One Acre Fund
CLIENT
One Acre Fund
DELIVERABLES
Biometric Software / Biometric Devices / Training & Support
YEAR COMPLETED
2024
Project Overview
One Acre Fund, a social enterprise dedicated to reducing hunger and poverty among smallholder farmers in Nigeria, sought to enhance its operations by deploying a biometric-based farmer tracking and provisioning tool. The goal was to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability in monitoring farmer participation, reducing fraud, and ensuring accurate distribution of resources such as seeds, fertilizers, and training services.
Key Challenges
Lack of Universal ID: Smallholder farmers lacked a universal identification system, making it difficult to accurately track and identify them across various programs.
Limited Internet Access: Many of the farmers were located in remote areas with limited or no internet access, complicating real-time data collection and synchronization.
Fraud and Inefficiency: Manual tracking systems were prone to errors, fraud, and inefficiencies, leading to mismanagement of resources and delayed service delivery.
Solution
Wow Effect Communications implemented a biometric-based monitoring solution using fingerprint and facial recognition technology. The system was integrated with One Acre Fund’s existing internal systems to accurately identify and track farmers. Key features included:
Demographic Data Collection: Captured detailed demographic data such as ward, local government, state, and other geographical details of farmers.
Farmer Identification: Used biometric technology to create a unique ID for each farmer, ensuring accurate tracking and eliminating duplication.
Resource Distribution Tracking: Customized the system to record the distribution of resources such as seeds, fertilizers, and training services to each farmer.
Offline Functionality: Designed to work in remote areas with limited internet access, with data synchronization capabilities when connectivity was available.
Analytics and Reports: Generated detailed reports and analytics on farmer participation, resource distribution, and program impact, enabling better decision-making.
Result:
Enhanced Accountability: The biometric system significantly improved the accuracy of farmer identification and resource distribution, reducing fraud and mismanagement.
Streamlined Operations: Automated tracking and reporting reduced administrative burdens, allowing One Acre Fund to focus more on delivering agricultural training and support.
Improved Service Delivery: Farmers received resources and training more efficiently, leading to increased productivity and reduced hunger and poverty in the communities served.
Scalable Solution: The success of the initial implementation has led to plans for Phase 2, which will involve a more advanced and customized solution to further enhance operations and impact.