FAO supports a new startup that facilitates market access for small farmers and Tunisian artisans.

June 2021 - “We imagined a platform that connects small scale women farmers and artisans, that helps them better handle problems related to water and irrigation and gives them a better chance to access formal markets,” said Marwa and Saoussen, two successful Tunisian students, who were among the winners of the Hackathon organized during a Regional conference held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

FAO Tunisia has supported, within the framework of the regional Water Efficiency, Productivity, and Sustainability project, the young Tunisian students in the creation of technological solutions to the problems of agriculture and water productivity. It was on the sidelines of the regional conference on water productivity, organized in December 2019, that a hackathon was organized for Tunisian students from different backgrounds. Three groups were selected by the jury members to benefit from the coaching of specialists from the El Gazela technology hub, currently Smart Tunisian Tecknoparks. Among the three groups were Marwa and Saoussen, two students, now entrepreneurs of a startup platform which they named “Aggricus”.  

“Our “Aggricus” platform offers a range of services adapted to women in rural areas. This ranges from advice on the quality of the product and its packaging to the enhancement and even pricing. We want it to be fair and reflect the value of the artistry and love that these women put into their products.” said Marwa.

“When we were exposed to the problems related to water and irrigation in Tunisia, during the Hackathon, we recalled a discussion between two women farmers, which we witnessed. They spoke of the difficulty in accessing formal markets and the production losses they suffered as a result. We told ourselves that we could put our skills to work for these women farmers” Saoussen said.

Women play a major role in the rural economy. They contribute in different ways to improving the income of their families in addition to the household chores that are done on a daily basis. In most cases, these activities are unpaid or poorly paid. Women are holders of ancestral knowledge and guardians of the local cultures, they perform additional tasks such as weaving, processing of small-scale agricultural products, or breeding in order to ensure autonomy and economic independence. However, the participation of rural women generally faces barriers created by social norms and gender-based discrimination. This makes access to sources of finance, markets, and services more difficult.

The two entrepreneurs received, in addition to coaching, entrepreneurial support, and hosting in the co-working space of the Technoparc de la Manouba, a grant that allowed them to pay the costs of the creation of the startup and ensure administrative follow-up.

The "Aggricus" platform was launched at the Tunisian Digital Summit, held in June 2021, during which the team took part in debates and discussions around technological solutions for agriculture. The technological solution was popular with participants and decision-makers. “We were delighted to welcome Mr. Mechichi, the Tunisian Prime Minister, at our stand. He stopped by and asked us questions about the platform, our objectives, and the future of this project. He showed interest in our solution, which helps to connect rural women, especially in a context marked by covid-19, which further weakened this social category.” mentioned Marwa and Saoussan. The path has only just begun for young entrepreneurs who are now seeking to expand their network of partners and members and to attract more women's agricultural groups and associations.

This project is implemented under the regional project “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for water efficiency/productivity and water sustainability in NENA countries” through a partnership with the Smart Tunisian Technoparks. This project is under the Regional Water Scarcity Initiative and is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.