Description
Agrobiznes is a website that serves as a central hub for the dissemination of a range of information and farming advice, as well as communication services. It is organized into multiple sections, including an area devoted to news and current affairs, a digital library, a weather forecast service, community building and digital transformation initiatives, and agro-educational resources. Agrobiznes also provides access to free specialized commercial services, making it a vital source of information for farmers, organizations and others with interests in the agricultural sector. Agrobiznes delivers daily agricultural news, articles and practical insights. The app addresses also the particular issues encountered by women farmers, with the majority of the editorial team being women. "AgroPodcast2", sponsored by FAO, focuses on specialized agricultural topics and can be accessed through Soundcloud. Bi-weekly newsletters are distributed via email or WhatsApp. The “Agrobiznes digital library” contains over 100 agricultural guidebooks, some in Russian, and has been established in collaboration with USAID and Tekwill. “AgMeteo”, developed with iMetos and Moldova Agroindbank, offers real-time weather data from 100+ stations, aiding in pest and disease prevention. The community initiatives include the Agrobiznes Viber communities and the annual AgTech conference, promoting tech in agriculture. In terms of education, Agrobiznes links to accredited agricultural institutions in Moldova and has hosted the AgTech Academy for young graduates. The app serves also as a job portal, and a Telegram job channel and can be accessed to identify internship opportunities. Finally, the “AgroMag digital marketplace” is a B2B app featuring 50+ companies and 1,500 products, along with a detailed agricultural business directory.
Technology
Agrobiznes is presented as a website, and makes use of a wealth of digital technologies, with a podcast for the broadcasting of news, a real-time Agrometeo widget that garners data from meteorological stations spread across Moldova, instant messaging and social media apps that support knowledge flow, and a base providing agricultural news and insights.
Target
Agrobiznes can be accessed from any smartphone, tablet or PC with an Internet connection. Access to some sections of the website, such as the communities, required access to such instant messaging apps as Viber and WhatsApp. Agrobiznes serves a wide range of stakeholders in Moldova, from small to large-scale farmers, as well as many other entities with vested interests in agriculture. The media entity behind the app offers specialized commercial services and generates revenues through the sale of advertising space, although Agrobiznes is free to use as a source of information. Its value has been acknowledged by local and international organizations engaged in development and agriculture, many of whom have partnered with Agrobiznes.
Business model
The website is free to access and use.
Impact
According to Agrobiznes, the website is visited annually by around 2 million unique visitors. The social network community has around 100,000 followers (through Facebook, Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram and the Newsletter). It is the largest agricultural knowledge and information app in Moldova, and its success has been recognized by local and international organizations, which have created or joined initiatives in collaboration with Agrobiznes users. In 2021, the Romanian Agrobiznes website was launched (agrobiznes.ro), followed in 2022 by the Italian website (agrobiznes.it). These two developments serve as evidence of the replicability of this information technology, and show that the approach implemented in Moldova can be adopted in other countries, despite differences in socio-economic contexts.
Partners
IMetos; Moldova Agroindbank; FAO; USAID
Four Betters
Better production
Better life
