Botswana-based agritech startup Brastorne has conducted preliminary market research in preparation for launch in Zambia. Brastorne's flagship product mAgri is a USSD tool allowing farmers who use feature phones to create their own mobile stores and search for and compare prices on hundreds of products and services.
To inform this expansion, Brastorne conducted thorough research in Zambia, focusing on Kapiri Mposhi, Chibombo, and Mumbwa districts. The research aimed to establish baseline metrics for crop yields, animal production, and farmers’ income before the launch of the mAgri application. The study, involving structured interviews with farmers in these districts covered by the MTN mobile network.
"Our expansion into Zambia is supported by Heifer International, with the aim of significantly impacting the farming community by leveraging digital tools to enhance agricultural productivity and market access," Brastorne said.
According to Brastorne, mAgri has up to date impacted over 4 million farmers across Botswana, DRC, Cameroon and Guinea.