myAgro
Model & Strategy
myAgro believes that it is incredibly important that poor people have a way to protect and save their wealth in order to move out of poverty. Small-scale farmers, who make up the majority of the world’s poor, are also the most likely to lack access to a savings account.
myAgro enables farmers in West Africa to save for fertilizer, seed and training packages on layaway through a mobile-based platform and a network of vendor partners. By training farmers on labor-saving techniques, myAgro makes it possible for farmers to plant more land, with increasing productivity. Using this system, farmers increase their yields 50-100% and use the increased harvest to connect to markets, or feed their families year-round.
Over time, myAgro’s impact goal is to help farmers more than double their farm income to exceed $1,000 annually.
Anushka has worked in rural Africa since mid-2008, helping to increase market access for small-scale farmers. From her on-the-ground experience working with farmers, she learned about the lack of savings options for small-scale farmers and set out to create a model that would reach remote and hard-to-serve farmers.
Anushka previously created and led Kiva’s Fellows Program in 2007. She joined One Acre Fund in 2008 in Bungoma, Kenya and created many of the operations and back office structures to scale the program 50x in three years. Anushka is a 2011 Rainer Arnhold Fellow, 2012 Echoing Green Fellow and 2014 Pop!Tech Fellow.
IMPACT
Farmers increase yields 50-100% and net farming income $150-$300 per year.
The number of beneficiaries grew from 240 farmers reached in 2012 to 120,000 farmers reached in 2020 (estimate).
In just 7 years, myAgro has grown its budget by more than 44x and beneficiaries from 240 to 120,000, while cutting the donor subsidy required to lift each farmer out of poverty by more than 67%, from $320 to an estimated $103 in 2020.
myAgro was a recipient of a 2018 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.
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“Addressing the vulnerabilities of African agriculture is a big task – but part of the solution starts with a small… https://t.co/eLBSA0OqXk
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myAgro is honored to be a finalist in the @womensworldbnkg Making Finance Work for Women Fintech Innovation Challen… https://t.co/L6l9eIrL4m
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RT @schwabfound: Last week, we announced the Social Innovators of the Year 2020! This week we highlight all the incredible initiatives ou…
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RT @AutodeskFdn: Congratulations to Anushka Ratnayake, Founder & CEO of @myAgroFarms, who has been named a 2020 Social Innovator of the Yea…
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RT @womensworldbnkg: #mfww2020 Fintech Innovation Challenge finalist @myagrofarms is helping smallholder farmers 👩🏼🌾 save their way out of…
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RT @USAExpo2020: Next year, #ExpoLive will bring together 140 visionaries from 76 countries whose creative solutions are tackling pressing…
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RT @MEIskenderian: #MFWW2020 Fintech Innovation Challenge is just weeks away! Watch finalists Boost Capital @MujerFinanciera @myAgroFarms &…
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“The Schwab Foundation Social Innovators stand for trust, truth and service.” — Hilde Schwab of @schwabfound Read… https://t.co/DotMZCb2NL
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RT @SkollFoundation: Congratulations to Anushka Ratnayake, founder and CEO of @myAgroFarms, for being named a 2020 Social Innovator of the…
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As a co-chair of the @wef Sustainable Development Impact Summit, myagro Founder and CEO, Anushka Ratnayake, explain… https://t.co/rrOSjgmQrZ
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RT @miliba01: Very honored to be on the @wef panel on Harnessing Technology Sustainability Pioneers with @DrTolullah @K_Kinzler @scimaven @…
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RT @bryanrwalsh: I had the chance to facilitate a fascinating conversation for @wef on pioneers in sustainability, with @miliba01, @myAgroF…
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We are proud to share that Anushka Ratnayake, Founder and CEO of myAgro, has been named a 2020 Social Innovator of… https://t.co/DLrTUP5xER
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RT @schwabfound: LIVE: Schwab Foundation Awardee Anushka Ratnayake, CEO & Founder and one of the @schwabfound Social Innovators of the Year…
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Meet the 2020 Sustainability Pioneers of the World Economic Forum's SDI. Our Founder and CEO at 1:41 - honored to b… https://t.co/kVvzPP5cXW
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RT @wef: Global Opening Moment with @alainbejjani (@MajidAlFuttaim), @IvanDuque, @GraceAForrest, @rmasrmas, Anushka Ratnayake (@myagrofarms…
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RT @ImTiffanyYu: "Farmers are at the heart of a liveable planet. How do we listen to people closest to the problem?" - Anushka Ratnayake @m…
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RT @schwabfound: We are excited to announce that 2020 Schwab Awardee Anushka Ratnayake @myAgroFarms is one of the @wef Sustainable Developm…
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Interested in improving food security for smallholder farmers? Experience scaling a country program? myAgro’s Count… https://t.co/ouYTrT3gCK
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RT @CASEatDuke: Managing impact investment capital during #COVID19? Join our FREE webinar on April 16 at 12pm EST for a robust discussion w…