The dwindling size of farms in Bangladesh is a major challenge for our farmers to own and operate expensive agricultural equipment cost-effectively. For example, the per farm operated area in Bangladesh reduced to 1.29 acres from 1.47 acres between 2009 and 2019 (source: Agriculture Census 2019, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics). On the other hand, owners and operators of farm machinery may not get enough local customers throughout the year. So, owning and operating farm equipment may become a less lucrative opportunity for local businesses and new entrepreneurs.
To solve this two-fold problem, an Uber-like app for renting farm equipment could be an interesting and viable solution. The app can make it easy for farmers to find and rent the machinery and equipment they need for farming. This can help farmers avoid the high costs of buying their own equipment and allow them to benefit from the efficiency of modern machinery. For providers of equipment and services, it will be a platform for finding new customers
Furthermore, the app can provide a wide range of agricultural machinery and equipment, including tractors, harvesters, plows, and irrigation tools, tailored to the specific needs of small-scale farmers in Bangladesh. Rice transplanter, rotavator, rice and wheat reaper, power tiller, mobile corn sheller machine, grass cutter machine, and portable animal cow weight scale are some of the other tools that can be introduced in the platform. It may also include features such as real-time availability, clear pricing, and easy delivery and pick-up options, making it simple for farmers all over the country to rent what they need. Moreover, by integration with technologies like Yanmar’s Smart Assist Remote (SA-R), it can show real-time data for the service delivered i.e. harvested land and yield information based on the heat map.
By embracing an agri-app for agricultural equipment rental services, Bangladesh can empower its farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices, increase productivity, and improve overall efficiency in the agricultural sector while patronizing local farm equipment owners, operators, and entrepreneurs.
Dr. F H Ansarey
President
ACI Agribusinesses Division
