New Delhi, 6 Sept, 2021 (GNI): RMSI, a global geospatial and engineering solution provider has been adjudged ‘Runner Up’ at the prestigious BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards 2021 for its ‘Malawi Project’. The contest attracted a total of 289 submissions across 7 categories from the 5 nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards 2021 recognises initiatives aimed at achieving UN SDGs especially through innovative solutions across the BRICS nations. The winners were selected basis comprehensive evaluation criteria of approach, efficiency, sustainability, collaboration, uniqueness and scalability. RMSI bagged the award in the ‘Zero Hunger’ category (SDG:2)
Malawi is a small landlocked country in Africa with an economy driven by agriculture, which accounts for one third of the country’s GDP and nearly 80% of employment. RMSI developed an effective and innovative technological intervention in the form of an inclusive ICT-based Value Chain Governance (IVCG) platform for Malawi, to streamline the fragmented agricultural value chain and reduce the risks to smallholder farmers. The digital agriculture market platform helped connect the agricultural value chain players (farmers, financiers, warehouse owners, agro-dealers, agro-input suppliers, financial institutions, off-takers, etc.) on one platform.
The innovative ICT platform is helping in efficiently linking of farmers to input and output markets, extension, finance and information services, including weather services. This has reduced information asymmetries with regard to farmer-specific productivity and output, site specific input requirements, financing needs and market opportunities. Besides being an efficient and transparent system, it ensures fair prices to farmers leading to higher economic returns on land, labour and capital. This is helping streamline the fragmented agricultural value chain and reduce risks for smallholder farmers. The platform is also helping the Government of Malawi to motivate farmers to grow crops that could improve the agri-exports from the country. The online platform is also climate friendly as it makes the subsidy implementation and loan approval process paperless.
Anup Jindal, CEO & Joint Managing Director, RMSI said, “We are honoured to be selected for this prestigious award. Our platform has created a holistic system to transform the agricultural sector in Malawi to provide food security, ensure market development and improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers.”
Pushpendra Johari, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, RMSI added, “It is a matter of great pride for us to get international recognition for our innovative digital agriculture market platform in Malawi. The platform is enabling true empowerment of the smallholder farmers by ensuring higher economic returns on their produce. This award endorses our approach and commitment to support the implementation of UN’s SDGs.”
The platform has benefitted 15,777 groundnut farmers, 23,222 pigeon pea famers and 23,268 soybean growers and recorded an outstanding agro-input redemption success rate (>99%) due to usage of digital distribution system till date, stated in the press release.ends
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