Selected
2024 Global Economic Prosperity Challenge

VunaPay

VunaPay provides instant payments to farmers as they deliver their produce to Agricultural Cooperatives, saving them from late payments.

Team Leader
Koya Matsuno
VunaPay provides instant payments to farmers as they deliver their produce to Agricultural Cooperatives, saving them from late payments.

Solution Pitch

The Problem

Although 50% of smallholder farmers are registered in Agricultural Cooperatives, more than half of them sell to informal brokers at 40-80% below market value. They do this because brokers pay instantly, as opposed to their Cooperatives who pay them 3 to 6 months after delivering their produce.

The Solution

VunaPay facilitates instant payment to smallholder farmers for produce delivered to the Agricultural Cooperative or other farmer collective. We work through agricultural cooperatives by offering them an end-to-end produce and farm inputs management solution. When farmers drop off produce at the cooperative, our system instantly calculates their qualified payout amount, less any credit extended. We onboard financial partners who then disburse the payout instantly through our platform, which is repaid by the cooperative once they sell the collected produce. We collect our fee at this stage. We do not provide loans per se, but accelerate payment for produce already delivered.

Stats

There are 13,000+ registered farmers on VunaPay's platform

What is the name of your organization?
VunaPay
What is the name of your solution?
VunaPay
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
VunaPay provides instant payments to farmers as they deliver their produce to Agricultural Cooperatives, saving them from late payments.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Nairobi
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-Profit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Although 50% of smallholder farmers are registered in Agricultural Cooperatives, more than half of them sell to informal brokers at 40-80% below market value. They do this because brokers pay instantly, as opposed to their Cooperatives who pay them 3 to 6 months after delivering their produce.
What is your solution?
VunaPay facilitates instant payment to smallholder farmers for produce delivered to the Agricultural Cooperative or other farmer collective. We work through agricultural cooperatives by offering them an end-to-end produce and farm inputs management solution. When farmers drop off produce at the cooperative, our system instantly calculates their qualified payout amount, less any credit extended. We onboard financial partners who then disburse the payout instantly through our platform, which is repaid by the cooperative once they sell the collected produce. We collect our fee at this stage. We do not provide loans per se, but accelerate payment for produce already delivered.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
VunaPay primarily benefits smallholder farmers within agricultural cooperatives in the operational geographies. The platform aims to empower these farmers by addressing delayed payment challenges and improving transparency in agricultural transactions. This delayed payment creates a severe cash crunch, forcing these farmers to seek immediate financial solutions to cover daily expenses such as food for their families and tuition for their children. The consequences are dire, leading farmers to resort to borrowing money from neighbors and predatory mobile lending apps at exorbitant daily interest rates of around 5%, resulting in a staggering 150% interest rate per month. Alternatively, faced with urgent financial needs, farmers often opt to sell their produce at 20% of the market value, substantially diminishing their potential income. In both scenarios, the farmers experience significant financial losses, emphasizing the urgent need for a solution that provides swift and fair compensation for their hard work and produce.

Organization Type:

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Headquarters:

Nairobi, Kenya

Stage:

Growth

Working In:

Kenya

Current Full-Time Employees:

6

Website:

https://www.vunapay.com/

Solution Team:
Koya Matsuno
Koya Matsuno
Co-Founder