This Farmer’s Inside Track podcast kicks off the New Year off with a bang with Samkelo Booi, the co-founder of agritech start-up Abelusi. In this episode, Booi offers insights into the growth of agritech in Mzansi and how farmers can increase their investments to expand their businesses.
Abelusi offers community-based livestock management and a marketplace designed to lessen the challenges faced by smallholder farmers.
Booi says that if you look at Mzansi and its progress in agritech, especially compared to the rest of the continent, there is still room for improvement. He believes it is quite promising from a commercial standpoint but there hasn’t been enough focus on small-scale farming.
“When wanting to adopt technologies, I think one big [thing] is an investment. Farmers need to understand that it is an investment and not something that will yield instant results.”
He adds that farmers must make an investment in order to improve their efficiency and productivity.
Another thing he encourages farmers to consider is the valuable lessons these technologies provide and the accompanying costs.
Benefits of agritech
Booi says the whole ecosystem surrounding farmers is transitioning to the fourth industrial revolution, and that technology in farming is no more a “by the way” or “should I invest?” question.
“Technology can yield more sustainable measures for you to become more productive and also even make more money.”
He adds that farmers may be able to increase their income if they adopt more resource-efficient practices. It’s healthy for farmers to be concerned, as that shows they’re evaluating opportunities critically.
Celebrating #SoilSistas
During the session, we also celebrate this week’s #SoilSister Lihle Lemola. She’s an entrepreneur that started in the luxury retail space that switched to agriculture. This dynamic player shares her agribusiness journey.
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ALSO READ: Investing in agritech to ease farming operations
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