Overview
FarmLink Ghana is a platform that connects farmers, buyers and service providers to create a more productive and profitable agricultural value chain in Ghana. It is planned as a web app and a mobile app, launching in Ghana first. A working demo shows how a farmer sells produce and how a buyer orders, pays and receives it.
The problem
Smallholder farmers often depend on middlemen to reach buyers, and buyers struggle to find reliable supply, safe payment and trustworthy delivery. FarmLink puts farmers, buyers, aggregators and couriers on one marketplace, with payment and delivery built in.
Who uses it
- Farmers list produce with photos and videos.
- Consumers and business buyers order produce. The demo covers four buyer types: aggregators, traders, caterers and household consumers.
- Aggregators gather produce from farmers and buy in volume.
- Couriers deliver orders, and farmers and aggregators can track the delivery.
Key ideas in the design
- Escrow: the platform holds the buyer’s money until the produce is delivered, then credits the farmer. This protects both sides.
- Payments: bank and mobile money payments through a payment gateway. The demo versions explore different payment and escrow set-ups.
- Courier matching: buyers choose a courier with a good rating and a location close to the farmer.
- Fair fees: business buyers who resell pay a higher service fee than households, and aggregators who order often get a lower repeat-buyer fee.
Current status
FarmLink is at the demo stage. Several versions of a working demo were built to show investors that the concept works, supported by a business plan and a founder pitch. It is not a live marketplace yet.
What comes next
- Secure funding for the full build
- Confirm the payment and escrow partners
- Build the web and mobile apps
- Launch with farmers and buyers in Ghana, then widen to other African markets