Value chains are structured in ways that are unfavourable to smallholder farmers who often struggle to access finance, inputs and markets. An IIED webinar discussed how smallholders in East Africa can use technology to overcome those challenges and negotiate with buyers and input and finance providers from a position of strength.

Farmers in East Africa face challenges in their relationships with other actors in value chains, including information and power asymmetries. With the right set-up, technology can help farmers overcome those challenges by enabling them to come together to establish strong market linkages and access key financial services – while remaining in the driving seat.

IIED hosted a webinar to look at how a digital platform can help link smallholder farmers in East Africa to targeted services and strengthen their position with other actors such as buyers and financial institutions.

The webinar focused on the e-Granary platform. Inspired by a similar project in India, this platform is an ambitious initiative from the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), a non-political, not-for-profit umbrella network of smallholder family farmers from across the region.