Farmers need access to bigger consumer markets, the right digital skills, and cost-effective agricultural technology to improve their livelihoods and upgrade their farming practices, according to a panel at the G20 Global Forum on Digital Agriculture.
Pinduoduo, China’s most significant agricultural platform, shared its “Tech for Agri” approach at the forum, which was held in Bali, Indonesia on 27th September before the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting. The company serves nearly 900 million consumers and has helped 16 million farmers connect to the digital economy through its platform.
Pinduoduo has sought to use technological innovation and scale of consumer demand to break down some of the traditional barriers holding back agriculture. Its “Tech for Agri” approach is focused on the three major areas of improving market access, increasing digital literacy and inclusion, and facilitating the development and adoption of cost-effective agritech solutions.
E-commerce has given farmers and co-operatives the ability to skip multiple layers of intermediaries and connect directly with consumers, thereby increasing their access to a much wider pool of buyers than traditional wholesale channels. Pinduoduo has helped a billion consumers discover new agricultural products through its platform, channeling consumer demand to agricultural producers and boosting their incomes.
To ensure that farmers are equipped with the right digital skills to take advantage of e-commerce, Pinduoduo conducts online courses to teach producers how to start and grow their online businesses. The company has also trained more than 100,000 “New Farmers” to date as part of efforts to encourage more youths to get involved in agriculture. Many of these agricultural entrepreneurs have gone on start businesses and create employment opportunities for others in their rural communities.
Pinduoduo also works with several top universities from around the world to develop practical and cost-effective technology to help boost agricultural productivity and farmer incomes. It also organizes the annual Smart Agriculture Competition, a precision farming contest that gathers data from scientists and agricultural researchers to develop easy-to-use technology that is suited to the needs of smallholder farmers. Many participating teams have gone to deploy their research to working farmers, helping producers to increase their yields and improve their livelihoods.
