AFEX Commodities Exchange Ltd.

05/07/2023 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2023 12:46

Code Cash Crop stories: Meet Abubakar and Prince

Applications are now open for the Code Cash Crop 4.0 ag-hackathon, and this year AFEX is calling on ag-hackers from Kenya and Nigeria under the theme 'Scaling Market-Led Solutions.'.

To provide an insight into what Code Cash Crop (CCC) is about, we'll start a short series to share impact stories from previous finalists and winners who have experienced tremendous success in their agribusiness ventures after participating in the CCC ag-hackathon.

As a smallholder farmer himself, Abubakar recognized the challenges facing farmers in his community, including the lack of access to affordable storage options and the difficulty in optimizing supply chains. To address these problems, Abubakar started his business, focused on providing affordable and accessible storage options for smallholder farmers and optimizing supply chains to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

Since participating in CCC 3.0, Abubakar has accomplished his goal of signing up one thousand farmers and acquiring additional arable land for operations; Abubakar has significantly impacted the agricultural landscape of his community in Kaduna State, where his business is based. This is a crucial milestone for Abubakar, demonstrating the potential impact CCC can have on individuals and communities in the agricultural sector. According to Abubakar, the hackathon helped him redefine his ideas, giving him the much-needed clarity to expand his business. Through his participation, Abubakar was also able to connect with other stakeholders in the industry and learn about innovative solutions to address the challenges facing his company.

Another notable success is the story of Prince Achoja, CEO of Ma'aji-Noma, who won the grand prize of 2.5 million Naira at CCC 3.0. In addition to the cash prize, Prince also won a 6-month mentorship at AFEX and a free training program with Arravo, a leading global systems integrator and managed services provider that designs, operates, and optimizes technology environments for businesses. Prince's agro fintech platform is working to integrate financial services built for farmers in poor and remote communities to help them access offline and online financial services, such as payments, savings, thrifts, and loans. This is a game-changer for many small-scale farmers with limited access to financial services because it eliminates the need for a third party like the banks.

Prince started Ma'aji-Noma in February 2021 with the sole focus on fintech, intending to create a platform to serve as a forum for financial innovations. However, as part of developing the problem statement for his CCC 3.0 hackathon, he engaged with farmers in his community and realized that one of the most significant challenges they face is access to information in their native language, compelling Prince to position his start-up to address this pressing need.

Code Cash Crop is more than just a platform for showcasing innovative ideas. It creates a community of individuals passionate about driving change and making a difference in the agricultural sector. The platform also provides a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn from industry experts.

If you are passionate about solving problems and enhancing livelihoods in the agricultural sector by converging technology, finance, and agriculture services to solve problems, drive economic growth, improve food security, and uplift livelihoods in Africa's agricultural industry, then Code Cash Crop 4.0 is for you. These are the challenge areas:

  • The data challenge: Develop a price data mining database that can be accessed through the web or mobile devices, serving as Nigeria's go-to source for pricing information.

  • The extension challenge: Create a USSD application and supporting infrastructure that provides personalized capacity building and real-time agronomy support while also addressing language barriers for an immersive experience.

  • The logistics challenge: Develop a warehousing solution that allows farmers, off-takers, and processors to quickly request storage and logistics services in real time and have their produce dispatched with engaging experiences. The solution should prioritize accessibility and communication, particularly for farmers in rural areas.

Apply today and be part of a community that is driving change and making a difference. Who knows, you could be like Abubakar and Prince, making a significant impact in the agricultural sector and beyond. Apply Now!