Bashaier: Egypt's Agrifood Network

The concept is that small farmers' communities are economically viable if linked to an ICT-supported network that enables their integration in the value chain.

The Bashaier/KEF strategy focuses on 3 main pillars:

1. A digital (web/mobile) platform combining technical and marketing information and an online marketplace as the backbone of sustainable marketing activities. The Bashaier platform includes 10 services: online marketplace; horticulture prices in Egypt and Europe; small farmers database; market buyers database; input suppliers database; agriculture experts database; horticulture crops directory; agriculture investor guide; agriculture projects directory; and horticulture export guide.

   The Bashaier application is designed to provide an opportunity for small-scale farmers to directly market, sell, and buy products with all parties in the agricultural marketing system, whether they are companies, factories, associations, universities or agriculture schools. A key strategy is supplying market and technical information customised to each farmer's location and crop cycle with user-friendly channels that include a call centre and short message service (SMS). In addition to being published on Bashaier.net and on the mobile app (available on the App Store or on Google Play), daily SMSs, customised by crop, are sent to farmers. Technical tips and weather forecasts are sent to farmers 2-3 times per week according to their location.

2. A network of village entrepreneurs with established partnerships with selected co-ops/NGOs that are trained to manage alternative supply chains at the local level, coordinate the bulk offering of small farmers' produce, and monitor contract farming. The village entrepreneurs are supported by Bashaier's co-op/NGO partners and trained in the principles of Farmers Producers Organizations, which combine cooperative and commercial functions.
3. A permanent marketing arm of small farmers. Procedures have been established that are followed by the village entrepreneurs and corresponding co-ops/NGOs. Bashaier on Facebook is a tool to help in this regard.

To generate change within rural communities, the inclusive business approach also provides "rural entrepreneur" opportunities for youth at the local and regional levels. This entails: set-up of "knowledge kiosks" at the village level so that young people can interact as "correspondents" of the Bashaier Marketing Network; mini hubs at the village/farmers association level that combine marketing, sales, logistics, and input supplies management; and identifying opportunities generated by gaps in the agriculture value chains.

Agriculture, Livelihoods

KEF's analysis reveals that the major bottleneck in the agri-food supply chain is the absence of market information and linkages between members of the supply chain, which is hindering small farmers in Egypt. Smallholder farmers dominate Egyptian agriculture, with 70% of the cultivated land in holdings of less than 5 acres. Many sell their staple grain crops through inefficient cooperative groups. Fruit and vegetable producers lack even this support. They are often excluded from all opportunities, except local markets. Their biggest challenge is a lack of marketing knowledge and technical skills to meet quality standards. Furthermore, poor information dissemination in both directions along the supply chain makes it difficult for producers, traders, and retailers to connect quickly. KEF's assessment found that a market support system requires long-term, sustainable private-sector engagement.

The project, which operated from 2014 to 2016, adapted to the needs of fruit and vegetable farmers, traders, and sellers in the Beheira and Minia governorates. KEF claims that, through the project, Bashaier became Egypt's first mobile service linking smallholder farmers to buyers. This opened their access to greater choices and higher incomes. Through the network, approximately 48,000 farmers have directly benefited from deals with various market buyers. On average, these deals are 10% to 20% higher in value than prices received from traders before the Bashaier network emerged.