INNOV ATION TO SUPPORT SMALLHOLDER A GRICULTURE
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Founded in 2014, Hello Tractor connects tractor owners and smallholder farmers in sub- Saharan Africa through a
digital tractor sharing mobile app. It’s helping to cut farming costs by up to 40 percent in some instances and is
planning to enter new markets such as Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Bangladesh. The social enterprise’s founder Jehiel Oliver answers our questions. Interview by Steve Hughes
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How does Hello Tractor work? We are the first technology offering designed specifically for the compact tractor (sub- 100hp) segment – a market that is growing at close to two million new tractors a year. Most buyers of compact tractors purchase these machines as a business opportunity, earning income by providing a tractor service for hire. Our fleet management solutions provide insights to de-risk and improve service delivery, making sure tractor owner enjoy success while delivering market-led, sustainable services to smallholder farmers. We have reached over 250,000 smallholder farmers in Africa and are helping them cut costs by about 40 percent on land preparation activities.
Do you see yourselves as social innovators – or were you simply filling a gap in the market? The idea of Hello Tractor came about because of my experience working in global finance and agriculture. I could see first-hand the challenges that smallholder farmers face in accessing machinery to cultivate their land. Tractors
and other farm equipment are expensive and financing is almost non-existent. I realized being able to access a tractor is as good as owning a tractor. This was the rationale. Hello Tractor uses technology to proffer a solution to the challenge of global food security through a unique approach. This puts us at the forefront of social innovation. We’re proud of our technology offering, which has not only helped us capture 75 percent of the new tractors sold into the Nigerian market, but it’s also allowed us to scale our business into new markets such as Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as Bangladesh.
How important is innovation when it comes to development? The development of any economy is dependent on investments in infrastructural facilities as well as technologies for advancement. The lack of innovation and infrastructure often slows down productivity, which, in turn, leads to a decline in growth. I would say that more attention needs to be given to these areas as it’s the only way to ensure sustainable growth within an economy.
PHOTOS: Hello Tractor
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