Road to Empowerment, Part 2: Data Providers
Data providers are the backbone of the HARA data exchange ecosystem. In the HARA Ecosystem, various types of data providers are incentivized to input their data to the exchange. Data companies, cooperatives, field agents, NGOs, farmers, and satellites are all examples of entities that can take up the role of the data provider.
In this second part of the Road to Empowerment series we will focus on the type of data provider for whom HARA hopes to create the biggest impact: smallholder farmers.
The smallholder farmer as a data provider
Smallholder farmers are farmers that grow their crops on a small plot of land, typically no larger than 2 hectares in size. They typically earn at or below the poverty levels in their home countries, and generally have minimal access to modern farming techniques, agricultural data, or market information. In short, these are the people for which HARA could really make a difference.
On the initial deployment, a HARA Field Officer will assist the farmer in using the HARA app to input their basic data. The field officer will make sure that the farmer will from then on be able to independently use the HARA app in an appropriate manner to ensure continuous use.
The farmer will then input the raw data to the HARA app, from which the data will be processed to the HARA Data Exchange. After the data has been processed, the Network Operator will distribute the loyalty points both to the farmer and field officer.
The incentives for the smallholder farmer
Smallholder farmers stand to gain a lot from the HARA Ecosystem. Not only will the data exchange open up an extra source of income to them, the data collected will also help to increase the efficiency of their production.
As mentioned, smallholder farmers are incentivized to input their data in exchange for loyalty points. The loyalty points that farmers earn can then be exchanged for a variety of goods and services at designated kiosks. For example, farmers can use the points to get discounts on agriculture products, phone credits, or school supplies.
Furthermore, the farmers will be able to get access to market information and financial services, as well as get access to precision farming advice which could help them attain greater yields.
The HARA Ecosystem has an incredible potential to improve the lives of millions of smallholder farmers around the globe. This article of the Road to Empowerment series showed how smallholder farmers can participate in the ecosystem as a data provider.
In the next installment, we will take a closer look at the role of data qualifiers.
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