SmartSeeds are information services improving the production, income and food security of vegetable farmers in Indonesia
> Download the SMARTseeds project leaflet
SMARTseeds will implement a financially sustainable information service that supports 100.000 vegetable farmers to increase their production, income, food security and reduces the inputs of water, fertilizer and pesticides. Weather, advisory and market information services will be provided to smallholder farmers. Various other B2B services will generate additional revenues such that subscription fees for smallholder farmers can be kept affordable. The services can easily be extended for other types of crops and/or implemented to other regions in Indonesia. The changing climate gives farmer‘s difficulties in making and consistently using a crop plan. Information on weather forecast and water availability will help farmers adopt a more accurate crop calendar to mitigate the pests and plant diseases related to weather. Information on soil nutrient, estimated price of commodities, and new technology on fertilizer and seeds will help farmers choose the most profitable commodities to be produced. SMARTseeds services will be distributed via interactive SMS and mobile phone app. Farmers will be informed through SMS as well as personal advice via extension officers from EWINDO. B2B clients, like input suppliers, vegetable buyers, farmers groups, farmers with smartphones, financing institutions, government and NGOs can access SMARTseeds via a mobile phone app or through the web portal using a computer or laptop with internet access.
The primary users are chili, tomato and cucumber smallholders in 14 regencies in 3 provinces in Indonesia. All farmers are smallholders with average farmland around 0.5 to 1.0 ha/farmer. Vegetable farming in the 3 provinces in Indonesia has been highly affected by changes in climate, weather patterns and availability of water. It also resulted in changes in the pest and disease profile in farming areas. Previous pesticide treatments are no longer effective. Vegetable farmers also face challenges on limited land tenure, small landholding size of 0.8 to 1 hectare, without the benefit of modern tools and farming methods, good seeds and fertilizer.
The project will assess several business propositions, depending on the communication channel used to the farmers and the B2B clients such as input suppliers, farmer groups, vegetable buyers, government extension agencies, NGOs, MFI‘s and insurance providers. The services will be delivered by paid SMS or a mobile phone app based on a subscription fee to farmers and B2B clients and through the web portal using a computer or laptop with internet access for B2B clients.
The SMARTseeds consortium consists of seven public and private organisations, each with their own expertise:
Lead Organisation:
Partners:
| Country | Indonesia |
| Services | Crop management adviceFertilizer advicePest and disease information/adviceWeather informationMarket information |
| Crops | Chili PepperTomatoCucumber |
| Target groups | Farmer (smallholders)Agri-businessGovernmentNGOFinancial service provider |
| Project start | 2016 |