UNCDF-MM4P, SunFarmer and Prabhu partner to transform agriculture in Nepal with digital technology

Agriculture is the primary sector of the Nepalese economy. It employs 66% of the population and contributes 35% to the country GDP. Most farmers own small plots of land, where they grow subsistence crops and vegetables using traditional farming practices with limited access to finance for buying high quality inputs, which is one of the main reasons for low agriculture productivity. Therefore, the country relies on imports from neighboring countries to meet the national demand. Launched in 2014, SunFarmer Nepal is a renewable energy solution company that provides solar-powered irrigation solution to help farmers increase their productivity and income. Prabhu Management is one of the sister company and the agent network manager for Prabhu Money Transfer and is one of the largest distribution network with more than 3,500 agents in rural areas mainly saving and credit cooperatives.

UNCDF MM4P in Nepal will support SunFarmer to implement an innovative community owned contract farming model driven on digital innovations. The solution will include pay-as-you-go solar pumps, a state of the art agriculture market intelligence system for farmers and access to finance for agriculture inputs, logistics and sales. Prabhu Management with its vast rural agent network will provide the distribution infrastructure for financial services.

“Smallholder farmers in Nepal face many barriers to prosperity. With support from UNCDF, SunFarmer Nepal in partnership with Prabhu Management will help farmers dramatically increase their income with modern agricultural solutions and digital finance. Our agribusiness will invest in infrastructure (irrigation and processing), provide quality inputs, train farmers on high-value crop cultivation and market and sell farmers’ product via a co-owned company between SunFarmer and partner farmers.” Stated Avishek Malla, CEO of SunFarmer Nepal.

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About MM4P

The MM4P programme launched in 2012 because UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) saw that the gains in digital financial services were not reaching the least developed countries. UNCDF was designed to provide the correct mix of financial, technical and policy support to build robust digital finance ecosystems that reaches low-income people. In doing so, it has helped accelerate growth in several countries. In Nepal, it has supported projects that have reached hundreds of thousands of Nepalis access digital financial services. The programme in Nepal is supported by various funders including USAID.

For more information, visit mm4p.uncdf.org or follow @UNCDFMM4Pand UNCDF MM4P.

About SunFarmer

SunFarmer’s mission is to set the standards needed to make solar the first choice for energy in Nepal.

SunFarmer is working with all stakeholders in the industry - technology providers, installers, banks, government, and NGOs – to develop and enforce the performance and safety standards needed to make solar a cost-effective long-term investment for businesses and communities.

For more information, visit www.sunfarmernepal.org

About Prabhu Management

Prabhu Management Private Limited is part of the larger Prabhu Group. It is the agent network manager for Prabhu Money Transfer and have an extensive agent network across country.

For more information, visit www.prabhumanagement.com