Crop2Cash embarked on an ambitious journey to alleviate hunger by providing vital financial support to smallholder farmers. Yet, transforming this vision into a viable enterprise proved to be far more intricate than anticipated. Initial efforts to introduce digital tools fell short, as they failed to connect with the farmers they intended to serve. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated operations, and building trust within farming communities became a slow, deliberate process.
This narrative reveals the valuable lessons a startup learned about the necessity of deeply understanding its audience before delivering impactful solutions.
The Beginning: A Vision in Need of Adaptation
Crop2Cash was launched on May 18, 2018, by three university friends who met through a competition: Seyi Alabi, an expert in agronomy; Michael Ogundare, a tech innovator; and Emem Essien, a committed partner. United by a shared mission, they sought to tackle hunger through cutting-edge technology.
Their initial offering was a chatbot on Facebook Messenger designed to help farmers market their produce and reduce post-harvest waste. However, they quickly encountered a significant barrier: the majority of their target farmers rarely used Facebook. Many lacked smartphones or reliable internet, making the chatbot ineffective. This experience underscored a vital insight-developing a product without a thorough grasp of users’ everyday circumstances leads to failure.
Pivoting Focus and Building Credibility
After the chatbot’s lukewarm reception, the team pivoted to create SupplyBase, a digital platform intended to optimize supply chains for large-scale agribusinesses. Despite its promise, adoption was slow, and the platform did not meet expectations.
Simultaneously, they introduced a straightforward financial product tailored specifically for farmers, which began to gain traction. Motivated by this success, they gradually phased out SupplyBase to concentrate fully on this fintech solution.
The primary challenge was not the technology itself but earning the confidence of farmers. “Many have been deceived by scams and false promises,” Alabi noted. To these communities, the Crop2Cash team appeared as “young, tech-savvy Lagos natives” without a track record.
To bridge this trust gap, the founders left their urban offices and visited rural areas in Nigerian states such as Oyo, Kaduna, and Kano. They engaged farmers directly, developed tools in local languages, and ensured their services worked on basic mobile phones with little or no internet connectivity. Crucially, they never requested upfront payments, understanding that trust must be earned before any financial exchange.
Just as momentum was building, the COVID-19 crisis struck, severely disrupting their operations. “Everything changed during and after the pandemic,” Alabi reflected. The company lost partners, team members, and access to farming communities due to travel restrictions, while financial resources became scarce.
At their lowest point, while negotiating investment deals, funds were nearly depleted. The founders chose to forgo their salaries for almost three months to ensure their employees were compensated. This period was marked by sacrifice and unwavering commitment to keep the venture afloat.
From these trials, they adopted a core philosophy: prioritize simplicity over complexity. “My daily goal is to make our services accessible to rural farmers,” Alabi emphasized. Before launching any new feature, they ask, “Can a 50-year-old farmer without a smartphone or formal education use this?” If the answer is no, the idea is discarded.
Approaching Three Years: Redefining Success
Their breakthrough was not just about user numbers but a deeper sense of accomplishment. After unveiling their USSD platform, which combined multiple farmer-focused features, Alabi felt confident: “We finally got it right.” This service allows farmers to access financial products and marketplaces without internet access. By dialing a simple code, they can purchase farming inputs, compare prices, and receive payments through a local account supported by Crop2Cash.
The team’s understanding of farmers’ needs has evolved. They recognize that simply offering loans is not enough. “True financial inclusion requires financial education,” Alabi stressed. This means teaching farmers how to manage their money wisely and improve their business acumen. Their vision now centers on empowering farmers to become self-reliant and profitable, rather than dependent on short-term aid.
Recognition from programs like the Google for Startups Accelerator has affirmed their progress. Still, Alabi acknowledges the greatest challenge remains: ensuring loan repayment. “Disbursing loans is the easy part,” he explained. “The real effort lies in monitoring, evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and recovering funds.” This ongoing work extends far beyond the initial excitement of launching a product.
Reflecting on the path from a failed chatbot to a thriving financial service supporting thousands of farmers, Alabi’s advice to his younger self is straightforward: “Prepare yourself-it will be a tough but incredibly fulfilling journey.”