The document discusses a mobile agriculture finance extension initiative called the Community Knowledge Worker (CKW) Initiative. The CKW Initiative aims to address challenges smallholder farmers face, such as limited access to markets, credit, and extension services. It uses a network of CKWs equipped with smartphones loaded with agricultural and financial apps to deliver relevant information and services to farmers. Some key points are: 1) The CKW Initiative has connected over 200,000 farmers across 36 districts, with CKWs using their smartphones to provide farmers information on crops/livestock and conduct surveys. 2) An impact study found the CKW Initiative increased extension services, farmer knowledge, and farmgate prices in the areas served by C

1. Mobile Ag-Finance extension: Community
Knowledge Worker support to rural communities
Paul Ssengooba

2. About Grameen Foundation
Inputs and key
competencies
Domains in which we
can have the greatest
impact
Financial Capital, Human Capital, Technology, Business
model innovation
Financial
services
Agriculture
Health
Themes
Mobile Phones
Reaching the Poorest (targeting women)
Social Performance Management
Solutions we deliver
Relevant and
actionable
information
Appropriate financial
services
Livelihood opportunities
(microfranchises)

3. Challenges: Agriculture
• Limited access to markets
• Inadequate extension services
• Limited access to credit
• Climate change
• Costly and fake agriculture inputs
• Poor rural road infrastructure

4. The Solution: The CKW Initiative

5. The CKW Business-in-a-Box
Smartphone loaded with apps
CKW Search
47 crops + 10 livestock
Images, GPS
Scale
Solar Charger
CKW Pulse
CKW Survey
Simple touch interface Two-way search application
Complex surveys, GPS Individual and group messaging
Training
Marketing Support
Financial Support
Each CKW Business-ina-Box is Funded by
lenders on Kiva.org

6. Current framework:
Framework to Integrate
and Adapt Elements to
Context
A tiered model of tailored content and farmer-to-farmer
delivery is crucial to a scalable solution
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Smartphone
Radio
Video
(Multi-media APPs,
Data, Management)
Via Extension Agent/CKW/ Feedback Loop
Feature Phone
(SMS, USSD, Call Center,
Radio, Data)
Direct to Farmer
Farmer-to-Farmer & Group Outreach
Extension Agent, CKW (Para Extension), Demo Plots, Field Schools etc
Broker inputs
Localization, Media Formats, Local Content & Support
and financial Review Board (official agencies) Local Content Packaging
Executive
services
User Centered Design Knowledge Base Content Management System
Global Research and Content Creation
AFSIS, CABI, AGRA, ToToAgriculture, others
6

7. Progress…
Sustainably improving the lives of small-holder farmers through
access to information and services
36 Districts
208,953
1,200
Farmers Registered
CKWs
1,882,557
19,068
Total
Interactions
1,214,525
Info Searches
10 Content
partners
35%
Villages
Reached
73,200
Surveys
conducted
Female
43%
47+10
Very poor
Crops & Animals
26%
27%
Repeat
Usage
Sustainability
7

8. Impact/ Lessons learnt
• CKW as a change agent for behavior and knowledge
IFPRI Study (CKW vs non-CKW areas)
• 30% increase in extension services
• Increase in farmer knowledge (17%)
• Higher farm gate prices (22%)
• Mobile Technology platform delivers multi-media content
• Performance management and growth plan key for CKWs

9. Lessons Learned
 As CKWs saturate their parishes with farmer registrations,
we shift our focus to repeat farmer interactions to increase
adoption
 Full utilization of agent network for adoption focused
extension ( adoption drive)
• shifting our content tools and approaches from demand
driven extension to proactive outreach
• Farmer grouping structure

10. Beyond Extension
Inputs
• Inputs Marketing
• Negotiation/Orders
• Delivery Facilitation
• Authenticity Verification
• Input Guarantee Facilitation
• Market Prices
• Quality Certification
• Supply Aggregation
• Group Marketing / Sales
• Sale Logistics Facilitation
Agricultural Inputs
Output Markets
Financial Services
Financial Services
• Service Marketing
• Group Mobilization
• Risk Data Collection
• Loan Application
• Loan Monitoring
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• Advance Input Purchase
• Commitment Savings
• Buyer Payments
• Crop insurance
• Marketing
10

11. Financial services - Challenges
• Distance to Financial institutions
General Population
(within 5 km radius)
Poor
population
(5km)
Urban
99%
(4,246,486)
1%
(42, 465)
11.3%
(484,407)
Rural
28.4%
(8,278,713)
71.6%
(20,876,096)
25.5%
(2,823,391)
Total
S
General Population
(Beyond 5 km
radius)
37.5%
(12,526,951)
62.5%
(20,918,560)
28.6%
(3,308,001)
• Lack of knowledge about financial products
• Lack of appropriate products

12. Challenge: Distance and cost of
delivery
• Pilot project with Opportunity Bank – using a trusted community of
persons with smart phones
Bank
•
•
Roles
Training on financial products
Signs up farmers for accounts/loans
Value proposition
•
•
•
Rural
community
GF
CKW
Deeper reach of rural customers
Improved cost of sales for financial products
Reduce risk on loans through ag. extension
•
•
•
Mobilise farmers for financial products
Provide financial literacy
Provide agric. extension services
•
•
•
Improved access to finances
Income smoothing
Earnings from mobilisation activities

13. Conclusion
Platform of rural based persons with smart phones key for
adoption
• Agricultural services
• Financial services
•
.

14. Barriers to finance