Although agriculture is a significant contributor to the economies of most African countries, the continent has no or just a few agricultural banks. This significantly impedes the development of the sector but, thanks to new technologies, entrepreneurs are stepping in to fill the void left by authorities.  

Emata is a digital solution developed by a Ugandan eponymous startup. It allows farmers access to loans to invest in their farms. It also gives them the possibility to create an online business to sell their products.  

"We invest in farmers and dare them to dream big. […]  We install Emata on your cooperative or aggregator's computer and phone. Our local impact team trains your staff on how to use it. […]. The cooperative or aggregator uses Emata to register farmer deliveries, update prices, create payment schedules, and share daily SMS updates with farmers," the Emata platform indicates

The platform enables the collection of crucial data on new online business operations. Such data informs new decisions aimed at improving operating performance. It should also be noted that the startup uses credit scoring algorithms to identify good farmers and offer loans they can afford. According to Emata, these are "instant and affordable loans," that allows beneficiaries “to invest in the productivity of their farms.”

To date, the startup has supported 8,091 farmers, issuing 1,429 loans. In 2021, it was selected, along with 11 other startups, to participate in the third edition of CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa. This allowed Emata to gain visibility and strengthen its presence in the Ugandan market.

Adoni Conrad Quenum