Thrive Agric ,an agritech startup based in Abuja has launched a one-year project that focuses on supporting 50 000 smallholder farmers growing rice, maize and soybean .The programme is being supported and conducted with the USAID–funded West Africa Trade & Investment Hub (Trade Hub) backing this effort with a $1.75-million co-investment grant.
As part of the partnership with the Trade Hub, Thrive Agric has committed to raising at least $10-million to fund this support.
Launched in 2016, Thrive Agric aims at empowering smallholder African farmers by removing the existing barriers to gaining access to capital and financial services, data driven best practices and technology. The startup focuses on enabling smallholder farmers with access to local and global markets to increase their overall profit.
So far, Thrive Agric has offered assistance to more than 140 000 Nigerian farmers by increasing their capacities to meet supply, quality and food safety standards set out by domestic and international export markets.
The initiative forms part of Thrive Agric’s commitment to strengthening value chains in Nigeria. The selected beneficiaries of the programme will be either women or young smallholder farmers.Smallholder farmers in Kaduna, Kebbi and Kano states will be targeted in the programme.
The 50,000 smallholder farmers selected to participate in the project will receive agronomy advisory services ,pre-and post-harvest storage and logistics support, links to credit and agriculture insurance products, and access to the company’s current and future mobile apps.
The project is set to produce at least 50,000 metric tons of rice, maize, and soybean by the end of the 2021 season, which will be sold to premium markets and result in farmers enjoying higher-than-normal incomes.
