Empowering rural smallholders in Turkey through digital marketing and business solutions in post COVID-19 period
Report on the adoption and impact of digital marketing and business solutions in agriculture
DescriptionOverview of the initiative and its approach.
The “Empowering rural smallholders in Turkey through digital marketing and business solutions in post COVID-19 period” report, prepared jointly by IFAD, FAO and the UNDP with technical support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF) of Türkye, assesses the availability of digital business solutions in the agriculture sector and the demand for these services among rural smallholders in Türkiye. This report should be considered a second phase study, referring to the results of the Rapid Impact Assessment report published in 2020. The document presents a series of policy recommendations on how to promote the use of digital platforms, particularly among smallholder farmers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers faced challenges in gaining access to product markets, labour, inputs and capital markets, and digital platforms at the time provided farmers with the opportunity to mitigate the influence of the pandemic on agriculture, especially for marketing. This report focuses in particular on the digital platforms operated by government bodies, private companies and non-profit organizations in support of the marketing of agricultural products, agricultural extension services, agricultural input purchases and rural finance, and showcases how these technologies have the potential to support farmers that are still suffer the effects of the pandemic in overcoming the above-mentioned challenges. To determine the needs of farmers and to assess the demand for digital technologies, an online survey was conducted with farmers in the regions where IFAD-funded projects are being implemented by the MoAF, to which a total of 56 farmers belonging to farmers’ cooperatives or producers’ unions responded.
TechnologyTechnology used by the initiative.
A series of digital platforms are mapped and showcased in the report, including solutions such as DİTAP that make use of big data and cloud technologies. These platforms put producers in touch with multiple potential buyers at the sales stage, with access to real-time market price information and opportunities for secure contract farming. Digital retail shopping platforms are also showcased, such as PttAVM, supported by the national postal service and that uses e-commerce and e-payment technologies and also GPS technology for logistics. NAHIL is another digital shopping platform that supports the sales of the outputs of women’s cooperatives and uses the profits to support the well-being of women. Tarfin, on the other hand, makes use of a combination of AI, big data, e-commerce and mobile apps to provide farmers with access to agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, seeds and feed, with deferred payment, based on an agricultural risk scoring model. The report also highlights digital platforms that promote education for farmers, such as the Agriculture and Forestry Academy and its online classes, Agriculture TV and cloud-based digital library, offering farmers the opportunity to attend online classes on a wide variety of topics, ranging from plant production to agricultural technologies. The Farmers’ Academy, on the other hand, delivers agricultural information through web-based applications linked to the Agriculture and Forestry Academy with the support of a public university. Furthermore, farmers can access insurance through the web- and cloud technology-based TARSİM, while access to loans is facilitated through e-payment and web-based applications offered by Ziraat Bank, İş Bank and Şekerbank. Şekerbank's Harvest Card in particular can be used to access specialized agricultural credit.
TargetUsers, groups, or communities targeted by the initiative.
The report can benefit various stakeholders in Türkiye’s agricultural sector, including agricultural cooperatives, farm advisors, smallholder farmers and rural communities, through its presentation of existing solutions they can be accessed and adopted to improve their marketing and business activities. The report also targets the private sector, presenting the result of the survey and the needs of farmers in terms of digital solutions, which can serve as a guide to companies considering investments in such solutions. Finally, the report targets the public sector, providing recommendations and areas in need of improvement through interventions that support the integration of digital solutions for business and marketing by smallholder farmers, with reflections on the gender division in the sector.
ImpactThe observed or intended effects of the initiative.
The report constitutes a step towards a supply-and-demand analysis of digital platforms in Türkiye, and highlights the factors that could reduce the adoption barriers and increase the use of digital platforms among farmers.
PartnersOrganizations and stakeholders involved in the initiative.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkiye (MOAF)
Four BettersThe FAO Four Betters supported by the initiative.
Better production
Better life
