Young Agriprenuer, Ababio Kwame’s part of his daily activities as the CEO of the company is also involved in research for the development of Agriculture in Africa. Regardless of his professional background as a Geospatial engineer, Kwame finds passion in Agriculture and its business.

Ababio, was recently adjudged Winner of maiden Young African Agriprenueurs competition by African Development Bank-2017, Nigeria.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/774604/ghanas-kwame-ababio-wins-big-at-agric-show-african-youths.html

The Founder was recently on 6th March 2017 ‘Ghana’s 60th Independence” awarded Future of Ghana 30 U30 Awards as first of 30 Young Ghanaians under 30 years making impact in the 2017 awards edition.

• http://ameyawdebrah.com/future-ghana-2017-announces-top-30-30-list-iamfutureofghana/
• http://futureofghana.com/
3. Special feature by Founder’s professional trained University: https://goo.gl/5D8Keu
4. The Founder was awarded RUFORUM African Young Entrepreneur -2016, South Africa. https://www.modernghana.com/news/730907/ghanas-ababio-kwame-of-green-afro-palms-wins-young-entrepre.html
5. GAP was listed in Top 15 African Agric-innovations by RUFORUM Challenge-2016, South Africa.
https://ruforum.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/young-innovators-web.pdf
6. Founder – was selected in President Obama’s YALI Nigeria Pioneering Cohort-2016, Nigeria.
7. GAP is listed in 100 globally competitive start-ups-2016, Ghana.
http://thestartupnetwork.org/2016/03/07/100-globally-competitive-startups-in-ghana-by-tanoe/
8. The Founder was – listed 40 Ghanaians under 30 years making impact-2015, UK.
9. The Founder was adjudged: ADLER African Young Entrepreneur -2015, Germany.https://www.modernghana.com/news/660565/young-ghanaian-wins-adler-entrepreneurship-award-2015.html

Below are some of his publications on Agriculture in Africa:
– Why I must do Agric-An AFRICAN Youth: http://africabusiness.com/2015/09/24/ababio-kwame/
– http://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion/2016/february-9th/ghana-why-oil-palm.php
– http://www.modernghana.com/news/654184/1/palm-oil-agribusiness-needs-a-bit-more-attention.html
– http://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion/2015/December-4th/ghanas-agriculture-bleeds-where-is-the-good-samaritan.php

Overview
FarmDrive is an agricultural data analytics company drives financial services to unbanked and underserved smallholder farmers, while helping financial institutions cost effectively increase their agricultural loan portfolios. Using simple mobile phone technology, alternative credit scoring, and machine learning,
FarmDrive closes the data gap that keeps smallholder farmers from the financial services that would allow them to grow their agri-businesses and increase their incomes.

Business Summary
Problem
Potentially creditworthy smallholder farmers are often denied loans because they lack the traditional credit profiles that lenders rely on to evaluate borrowers: assets, business records, and credit histories. Financial institutions do not have well-designed and operationally efficient methods of accurately assessing and
managing smallholder farmers’ risk, making them reluctant to lend to farmers. Farmers are therefore left with little access to credit, and financial institutions are left with a hole in their client base and product line.

Solution
FarmDrive’s flagship solution is an alternative credit scoring model that assess the creditworthiness of smallholder farmers who can’t be scored by traditional credit models, and are therefore deemed uncreditworthy. Furthermore, the model enables financial institutions to accurately and efficiently lend to smallholder farmers.

The credit scoring algorithm targets each farming vertical and geographical region by aggregating numerous streams of big and small data sets: Socio-Demographic, Social Network, Behavioral, Agronomic, Environmental, Economic, Mobile, and Satellite.
FarmDrive’s SMS/Android mobile app serves as the first point of data access. With this app, farmers can apply for and receive loans via mobile money wherever they are, track their revenues and expenses, and view reports on their farming and economic activities. FarmDrive validates the data collected through the app in order to gain insight into farmers’ social and individual behaviors, farm management abilities, and cash flows.

In addition to the validated farm-level data collected through the app, FarmDrive also collects big data from satellite companies, weather stations, government agencies, and more. Using these aggregated data, the model generates credit scores and provides automated decisioning tools that enable financial institutions to
develop loan products that fit the economic and agronomic needs of smallholder farmers.

In 2016 FarmDrive completed the initial phase of product-market fit in partnership with a Kenyan MFI. Through this pilot over KES 15 mil (USD 150,000) in loans were disbursed throughout 16 counties in Kenya. The pilot served as a proof point that better risk assessment can unlock capital for smallholder farmers, and informs the product development we’re doing today to drive more capital to farmers.

L.R 1/437 Kindaruma Rd, Nairobi, Kenya | +254 795 518 442 | www.farmdrive.co.ke | info@farmdrive.co.ke
Founders

Rita Kimani and Peris Bosire , are young changemakers who are passionate about using technology to improve lives. Both grew up in smallholder farming communities and experienced first-hand the lack of financing available to most farmers. They went on to earn First Class Honours in Computer Science at University of Nairobi and gain technical experience from leading firms, including IBM and PwC. They used their personal, academic, and professional experiences to build FarmDrive.

Rita and Peris have been recognized for their work with FarmDrive and their roles as leaders in their communities. Rita is a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals and Peris, an Ashoka
Changemaker , won the inaugural Queen’s Young Leaders Award and Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work in 2016.

Awards and Recognition
FarmDrive’s unique and innovative model has garnered both national and international attention, and won several awards. In 2017, FarmDrive has won the inaugural Roddenberry Prize and Digital Africa Startup Challenge sponsored by the French Development Agency . In 2016, FarmDrive won the Thomson Reuters Africa Startup Challenge , earned second prize at the Fincluders Startup Challenge and was a semi-finalist in the Lending & Finance Category of the African FinTech Awards . Additionally, FarmDrive has participated in The Unreasonable Institute and Village Capital startup accelerators.

Notable Press
Fast Company: This Kenyan Startup Uses Mobile Phones To Build Credit For Farmers
Techweez: Kenyan Startup FarmDrive Uses Data Analytics to Connect Unbanked Farmers to Financial
Services
Capital FM: Safaricom Spark Fund backs agricultural analytics startup
Business Daily: Firm uses credit-scoring database to boost farmers’ loan access
L.R 1/437 Kindaruma Rd, Nairobi, Kenya | +254 795 518 442 | www.farmdrive.co.ke | info@farmdrive.co.ke