Agritech for Women Farmers 2024

Recommendation 1: Product The first stage is to design a product that caters to the needs of each customer segment, including women. While designing gender-inclusive agricultural technologies, it is crucial for technology service providers to adopt a bottom-up approach. This approach involves engaging directly with the end-users – women farmers, in this case, right from the start of the design process. Some of the ways in which gender inclusiveness can be integrated into the design phase include: 1. Create a user-friendly interface and experience: For farmer-facing applications, technology service providers should create a UI/UX (user interface/user experience) that is intuitive and user-friendly. They should also take into consideration the varying levels of digital literacy and access to technology among women farmers. For instance, in the case of dynamic advisory services, visuals and videos are generally seen to perform better compared to text messages. Similarly, providing local language support in audio can help establish trust and uptake. It is also necessary to limit clutter on applications to allow easier visibility of core features. While developing wireframes for user interface and experience, service providers should co-design elements with focus groups of women farmers to understand their preferences. 2. Study and analyse the participation of women in different value chains: Certain value chains have a predominance of women farmers. For instance, women comprise a critical part of plantation-linked supply chains like tea and cotton. Technology companies can significantly lower their cost of acquiring women farmers by focusing on value chains with higher female participation, as acquisition costs tend to be higher in value chains with limited female involvement. 3. Test initial prototypes of the solution with women: Traditionally, most technology solutions catering to farmers have been tested with men as they are relatively easier to mobilize. However, rather than assuming that men and women form a homogenous group with similar requirements, it is essential to involve women in testing prototypes after any technology solution is developed. By engaging women in the initial test process, companies can gather feedback on the product’s relevance, usability and effectiveness. 4. Use media and channels that overcome existing barriers: In several contexts, women farmers may have limited access to smartphones. In such cases, technology solution providers could consider “low-tech” channels such as radio or interactive voice response (IVR) for sharing advisory with women farmers. 5. Collect gender-disaggregated data: Service providers should focus on collecting gender- disaggregated data during data collection exercises. This data should be used throughout the technology life cycle to continually refine and enhance products to better meet the needs of women farmers. Recommendation 2: Price After a product is designed, service providers should encourage uptake by making it affordable for women farmers. This can be achieved through several strategies: 1. Consider bundling services: Combining financial services (such as insurance and credit) with agricultural services (like advisory and market connections) can address cost barriers and enhance adoption among women farmers. For example, pilots have successfully bundled digital solutions, such as insurance, with everyday household products like table salt. In many emerging economies, where women typically handle household purchases, such bundling strategies can facilitate greater uptake of digital technologies without the customer explicitly paying for agritech. 2. Pilot alternate revenue models: To improve affordability, service providers should also consider alternate revenue models such as commission-based models or pay-as-you-go structures. For instance, agritech focused on e-commerce or market linkages could derive revenue as a percentage of every successful transaction. Similarly, for asset-heavy technologies, technology service providers can consider equal monthly instalments or pay-as- you-go models channelled through women’s savings groups. Agritech for Women Farmers: A Business Case for Inclusive Growth 19