- 
						
						
Supporting Farmers and Food Systems: How Crowdfunding Can Address Funding Challenges for Agricultural SMEs in Africa
Agriculture employs over 70% of the working population in Africa, making it a cornerstone of the continent's economic progress and livelihood development. But as Esther Mweru and Jerry Sellanga at 2SCALE explain, the financial strain of COVID-19 — combined with previously existing market inefficiencies — is putting many vulnerable farmers and agricultural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at risk. They explore how crowdfunding can provide a financial lifeline to these smallholders and businesses, and discuss how 2SCALE is using it to support agribusinesses in Mali, Nigeria and Kenya.
- Categories
 - Agriculture, Finance, Technology
 
 - 
						
						
Bangalore-Based Agritech Robotics Startup TartanSense Raises $5 Million in Series A Funding
TartanSense builds small agricultural robots equipped with AI-assisted computer vision to help small farms reduce their expenditures and improve their incomes.
- Categories
 - Agriculture, Technology
 
- Region
 - Asia Pacific
 
 - 
						
						
Analysis: Making Small Farms More Sustainable — And Profitable
Smallholder farms provide a large proportion of food supply in developing economies, but 40% of these farmers live on less than U.S.$2/day. With a rapidly growing global population it is imperative to improve the productivity and security of farmers making up this sector. This article presents the results of Better Life Farming, an ecosystem that connects smallholder farmers in India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh to the capabilities, products, and services of corporations and NGOs.
- Categories
 - Agriculture
 
- Region
 - Global
 
 - 
						
						
Press Release: Report Reveals African Farmers Are Missing Out on Agritech Innovations That Could Supercharge the Sector With Opportunities for Youth
The report points to the need for new investments to stimulate access to innovations that could encourage African youth to work in the agriculture sector.
- Categories
 - Agriculture, Technology
 
- Region
 - Sub-Saharan Africa
 
 - 
						
						
Sizing up How Agriculture Connects to Deforestation
Using satellite data from the past two decades, scientists are starting to pinpoint which crops and farming styles have lasting impacts on forests.
- Categories
 - Agriculture
 
- Region
 - Global
 
 - 
						
						
Press Release: Ignitia Closes USD 4.2 Million Financing Round to Fuel Expansion
The funds will be used to expand Ignitia's agricultural decision-making support into the Brazilian market, as well as extend its Sub-Saharan Africa footprint to new markets.
- Categories
 - Agriculture
 
- Region
 - Global
 
 - 
						
						
$58 Million From Acumen for Climate Resilience of Smallholder Farmers
Funded by several international financial institutions, the Acumen Agricultural Resilience Fund (ARAF) will work in several countries affected by climate change, most of which are in Africa.
- Categories
 - Agriculture, Environment
 
- Region
 - Sub-Saharan Africa
 
 - 
						
						
UNCDF Launches Initiative to Address Challenges Faced by Smallholder Farmers in Asia, Africa
The challenge will help address challenges faced by smallholder farmers around productivity, climate change and supply chain, by also working alongside International Fund for Agricultural Development.
- Categories
 - Agriculture, Technology
 
- Region
 - Global
 
- Tags
 - SDGs, smallholder farmers