Agriwards: technology as a bridge to achieve social inclusion

Can the advanced technology of digital tokens improve the living situation of smallholder farmers?

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Digital technologies have changed the way we live and the relationships we have with the world; a lived reality many may take for granted. However, there are still enormous cohorts of people globally who are in the process of achieving the bare minimum in digital and financial inclusion. Small holder farmers worldwide face a great number of challenges to be able to connect with the rapidly evolving, high tech world we live in.  

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Their income often depends on a single crop, or on trade from a single, small marketplace that is geographically far from where they live and where they buy and sell their products. These cooperatives are located in nations of development, most are still very far from having their citizens be able to access the digital world en masse.

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“The many and varied challenges they face result in a precarious existence that is vulnerable to environmental, political, and economic shocks” said Mark Tsang, AgUnity Head of Data.

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Agriwards is a platform where individual farmers, cooperatives and community projects can receive AgriUT reward tokens. These utility tokens are designed to facilitate and promote farmer appreciation in the form of Agriwards and to drive the economic development of smallholder farming communities around the world through a system of digital reward.  

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An AgriUT digital token brings these groups of farmers closer to modern economies; "The farmer can accept it (the reward token) when he sells his harvest to the local producer organization or use it to buy medicine at a pharmacy or pay school fees for his children.” Mark adds. Also, as token transactions are recorded on a blockchain, the financial situation is protected from corruption and the smallholder farmers can afford to acquire raw materials of higher and higher standard.

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Having the products traced with blockchain guarantees that the registered data is reliable, having an enormously positive impact on the levels of trust between the actors involved in these supply chains as well as consumers. To date, hundreds of farmers have tested this technology through smartphones and proven how beneficial it is to all parties when they approach their buyers in this new way.

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Digital technologies made modern societies what they are today and have allowed us to connect with parts of the world in ways that were previously unimaginable. Now, we can all help in the effort to reduce global poverty by supporting smallholder farmers; farmers like Ahmedin Jihad, Seifu Aba Temam and Seifu Teha from Ethiopia (learn more about their story here!).

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From anywhere on earth, we are able to send more than just our appreciation to their farming cooperatives; AgriUT provides real, transferable rewards that make a meaningful and direct difference in their lives. Join us today!

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