Agro-U

Even though 1 in 4 people in the world are currently working in agriculture, agricultural businesses are saying that they can't find people to work on their farms.

Fruits and vegetables, such as olives, apples, grapes, and many other crops, are produced by farmers. However, farmers' hands are not enough to massively produce the food that the population needs. They need working hands to help them harvest the products, prune the trees, for watering the plants, and do many other activities.

If the farmers don't have the agri-staff that they need, then the food will rot. This problem is affecting the farmers because they lose their revenue. It is estimated that more than 60 million euros were lost from the revenue of the farmers because they couldn't find the working hands that they needed in the UK only. This is a massive problem in the USA as well.

The agricultural workforce is not managed correctly. Job seekers do not have the chance to be informed about job positions available in rural areas because they are located in different regions, big cities, etc. Many people are losing access to jobs that could significantly improve their current income.

Furthermore, when less food is produced in the fields, that means that we, as consumers, receive less food on our table and, in many cases overpriced.

Google.org states that we help with the recovery of the Greek economy since we created an online application (a two-sided marketplace) that connects quickly and easily farmers and agri-food companies with agricultural workers. In this way, we are helping vulnerable communities to earn money with dignity.

Through our application, employers find the staff that they need on time. Employees, on the other hand, get assured that they will get the agreed salary on time, that the working conditions are proper, and they can also extend their seasonal employment.

As an example, through our app, a worker is able to connect with a farmer in August to pick up cherries, and during September, he can work with a new farmer to pick up olives. However, before our app, the farmers weren't able to find on time the staff that they needed. Also, the workers were unaware of the different job positions that existed in other areas, and they didn't have full employment.

Agricultural workers often encounter a diverse mix of obstacles, as many travel from their home countries to regions offering higher wages for agricultural jobs. This migration presents numerous challenges, including unfamiliarity with local laws, cultural differences with other jobseekers, and varied job requirements. Our platform seeks to address these hurdles by providing comprehensive training to agricultural jobseekers, enabling them to navigate their diverse work environments with confidence and transparency. Through our program, we aim to empower these workers to adapt and excel in their roles, fostering both personal growth and development.

Our focus lies on individuals seeking employment in agricultural settings, particularly those living on the brink of poverty with limited access to education. These individuals often have no choice but to rely solely on their labor for income. Tragically, reports indicate they face exploitation, inadequate compensation, trafficking, and endure substandard living conditions. Our solution aims to safeguard these vulnerable individuals, ensuring fair treatment, transparent transactions, and secure, sustained employment opportunities within the agricultural sector.

Our team is uniquely positioned to design and deliver this solution due to our intimate connection with the farming communities we aim to serve. Coming from families with deep roots in agriculture, we've observed firsthand the outdated practices of recruitment that have persisted for generations. Traditionally, our families relied solely on word-of-mouth to find labor for the farms, facing challenges not only in recruitment but also in retaining and training skilled workers. Recognizing that this struggle was shared by many in our region lacking access to formal training or guidance, we resolved to leverage our academic backgrounds to address these systemic issues. Our commitment stems from a desire to ensure that all individuals working on the land can do so with dignity and stability, reflecting the values ingrained in our own familial experiences. Throughout the design and implementation process, we prioritize community input, ideas, and agendas, ensuring that our solution is shaped by the lived experiences and needs of those it serves.

The decision to enter the Pilot stage is because our solution continues to evolve in terms of business model. As it is we've developed our MVP and had 70,000 users.

We are applying to Solve because we recognize the immense value of the platform in connecting innovative solutions with the resources needed to make a meaningful impact. We believe that Solve's comprehensive support program aligns perfectly with our vision to address the systemic barriers facing agricultural communities.

Moreover, Solve's emphasis on fostering a supportive community aligns with our values of collaborative problem-solving and community engagement. Through networking opportunities and mentorship, we aim to leverage the collective expertise of Solve's network to refine and strengthen our solution, ensuring it remains responsive to the evolving needs of the communities we serve.

In essence, us Solve offers a holistic ecosystem of resources and expertise that will significantly enhance our ability to address one of the most pressing challenges facing agricultural communities today. We are excited about the prospect of joining Solve's network of impact-minded leaders and leveraging their support to drive meaningful change on a global scale.