50 under 50

50 under 50 addresses the concerns of the next generation of farmers who are turning away from agriculture due a lack of market access and disorganized local supply chain. Using the e-commerce platform OEX Markets the initiative facilitates sales and marketing by making cross border trade easy. It provides a digital wallet and direct access to buyers. On the back end, value chain support and ecosystem coordination is provided by connecting the Jamaica Agricultural Society's network of managers and coordinators to the farmers they support. Jamaica is the first country for project implementation providing proof of concept for rollout across the Caribbean and the global South.

Rural workers under 50 years old are turning away from farming, they say it's back-breaking work for little return. While their parents and grandparents made a decent living out of smallholder farming, they are reluctant to do the same due to the challenge of accessing markets.

Food is going to waste across the island as farmers plant and harvest particular crops at a specific times resulting in local oversupply. At other times there is a shortage of essentials. Imports have been steadily increasing year on year as farmers are unable to meet consumer needs. Much of the nation’s fruits and vegetables are imported to supply hotels, restaurants and retailers. This poses direct competition to local producers, squeezing them out of the chain. 

Jamaica, like much of the region faces a challenge to make the sector sustainable. Growth has been slow; 1.3% total factor productivity growth rate across Latin America and the Caribbean between 1991 and 2000, compared with 2.1% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1.5% in Asia and the Pacific, and 1.7% in the Middle East and North Africa. The sector suffers from low access to credit, particularly for smallholder farmers who make up the majority of growers in the English-speaking Caribbean.

OEX has developed a strategy known as ’50 under 50’, an intervention to support 50,000 farmers under 50 years old. The initiative seeks to build farmers’ capacity through: 
1. Establishing crop clusters to meet demand and realise economies of scale; 
2. Data connectivity for support groups and associations; 
3. Bridging the knowledge gap for the adoption of technology;

4. Creating a digital ecosystem to increase market access; 

5. Testing a model of intervention for greater access to new markets. 

The concept is based on a system successfully deployed in Kenya and Uganda, where farmers work in clusters and have their production costs underwritten by credit unions. 

OEX introduces a blockchain ready platform creating clusters and connecting farmers to markets. It utilizes digital tools to access sales including export markets. The platform is an efficient e-commerce solution using a digital wallet. 

The system facilitates smart contracts and transparency as products and suppliers are traceable and verified. Payments to farmers are made through secure transfers to their digital trade account, mirrored by a physical local bank account.

People under the age of 50 years old in rural communities are at the heart of this intervention. Among this group there is a high prevalence of unskilled labourers and underbanked individuals, the project is particularly concerned with including women and minorities. These are the groups most affected by long-term unemployment and economic insecurity. 50 under 50 places the socio-economic development of this group at the top of its priority list. In so doing it addresses the major issue of the digital divide which has deprived them of access to the specific science and technology required to improve their lives. It also addresses the issue of working capital which creates a barrier to entry for those who have the experience and land to cultivate longer term, high value crops for export. The immediate expected benefit to farmers includes: consistent market access; modern, secure cross-border payments; and access to global trade and Integrated logistics. 

The 50 under 50 initiative supports farmers by introducing a sustainable business model which empowers communities while advancing the digital economy. Trade is made easy with access to sales, marketing and digital payments. For an annual membership fee of $100 farmers can reach international markets and get paid with ease. To counter the typically low adaption rate for this type of service the team has chosen to focus on agriculture, the largest single source of labour in Jamaica. Here, like other industries, underbanked communities are in danger of being left behind as the economy moves to a market-driven environment.

The project has been designed, partners confirmed and some funding secured. The next step is to test the model in communities which are deeply affected by a lack of sales due to difficulty accessing the market. The pilot will include 1,000 farmers from across the island (seven individuals from each of the 14 geographical areas). Individuals will be enrolled in a 6-week training programme where they will learn how to operate with the support of the platform. Participants will receive a phablet and weekly data allowance to ensure there are no issues with internet access, seeds, fertilizer and any other inputs as required up to the value of US$166 provided as an advance to be debited from their digital wallet when they complete their first transaction. They will be taught to manage their online store, along with delivery and logistics using the device, updating inventory, offering discounts and promotions.

While agriculture is an important pillar for propelling economic growth, it attracts a small segment of women and people under the age of fifty as it is viewed as highly competitive with low returns. With the ’50 under 50’ initiative OEX is creating crop clusters to attract, support and retain farmers under the age of 50 years old. The innovation provides transparency and traceability for farmers with their membership to OEX Markets which creates a digital identity including an online store and wallet. The strategy matches senior farmers over the age of 50 years with those under 50 years creating an environment for cross-mentorship to facilitate knowledge transfer and technology adoption. During the engagement, OEX assesses and organizes farmers into crop-producing clusters to achieve economies of scale. These farmers are assigned to groups and issued with smart contracts to supply local agro-processors and large buyers with the potential for export. Each cluster will receive support on climate smart techniques required for cultivation and the recommendation of climate smart solutions for increased productivity. These clusters are supported by a partnership with farmers associations and farmer groups. 

In the initial round the project is targeting 1000 participants, to provide them with the financial and technical support necessary to successfully run their own agriculture business. After a year of operation the initiative expects to have established a well-oiled training and development programme responsible for establishing 10,000 agriculture entrepreneurs. Based on the current funding schedule and development plans the initiative will create 50,000 agriculture entrepreneurs in five years which will significantly improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of families across rural Jamaica through a regular income stream and digital participation.

No Poverty - By targeting 1000 farmers in the initial phase 1000 families are expected to have access to financial insecurity 

Zero Hunger - Project solves the problem of quality fresh produce going to waste. The team expects to be exporting one 40 foot container of fresh produce weekly by the end of the pilot phase 

Good Health and Well-being - Replacing imports of products where local competitiveness has been demonstrated is expected to improve diets  

Gender Equality - At least fifty percent of places in the initiative are reserved for female farmers

Decent Work and Economic Growth - Every smallholder farmer actively trading on the platform should be earning an average of at least US$500 monthly after 12 months through increased exports and Forex trading 

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Through development and enhancement of traditional products the team will launch new value added lines for export to ensure zero food waste 

Reduced Inequalities - All 230,000 members of the Jamaica Agricultural Society should be verified and listed on the platform by June 2023

Sustainable Cities and Communities - The team has committed to supporting quarterly farmers' markets in all 14 regions to encourage community commerce

Climate Action - All packing houses used to prepare goods for export are expected to use solar energy by December 2022

Partnerships for the Goals - To guarantee International investment in the sector a wider coalition of at least ten global partners is to be established by June 2022

The team is made up of women from One Economic Exchange (OEX) and Jamaica Agricultural Society. OEX is focused on unlocking economic potential through access to finance, processing, renewable resources and marketing. OEX seeks to increase growth through private partnership agreements in the most environmentally and economically sustainable manner to empower communities to be at the forefront of their own development. Jamaica Agricultural Society is a forum for farmers to meet, discuss challenges and initiate plans. At 125 years old, it is the oldest most deeply rooted organization in rural agricultural development in the Caribbean.

Full Time – Kelly Silvera

Full Time – Alesha Aris Robinson

Part Time – Alison Goodwin-Rogers

Contractor – Jannett Pullen

Kelly Silvera is COO at OEX. she’s a serial entrepreneur and global citizen with considerable experience in launching and scaling start-ups. Kelly has a wealth of international Broadcast Media experience with over twenty years in production and management. She was a founding executive with Al Jazeera Media Network where she implemented structures and practices to significantly expand the English language side of the business.

Alesha Aris Robinson is Digital Business Integration Manager at OEX. She is passionate about storytelling and digital transformation with expertise in providing strategic digital marketing and communications support to start-ups, media houses, small and medium-sized businesses along with major corporations. Alesha has collaborated with teams in crafting and sharing their brand story in Jamaica, the Caribbean, US, Jordan, Lebanon.

Alison Goodwin-Rogers is a Non-Executive Director at OEX. She has previously held Senior Economist roles in the public and private sector in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Canada. She has over twenty years experience in project management, monitoring and advisory services in the social sector as well as in development planning, analysis, technical cooperation and institution building.

Jannett Pullen is Manager of Marketing, Training and Projects at Jamaica Agricultural Society. She has more than forty years of experience in the sector with special skills in supporting and developing small farmers. Jannett has implemented programmes to develop and upgrade small farmers into business operators. She is the founder of the phenomenal women in agriculture awards which recognizes the achievement of females in the sector.

The team is made up of four women who excel in their areas of expertise which includes but is not limited to agriculture, digital business, economics, media and project management and social development. The team is committed to empowering rural communities particularly families lead by women and minority groups who have been excluded from participating in traditional employment sectors. Two members of the team are under the age of fifty years old and able to recognize and determine how to grow and develop the project to continuously meet the needs of the target group. Team lead Kelly Silvera, is a master of communication, strategy and business development with significant experience in steering teams to success in pursuing coherent, consistent and impactful projects in world-class organizations. She has managed expectations and budgets on every continent in the world. While based in Doha, Qatar for 12 years as Executive Producer at Al Jazeera Media Network she had responsibility for more than 400 staff based in sixty five cities across the world. 

The team has been working extremely hard over the past two years to drive forward the initiative which will create meaningful change in Jamaica and beyond. The solution proposed is a response to a deep understanding of the economic, social and climate related pressure which slows growth and threatens existence. In order to truly make an impact with the sustainable business model and drive meaningful change the team recognizes that it needs to be a part of an international movement supported by a well-respected centre of excellence such as MIT. While their ideas and experience is authoritative, as women of the Caribbean who care deeply about future generations they understand and appreciate the power of a broad coalition made up of like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds. The expertise and support needed to realize the ambitious vision set out exists across the globe. The team would like to become a part of MIT Solve to access that pool of knowledge and talent in order to collaborate and truly impact the global South.

One of the most innovative sectors over the past decade has been financial services, where AI and blockchain has the potential to reshape trade and investment. By mapping producers of speciality foods grown in the global South using this technology, agriculture has the potential to become a major source of income and wealth generation for rural communities.

50 under 50 is an initiative developed in a small island developing state, by the group most affected by digital exclusion for those most likely to be left behind. The team is reframing fresh produce as a commodity and uses technology to list and track supply. The platform OEX Markets facilitates trade in a safe, efficient, and modern fintech environment which is collaborative while driving profitability, reducing waste and cost to market throughout the supply chain while ensuring food security. 

The team would like to align with international partners as a part of its market development strategy who can provide support to realize this vision. At this stage the group is seeking support to ensure it is creating whole product solutions as quickly as possible while achieving and sustaining market leadership through differentiation. This includes but is not limited to expertise in preparing for Series A funding, global media and marketing and expanding the client base.

Agricultural technology is at the heart of the business which aims to create traceable systems for speciality foods and fresh produce to meet the needs of diaspora communities. Jamaican producers operating independently have been unable to scale to meet high demand for fresh produce for tourism, processing, and retailing sectors. The team is looking to change this by working with partners to support increased design, development and deployment of technologies, support advisory services, improve market linkages, supply chain management, financial access and overall macro-sector intelligence. The initiative has the potential to address some of the key competitiveness constraints and promote innovation, with the right international expertise they can build the brand with customers in the diaspora audience. To achieve the vision of scaling across the Caribbean and global South the team is interested in partnering with AI and blockchain specialists to advise on integration and application management, impact investment firms and investor groups interested in empowering communities plus experts in global trade and value chain support. They want to build trust with customers many of whom will be based in North America or Europe. The current advisory board is made up of experts in finance, technology, marketing and business management however it may be advantageous to create a steering committee made up of international experts to ensure legitimacy and strategic decision-making capabilities. 

This initiative qualifies for the HP Prize for Advancing Digital Equity as it seeks to improve economic opportunities in communities across Jamaica, the Caribbean and the global South through digital inclusion. OEX sees fresh produce as commodities and uses technology to list and track supply. The platform facilitates trade in a safe, efficient, and modern fintech environment which is collaborative while driving profitability, reducing waste and cost to market throughout the supply chain while ensuring food security.   

50 under 50 addresses the concerns of the next generation of farmers who are turning away from agriculture due a lack of market access and disorganized local supply chain. Through the e-commerce platform OEX Markets sales and marketing is possible while cross border trade is made easy. It provides a digital wallet and direct access to buyers. On the back end, value chain support and ecosystem coordination is provided through partnership with the Jamaica Agricultural Society which has an all-island network of managers and coordinators who support farmers. 

Women are at the heart of this intervention. This is the group most affected by long-term unemployment and economic insecurity. A 2018 International Labour Organization report found around 19% of Jamaica’s total workforce to be in agriculture. Of this significant labour movement in the hundreds of thousands just 9% were found to be working females while 91% are men. Although women have equal rights to land, they have access to less land - an average of 1.10 hectares (2.7 acres) each, compared with 1.98 hectares for men (4.9 acres) . Rural women producers have minimal access to agricultural resources and financing and are deprived of recognition for their contributions to maintaining the economic stability of communities and the country. The project is led by an all-female team who bring their unique experience and insight to this issue. Their commitment to the solution comes from a deep-rooted understanding of the factors that have held women back in this sector for decades.

50 Under 50 plans to use AI to create seasonal forecasting models to improve agricultural accuracy, increase productivity, mitigate against climate change and reduce water use. The models will be able to predict upcoming weather patterns months ahead to assist decisions of farmers. Seasonal forecasting is crucial for smallholder farmers in the global South as data and knowledge is often limited. Keeping these small operators in business is vital as these farmers produce 70% of the world’s crops.

Agriculture produces hundreds of thousands of data points on the ground daily. With the help of AI, farmers on the OEX Markets platform would be able to analyze a variety of things in real time such as weather conditions, temperature, water usage or soil conditions collected from their farm to better inform their decisions. The team intends to utilize AI technologies to help its farmers optimize planning to generate yields by determining crop choices, the best hybrid seed choices and resource utilization.

The pilot is expected to determine how to integrate AI systems to help improve harvest quality and accuracy, what is known as precision agriculture. Precision agriculture uses AI technology to aid in detecting diseases in plants, pests, and poor plant nutrition on farms.  AI sensors can detect and target weeds and then decide which herbicides to apply within the right buffer zone. This will help prevent over application of herbicides and excessive toxins that find their way into food.

The 50 under 50 initiative relies on the OEX system which is based on tracking and tracing food produce in order to allow smallholder farmers to participate in the global digital economy. It is aligned with GSR in that it seeks to teach individuals in rural communities to establish and maintain an online store and use a digital wallets. The business model seeks to normalize digital identities across Jamaica, the Caribbean and the global South. There are currently 700 individuals on the platform of which a dozen or so are trading independently. Most members, particularly the farmers listed require additional support and guidance. The site facilitates credit and debit card purchases right now while the digital wallet is under development to fully automate the process of depositing cash into member bank accounts. At present, there is a manual intervention to move money from the digital wallet to the physical account. The platform is blockchain ready, the team seeks to build capacity before raising funds to make the complete switch to a fully traceable network.