e-Farm

Bangladesh is the land of agriculture, but now world know us for our RMG. It’s good that we are using our human resources properly but sacrifing our agricultural resource. Our farmers lost interest on farming because there is very tiny income in farming because of the intermediaries and syndicates. And after two or three generations there might be no farmers in our country.

The solution is creating an "Online Platform" for the farmers where they can sell products to the retailersor end users directly. 

This solution will motivate our farmers to continue farming by eliminating deceptive intermediaries, enabling more benefits to the farmers and ensuring more values to the end users. So it will keep our agriculture alive for the long run and open the door of export in this sector.   

According to CIA world factbook, 42.7% of total population of Bangladesh is directly involved with agriculture for their living. So we can say around 8 crore people are now living on farming who are depriving of their actual earning because they have to sell the products at a very low price which becomes overpriced and often adulterated when it comes to the end users. So, this is a national problem where a relatively small group of people is controling the market in every sectors of agriculture by making the farmers deprived and also cheating with consumers.

As I am proposing an online marketplace for the farmer, they can sell the products to the authorized wholesalers or retailers or end users at a adequate price. We will also arrange the transportation and distribution in exchange of charges. So it will definitely encourage the future generations to stay on the agro industry and to flourish it by introducing modern business scopes which has demand on local or international market.           

Educating our farmers is the most challenging part of this project because they are not familiar with internet and online market. So, we have to organise "Uthan Boithok" to educate them about the technology and also to encourage the newer generation of the farmers who are educated and tech savvy. 

Another challenge is to promote the platform to the buyers of home and abroad as well. If demand is created then suppliers will automatically come forward to respond.

It will also motimate the farmers to try newer crops or paddy other than the traditional ones. Cultivating foreign crops or vegetables and exporting them can become another opportunity as our online marketplace is staying open for the international buyers as well.                  

I am providing a e-commerce website where farmers are the sellers and anyone can buy from them at an adequate price. I will take a declared commission from every transaction to run my business and also offer them the transportation and distribution support in exchange of a proper pricing. My website will be mobile friendly so anyone can easily make purchases after watching original pictures or live videos.     

My solution is innovative because there is no e-commerce business available in Bangladesh who are directly working with the root level farmers or working for their betterment. I am presenting here a sustainable business model which will also flourish the agricultural industry in future.       

Job market in Bangladesh is too saturated. People are coming to the urban area for better income but not getting a suitable job. But there is shortage of manpower in agro industry due to low income level. As I am creating opportunity for them to earn similar or better than the alternative jobs, they will definitely respond in a positive way.         

I am not serving any people right now because I am in a concept stage. But I hope after launching I will serve at least five hundred thousands people by next one year. And I believe the entire target group which is around 8 crore will be covered by next five years.  

My goal is to make one hundred thousands families to cross the poverty line by doing agriculture business in the online platform by next one year. And our agriculture induatry will grow by at least 35% by next five years.      

First and top barriers are the local intermediaries and syndicates who are currently taking away the farmers' income. But they can be eliminated if we can make our farmers united.

A huge investment is needed at the beginning to promote the business and to educate the farmers which is definitely a challenge.

Agricultural goods are perishable and current roads and transportation condition is not good in our country to distribute them timely. So lack of good transportation system is a barrier. 

Syndicates can be overcomed by the unity and legal actions.

Funding can be managed from local or international organisations.

Using freelance local transporters can eliminate the transportation barrier.      

Currently: only me.

3W model is more preferred by me. Farmes are going to win by getting higher prices directly from the retailers or customers. Customers are winning because they are getting fresh products because there is no intermediary to mix formalin. And my organisation will win by taking a declared commission from the sellers on each transaction. So, this win - win - win model will work in the economy that can be said.       

My financial sustainability will come from the sales of products as I am taking a commission from each sales. When sales will go to a substantial amount, my business will survive by its own revenue.      

Obviously funding is the major challenge for me which I couldn’t manage by myself. So I am taking the opportunity enabled by Tiger Challenge because I want to make my dream true.