NaijaFarmers.com—An AI-powered farm management platform empowering Nigerian smallholder farmers with personalized crop advice, disease detection, real-time market prices, and direct buyer connections—accessible via SMS, web, or low-data mobile app in local languages.
Nigeria's agricultural sector employs over 35% of the population, yet smallholder farmers—who produce 80% of the country's food—face systemic challenges that keep them trapped in poverty cycles:
Knowledge Gap — Limited access to modern farming techniques and agronomists; farmers rely on outdated practices passed down through generations
Crop Disease Losses — Late detection of diseases like cassava mosaic, tomato blight, and maize streak virus destroys up to 40% of harvests annually
Market Exploitation — Farmers sell at farm-gate prices to middlemen, often receiving just 20-30% of final market value
Connectivity Barriers — Most farming communities have limited internet access, making smartphone-dependent solutions impractical
Language Exclusion — Agricultural resources are predominantly in English, excluding farmers who communicate in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, or Pidgin
NaijaFarmers democratizes agricultural intelligence for Nigerian smallholder farmers through an AI-powered platform accessible across multiple channels:
AI Crop Advisor — Personalized farming recommendations based on location, soil type, season, and crop selection powered by Google Gemini
Disease Detection — Image-based crop disease identification with treatment recommendations, accessible even via WhatsApp photo sharing
Real-Time Market Prices — Daily price updates from major markets across Nigeria, helping farmers decide when and where to sell
Buyer Marketplace — Direct connections between farmers and buyers (aggregators, processors, exporters), eliminating exploitative middlemen
Multi-Channel Access — Same intelligence delivered via web app, low-data mobile app, SMS, USSD, and WhatsApp
Local Language Support — Full platform availability in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo
Built with a channel-agnostic architecture optimized for Nigeria's diverse connectivity landscape:
Frontend: Next.js with TypeScript for the web platform; React Native for the low-data mobile app
Backend: Node.js with PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM for reliable data management
AI Integration: Google Gemini API for crop advice, disease identification, and natural language processing
SMS/USSD Gateway: Integration with Africa's Talking for SMS-based interactions and USSD menus
WhatsApp Business API: Automated chatbot for disease detection and market price queries
Offline Capabilities: Progressive Web App with aggressive caching; mobile app stores critical data locally
Image Optimization: Compressed image processing for disease detection over low-bandwidth connections
Geolocation: Weather and market data tailored to farmer's specific LGA and state
Smart Planting Calendar — AI-generated planting schedules based on local weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop cycles
Photo Disease Diagnosis — Snap a photo of affected crops; receive instant diagnosis and treatment plans
Input Calculator — Precise fertilizer, seed, and pesticide recommendations based on farm size and crop type
Weather Alerts — Localized weather forecasts with actionable farming advice (when to plant, irrigate, harvest)
Market Price Dashboard — Live prices from Mile 12 (Lagos), Dawanau (Kano), Bodija (Ibadan), and 20+ major markets
Buyer Matching — Algorithm connects farmers with verified buyers based on crop type, quantity, and location
Farmer Groups — Cooperative management tools for collective bargaining and bulk sales
SMS Farming Tips — Weekly SMS tips in local language, no smartphone required
Input Marketplace — Verified sellers for seeds, fertilizers, and equipment with farmer reviews
Farm Records — Simple record-keeping for expenses, yields, and income tracking
Feature | NaijaFarmers | Farmcrowdy | ThriveAgric | Hello Tractor | Extension Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AI-Powered Advice | ✅ Gemini-powered personalization | ❌ Investment focus | ❌ Supply chain focus | ❌ Equipment only | ❌ Generic pamphlets |
Disease Detection | ✅ Image-based AI diagnosis | ❌ Not available | ❌ Not available | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Manual, delayed |
SMS/USSD Access | ✅ Full platform via SMS | ❌ App only | ❌ App only | ⚠️ SMS booking only | ❌ In-person only |
Local Language Support | ✅ 5 languages + Pidgin | ❌ English only | ❌ English only | ❌ English only | ⚠️ Varies by agent |
Real-Time Market Prices | ✅ 20+ markets daily | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Internal only | ❌ Not available | ❌ Outdated data |
Direct Buyer Connection | ✅ Open marketplace | ❌ Farmcrowdy buys only | ✅ ThriveAgric network | ❌ Not applicable | ❌ Middlemen dependent |
Offline Functionality | ✅ PWA + local storage | ❌ Requires internet | ❌ Requires internet | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ In-person |
Low-Data Mobile App | ✅ Under 5MB, optimized | ❌ Heavy app | ❌ Heavy app | ⚠️ Standard app | ❌ Not applicable |
Free Tier Available | ✅ Core features free | ❌ Investment required | ❌ Contract required | ❌ Rental fees | ✅ Government funded |
Crop Coverage | ✅ 30+ crops | ⚠️ Select crops | ⚠️ Select crops | ❌ Not applicable | ⚠️ Limited expertise |
WhatsApp Integration | ✅ Full chatbot | ❌ Not available | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Basic support | ❌ Not available |
Channel-Agnostic Intelligence — Whether a farmer has a smartphone in Lagos or a basic phone in rural Zamfara, they access the same AI-powered advice via their preferred channel
Truly Local — We don't just translate; we localize. Our AI understands that "ọkà" means maize in Yoruba, and that Northern farmers need Hausa-language voice notes
Disease Detection for the Masses — Other platforms require agronomist visits; we bring diagnosis to any farmer with a camera phone or access to WhatsApp
Market Transparency — Real-time prices from 20+ markets eliminate information asymmetry that middlemen exploit
No Investment Required — Unlike agri-fintech platforms that require farmers to take loans or investments, our core tools are free—farmers retain 100% ownership
Connectivity-Resilient — 2G SMS works when apps fail; our USSD menus work on ₦3,000 feature phones
Cooperative Empowerment — Group features help farmers organize, negotiate collectively, and access bulk pricing
Metric | Launch Target | 6-Month Goal | 12-Month Goal | 24-Month Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Registered Farmers | 5,000 | 50,000 | 200,000 | 1,000,000 |
Active Monthly Users | 2,000 | 25,000 | 100,000 | 500,000 |
SMS Subscribers | 3,000 | 30,000 | 150,000 | 750,000 |
Disease Diagnoses | 500 | 10,000 | 50,000 | 250,000 |
Buyer-Farmer Connections | 100 | 2,000 | 15,000 | 75,000 |
Cooperative Groups | 50 | 500 | 2,500 | 10,000 |
Metric | Baseline (Without Platform) | Target Impact |
|---|---|---|
Crop Loss to Disease | 30-40% | Reduce to 10-15% |
Farm-Gate Price Received | 20-30% of market value | Increase to 60-70% |
Access to Market Information | 15% of farmers | 80% of registered farmers |
Time to Disease Diagnosis | 5-14 days (extension worker) | < 5 minutes |
Agronomist Advice Access | 1 per 5,000 farmers | Unlimited AI access |
Metric | Target |
|---|---|
Web App Load Time | < 2 seconds on 3G |
Mobile App Size | < 5MB download |
SMS Response Time | < 30 seconds |
Disease Detection Accuracy | 85%+ |
API Uptime | 99.5% |
Image Processing (Low Bandwidth) | < 10 seconds on 2G |
USSD Session Success Rate | 95%+ |
Offline Data Sync | Automatic on reconnection |
Metric | Launch | 6-Month | 12-Month |
|---|---|---|---|
States Covered | 6 agricultural states | 18 states | All 36 + FCT |
Markets Tracked | 10 major markets | 20 markets | 50+ markets |
Languages Supported | English, Pidgin, Hausa | + Yoruba, Igbo | + Fulfulde, Tiv |
Crops in Database | 15 staple crops | 25 crops | 40+ crops |
Disease Library | 50 common diseases | 100 diseases | 200+ diseases |
Metric | Target |
|---|---|
Weekly Active Rate (WAU/MAU) | 60%+ |
SMS Open Rate | 85%+ |
Disease Photo Submissions/User | 3+ per season |
Market Price Check Frequency | 4+ times per week |
Buyer Response Rate | 70% within 24 hours |
Farmer Satisfaction Score | 4.5+ / 5.0 |
Referral Rate | 40% (farmer-to-farmer) |
Revenue Stream | 6-Month | 12-Month | 24-Month |
|---|---|---|---|
Premium Subscriptions | ₦2M | ₦15M | ₦75M |
Buyer Transaction Fees | ₦1M | ₦10M | ₦50M |
Input Marketplace Commission | ₦500K | ₦5M | ₦25M |
Data & Insights (B2B) | ₦0 | ₦3M | ₦20M |
Partner Integrations | ₦500K | ₦2M | ₦10M |
Total Revenue | ₦4M | ₦35M | ₦180M |
Impact Area | 12-Month Goal | 24-Month Goal |
|---|---|---|
Farmer Income Increase | 25% average | 40% average |
Women Farmers Reached | 40% of user base | 45% of user base |
Youth Farmers (Under 35) | 30% of user base | 35% of user base |
Smallholder Farms (< 2 hectares) | 80% of users | 75% of users |
First-Time Digital Users | 50% of signups | 40% of signups |
Layer | Technology | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
Web Frontend | Next.js 15, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS | SEO, performance, maintainability |
Mobile App | React Native | Cross-platform, code sharing, low-data optimization |
Backend API | Node.js, Express | JavaScript ecosystem, async performance |
Database | PostgreSQL + Prisma | Relational integrity, geospatial queries |
AI/ML | Google Gemini API | Multilingual NLP, image analysis, conversational AI |
SMS/USSD | Africa's Talking | Pan-African coverage, reliable delivery |
WhatsApp Business API | Ubiquitous in Nigeria, media support | |
Payments | Paystack, Flutterwave | Local cards, bank transfers, USSD payments |
Maps/Weather | OpenWeatherMap, Google Maps | Localized forecasts, farm mapping |
Hosting | VPS (Web), AWS (API) | Edge performance, Nigerian region proximity |
CDN | Cloudflare | Image optimization, DDoS protection |
