The mLouma platform is based on Web, SMS, and USSD. It allows farmers to be able to post their crops and have the market price information in real time. Product operation is very simple and has been designed in response to numerous discussions with end users. The producer submits his product via SMS, Web, USSD. This information is visible and accessible via www.mlouma.com. The buyer shall consult these offers by using the same channels mentioned above. When he finds a product that interests him, he places the order. Once both players reach an agreement, a carrier will be contacted for delivery. The USSD service allows us to reach any farmer living in remote areas without Internet access. Our innovation has positioned itself as a regulator between producers and buyers of agricultural products.
The main problem that we identified and are trying to solve is the marketing of agricultural products in Senegal and through africa in général. There is a lack of transparency on agricultural commodity prices in markets and this lack of insight damages the smallholders who are struggling to sell their products at better prices. We target farmers, buyers and carriers. The start-up is based in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, and we aim to deploy our platform into more than 15 countries of Africa in the next 5 years. The business model is based on subscriptions – USSD subscription for a week, a month, 6 months and 1 year. Any subscriber can post information about his crop on the platform, but also can consult the product and price information. There is also a web subscription that is afordable and accessible.
Innovator: http://www.ict4ras.org/speaker/innovator-aboubacar-sidy-sonko/
