MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

AxeGen Solutions

One-line solution summary:

Digitizing access to factors of agricultural production to enhance food security

Pitch your solution.

Problem: Almost 800 million people are underfed and 2 billion are malnourished across the globe. According to the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research Analysis, 14.5 million of Kenyans face food insecurity and poor nutrition each year. 75% of Kenyans earn all or part of their income from the agricultural sector. But only 20% of Kenyan land is suitable for farming, most isn’t used to its full capacity. Farmers don’t know when to plant or harvest their crops
Solution: Create an e-commerce digital platform that links farmers and investors to cheaper unemployed factors of production. Such include unemployed land for leasing due to unpredictable planting seasons, transportation services, storage, local labor.

Impact: Contribute to SDG NO.2 of Zero hunger as the solution will increase global agricultural output. Land that would otherwise be unused would be productive, readily available transportation and storage solutions will reduce harvest wastage

Film your elevator pitch.

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What specific problem are you solving?

AxeGen solutions tries to solve the global issue of food insecurity.

Almost 800 million people are underfed and 2 billion are malnourished across the globe. 14.5 million Kenyans face food insecurity and poor nutrition each year. Apart from climatic & under utilization of farming land, other factors contributing to hunger vulnerability are access to technological, financial, transportation and storage services. AxeGen hopes to link all these factors in one digital platform to give farmers and other investors access.

What is your solution?

AxeGen will create an e-commerce platform that allows land owners to catalogue and lease unemployed land to other farmers or investors in the sector from any location.

The platform links producers with readily available and cost effective transport services (Uber model). Catalogues storage facilities and services in the area. The platform will also link users to technology providers such as indoor vertical farming, automation and robotics, livestock technology, modern greenhouse practices, precision agriculture and artificial intelligence.

AxeGen will leverage on technology such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, internet marketing, EDI, online transaction marketing, big data etc

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

In an effort to provide sufficient food supply to close to 14 million Kenyans who are hunger vulnerable the platform serves farmers who are 70% of the Kenyan population, investors who are interested in the sector. The solution targets many farmers in Kenya whose land is under-utilized due to dependence on seasonal rains and lack of resources by leasing to investors who employ it to production. The farmers whose land would otherwise be idle for a period of 3-5 months would now derive monetary value from it that will transform their standards of living. The platform helps investors who wish to invest in agriculture but lack land which is a crucial factor. The platform aims at improving the socio-economic situation of farmers who suffer from dwindling economic returns due to lack of access to factors of production and support services such as technological, financial, logistical, access to market. These support services reduces output wastage and increases food output thus cushioning the vulnerable. As more land is utilized to its full capacity and access to factors of production is enhanced employment opportunities will be added for the unemployed youth which is almost two thirds of the Kenyan population.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Scale safe and private digital identity and financial tools to allow people and small businesses to thrive in the digital economy.

Explain how the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge.

The platform helps reduce food insecurity by employing otherwise idle land, linking the community to factors of production. Agricultural production is made easy with access to land, transportation, storage, finance, technology and market. The solution brings all the factors of production online in a single digital platform. As the digital economy expands these farmers and investors won’t be left behind

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Nairobi, Kenya

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model.

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution.

The business has just been legally registered in Kenya last month that is May of 2021. The project is on the process of securing pre-seed funding for product design and development through various venture capital channels. So far we have only used founder capital. The next step will then be piloting & testing plus securing partnerships.

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Mr. Mashary Keya- Executive Director

More About Your Solution

Which of the following categories best describes your solution?

A new business model or process that relies on technology to be successful

What makes your solution innovative?

75% of Kenyans earn all or part of their income from the agricultural sector. But only 20% of Kenyan land is suitable for farming, most isn’t used to its full capacity and most farmers rely on rain for irrigation. Farmers don’t know when to plant or harvest their crops. Apart from climatic & land tenure, other factors contributing to hunger vulnerability are technological, financial, transportation, storage and many more. The solution recognizes this opportunity by bridging the access to land gap. Smart contracts will be used to lease unemployed land. Investor funds that go to other sectors will be invested in agricultural production due to access to factors of production and these will innovatively increase food production, create employment and grow other support services such as transportation, warehousing, and online payments. Users will be provided with the climatic maps, land use maps, technological support. The e-commerce platform brings all these factors of production under one roof.

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

Software and Mobile Applications

Select the key characteristics of your target population.

Rural
Urban
Low-Income
Middle-Income
Minorities & Previously Excluded Populations

Which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals does your solution address?

1. No Poverty
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good Health and Well-being
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequality
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

In which countries do you currently operate?

Kenya

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

Rwanda
Tanzania
Uganda

How many people does your solution currently serve? How many will it serve in one year? In five years?

Currently the solution is under design and development and has not hit the pilot stage yet. In a year we hope to be serving close to 50 million East African residents. In five years the solution has the potential to meaningfully affect close to half of the African population.

How are you measuring your progress toward your impact goals?

Creation of milestones and deadlines to these milestones are set to make sure everybody involved stays on track with the time-frame.
Setting of key performance indicators.
The team measures success by using SMART goals.
Accountability for achieving targets and assigned roles. Feedback through constant stakeholder engagements

About Your Team

Your Business Model & Partnerships

Partnership & Prize Funding Opportunities

Why are you applying to Solve?

Almost 800 million people are underfed and 2 billion are malnourished across the globe. According to the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research Analysis, 14.5 million of Kenyans face food insecurity and poor nutrition each year.

75% of Kenyans earn all or part of their income from the agricultural sector. But only 20% of Kenyan land is suitable for farming, most isn’t used to its full capacity and most farmers rely on rain for irrigation. Farmers don’t know when to plant or harvest their crops. Apart from climatic & land tenure, other factors contributing to hunger vulnerability are technological, financial, transportation, storage and many more.

It is my dream to link unemployed land & other factors of agricultural production such as transportation and storage to farmers and the rest of my community in an effort to make us all food secure and enhance access to healthy nutrition. I’m motivated to implement solutions that will improve Kenya’s food security in accordance to the big 4 agenda and SDG no. 2 of zero hunger.

I need financial, mentorship, technical and network help from solve program

In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?

Human Capital (e.g. sourcing talent, board development, etc.)
Business model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
Financial (e.g. improving accounting practices, pitching to investors)
Technology (e.g. software or hardware, web development/design, data analysis, etc.)

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The ASA Prize for Equitable Education? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The HP Prize for Advancing Digital Equity? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

Yes, I wish to apply for this prize

Explain how you are qualified for this prize. How will your team use The HP Prize for Advancing Digital Equity to advance your solution?

The platform helps reduce food insecurity by employing otherwise idle land, linking the community to factors of production. Agricultural production is made easy with access to land, transportation, storage, finance, technology and market. The solution brings all the factors of production online in a single e-commerce digital platform. As the digital economy expands these farmers and investors won’t be left behind.

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for the Innovation for Women Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The AI for Humanity Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

No, I do not wish to be considered for this prize, even if the prize funder is specifically interested in my solution

Do you qualify for and would you like to be considered for The GSR Prize? If you select Yes, explain how you are qualified for the prize in the additional question that appears.

Yes, I wish to apply for this prize

Explain how you are qualified for this prize. How will your team use The GSR Prize Prize to advance your solution?

The platform helps reduce food insecurity by employing otherwise idle land, linking the community to factors of production. Agricultural production is made easy with access to land, transportation, storage, finance, technology and market. The solution brings all the factors of production online in a single e-commerce digital platform. As the digital economy expands these farmers and investors won’t be left behind.