Smallholder Farmers through Integrated Data-Driven Solutions



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https://tapipedia.org/sites/default/files/_esusfarm_uganda.pdf
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Rights subject to owner's permission
Type: 
project
Author(s): 
International University of East Africa (IUEA)
Description: 

This project aims to enhance food security in Uganda, aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2, focusing on "No Poverty" and "Zero Hunger." The key objectives include digitizing and commercializing smallholder farmers, improving their market access, ensuring product quality through traceability, and boosting household incomes. The approach involves the development of a user-friendly mobile application and web platform, eSusFarm®, which enables farmers to input, access, and share crucial agricultural data. The platform collaborates with various entities to improve decision-making and efficiency across the agricultural ecosystem.

Results show significant progress, as smallholder farmers gain access to markets, with real-time data helping development agencies, researchers, and financial institutions tailor their support. Additionally, eSusFarm®'s quality assurance system has improved product traceability, ensuring consistent high-quality produce. The solution addresses key challenges like market access, data gaps, and quality control, contributing to poverty reduction, food security, and economic development in rural Uganda. 

Despite its success, the platform faces limitations such as low adoption due to lack of awareness and varying infrastructure conditions. However, eSusFarm® stands out as an innovative agri-fintech solution, integrating both online and offline tools to monitor farmer behavior and improve agricultural productivity. It introduces real-time data collection to forecast food production, a capability previously unavailable for smallholder farmers.

Publication year: 
2025
Keywords: 
agri-food value chains
Smallholder farmers
Agricultural production systems
agricultural data