NAMIBIA - Namibian start-up Fudlink is set to unveil a mobile application that could reshape agricultural trade in the country, offering an innovative solution to key challenges in the sector. 

The pre-launch of the platform took place at the Windhoek Agricultural and Livestock Show 2024, according to the company’s founder, Twama Nghidinwa.

Fudlink Agricultural Technology CC, established in 2021, aims to create an integrated system that connects farmers, buyers, and logistics providers. By bringing these key players together, the mobile app seeks to reduce inefficiencies, cut down food wastage, and build a more resilient supply chain for Namibia’s agricultural sector.

“The pre-launch will bring together farmers, logistics providers, retailers, and consumers to this innovative digital platform,” Nghidinwa stated, underscoring the app's ability to provide solutions that strengthen local supply chains and promote market access for small-scale farmers.

Empowering Namibia’s agricultural sector

Fudlink’s primary mission is to empower smallholder farmers by giving them access to formal markets and establishing a supportive logistics ecosystem. 

As the founder noted, these enhancements are designed to improve food security across the nation, including for vulnerable communities.

“Through this innovative system, the app reduces inefficiencies, curtails food wastage, and strengthens local supply chains,” Nghidinwa said. 

He further highlighted that the recent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) summit in Windhoek emphasized the importance of tech-driven solutions in agriculture, with Fudlink’s app playing a critical role in addressing these needs.

Building market access for farmers

Better market access remains crucial for improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, a point echoed by Tino Hess, leader of the GIZ Farming for Resilience (F4R) project. 

The F4R initiative promotes agribusiness and marketing efforts in rural areas, and in 2023, it organized a digital marketplace competition to boost agribusiness innovation.

Fudlink emerged as the winner of the competition after a rigorous multi-stage selection process, judged by experts from the Namibian Agronomic Board, Namibia Trade Forum, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Namibia Business Angel Network, and the University of Namibia.

Hess praised Fudlink for its potential to transform the market by offering smallholder farmers better access to buyers, both locally and regionally. 

“Better market access is crucial for improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers,” Hess remarked, reiterating the transformative potential of such digital platforms.