Smart Agriculture Software Solutions
Smart Agriculture Software Solutions
Business Model Description
Develop or invest in software solutions including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning technologies to digitalize farms and greenhouses including fruit and vegetable producers covering mostly tomatoes and cucumbers for monitoring crops, and watering times and ventilations in order to optimize crop yields, reduce production costs and support farmers’ decision making.
Expected Impact
Increase agricultural productivity through digital transformation in the agriculture industry, while enhancing natural resource management, improving decision-making, and reducing production costs.
How is this information gathered?
Investment opportunities with potential to contribute to sustainable development are based on country-level SDG Investor Maps.
Disclaimer
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Country & Regions
- Azerbaijan: Baku
- Azerbaijan: Absheron - Khizi
- Azerbaijan: Mountainous Shirvan
- Azerbaijan: East Zangazur
Sector Classification
Food and Beverage
Development need
Although Azerbaijan's agricultural sector is the second largest employer in the country employing approximately 36.3% of the workforce, it underperforms by only contributing 5.9% to the country's GDP. Over 20% of agricultural lands are affected by varying degrees of salinity and degradation due to intensive farming practices, while more than half of farmers suffer from water shortages due to the country's arid climate (1, 2, 3).
Policy priority
Strategy of Socioeconomic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan sets the target to increase agriculture-generated value added by 4% per annum for the 2022-26 period. State Programme on the Socioeconomic Development of the Regions from 2019 to 2023 highlights the priorities to increase food security, development of traditional agricultural fields, and enhance production and processing of agricultural products (4, 5).
Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
While agriculture jobs are most frequently held by rural women due to cultural norms, women are primarily involved in backyard farming and gardening. Women farmers demonstrate limited engagement in commercial farming and constitute 48.7% of farmers working in private or family-owned farms (6, 7, 8).
Investment opportunities introduction
Azerbaijan has a significant arable land mass at 54.9% suitable for agriculture activity. The European Union aims to invest EUR 50 million (USD 54.8 million) in an innovative rural development flagship by 2025, enabling sustainable agricultural production and irrigation methods under its Recovery, Resilience, and Reform agenda (9, 10, 11).
Key bottlenecks introduction
Limited application of modern irrigation techniques, lack of experience and innovation in the agri-food sector, absence of modern storage and processing facilities, short distribution channels between producers and buyers, and scarcity of available market data on agricultural production are among the key challenges facing the sector (13, 14).
Food and Agriculture
Development need
Azerbaijan ranked 66th out of 113 in the Global Food Security Index 2022 mainly due to the vulnerability against food price fluctuations increasing by 18.4% during 2021-22, and food products accounting for 43.6% of household expenditure. Farmers continue to suffer from water shortages as merely 5% of agricultural lands are equipped with modern irrigation (15, 16, 17, 3).
Policy priority
Strategy of Socioeconomic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan between 2022 – 2026 states that the government of Azerbaijan targets to increase the supply of irrigation water from 80% to 90% by 2026. National Pathways to Sustainable Food Systems by 2030 prioritizes fostering food processing and promoting sustainable use of water resources for national food systems (4, 3).
Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
Social norms have led to a gender division of labor in the agriculture sector, with women representing only half of the planters. Most of the planting activities are performed by men, who also make decisions about land use and income-generating activities since they are the ones who plant and sell the products. Smallholder farmers accounted for 90% of the country’s total agriculture production (18).
Investment opportunities introduction
The food-processing sector accounts for more than 38% of Azerbaijan's total manufacturing activity. In 2021, the export of canned fruits and vegetables are reached around USD 9.6 million (19, 12).
Key bottlenecks introduction
Informality in the agricultural labor force, limited number of agricultural experts, regional disparities in access to water coupled by limited data on drought trends, and absence of a national water management strategy for the agriculture sector are among the key bottlenecks (13, 20).
Agricultural Products
Pipeline Opportunity
Smart Agriculture Software Solutions
Develop or invest in software solutions including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning technologies to digitalize farms and greenhouses including fruit and vegetable producers covering mostly tomatoes and cucumbers for monitoring crops, and watering times and ventilations in order to optimize crop yields, reduce production costs and support farmers’ decision making.
Business Case
Market Size and Environment
4.78 million hectares of land equipped for agricultural production (32).
55% of Azerbaijan's total land area, or 4.78 million ha, can be utilized for agricultural purposes (32).
Azerbaijan's agricultural production reached AZN 9.16 million (USD 5.4 million) in 2021 (40).
ICT service exports in Azerbaijan, including computer and communications services (telecommunications and postal and courier services) and information services (computer data and news-related service transactions) reached USD 96.29 million in 2021 (66).
Indicative Return
> 25%
> 25%
According to a development fund active in Azerbaijan's non-oil sectors, enterprises developing smart agriculture software may generate an internal rate of return of 25% or more and a gross profit margin of 25% or more. Commercial financing may deliver lower returns, as the provided soft loan entailed more generous terms than market loans (34).
Investment Timeframe
Short Term (0–5 years)
A concessional fund active in Azerbaijan's non-oil sector has underlined that smart agriculture software investments can produce a positive cash flow in less than 5 years. Bankability for commercial loans may be longer, as soft loans have more generous terms (34).
Ticket Size
> USD 10 million
Market Risks & Scale Obstacles
Capital - CapEx Intensive
Market - Highly Regulated
Capital - Limited Investor Interest
Impact Case
Sustainable Development Need
Approximately 20% of agricultural lands are in various states of salinity, erosion, and other types of degradation due to the use of intensive production methods, which leads to low productivity in the agricultural industry (3, 44).
The efficiency of small farms in Azerbaijan remains low due to poor land management and limited financial resources of farmers, and the majority of them do not utilize digital technologies to improve their operations or have limited experience in deploying innovative technologies (53, 39, 3).
Although the government has made strides in digitalizing the sector through the Electronic Agricultural Information System (EAIS), Farmer Data Monitoring System, Electronic Price Information Portal, and Geographic Information Systems, the application of digital technologies in the production phase remains limited (37, 38).
Gender & Marginalisation
Low productivity in the agriculture sector, due partly to lack of modernization and adoption of digital production techniques can accelerate migration flows from rural to urban areas, creating socioeconomic risks to the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan in the near future (35, 56).
Women confront discrimination in access to credit particularly in rural areas, due to a lack of land ownership, as men own more than 90% of property in the country. Digital platforms can generate important data on crop yields and alternative collateral, easing access to financing for rural and women producers (63).
Expected Development Outcome
The adoption of digital technologies in the agriculture sector can generate economic benefits by eliminating ineffective decision-making, improving the return on investment, and substantially reducing production costs (38).
With the use of smart agriculture software, farmers can gain a better understanding of water, topography, and soil types, enabling them to determine the most efficient use of scarce resources in their production area and manage them in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner (42).
Digitalization has the potential to accelerate SME development by enhancing companies' ability to enter new markets, optimize and improve their operations, integrate into global value chains, increase their innovative activities, and improve productivity (45).
Gender & Marginalisation
Agricultural technological applications increasing crop yields can improving rural welfare and reduce urban/rural disparities while ensuring enhanced food security through locally produced produce.
The digitalization of agricultural data collection through smart agriculture solutions, can ease women's access to financing through improved proof of collateral requirements.
Primary SDGs addressed
2.1.1 Prevalence of undernourishment
2.4.1 Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
2.3.2 Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status
2.5% (2021) (58).
N/A
Average monthly nominal income of the people employed in agriculture of which 90% are privately-owned small farms, forestry and fishing is 456.9 AZN in 2021 (268 USD) (64, 65).
N/A
N/A
The 2022-2026 Social and Economic Development Strategy of Azerbaijan sets a target of 10% growth in overall income (4).
15.3.1 Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
11.4% of Azerbaijan's total land area was degraded in 2021 (58).
N/A
9.b.1 Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added was 13.1% in 2021 (57).
The 2022-2026 Social and Economic Development Strategy of Azerbaijan aims to increase technology deployments in agriculture, manufacturing and services, leading to a 4% growth in the agriculture sector per annum (4).
Secondary SDGs addressed
Directly impacted stakeholders
People
Gender inequality and/or marginalization
Planet
Corporates
Public sector
Indirectly impacted stakeholders
People
Planet
Corporates
Outcome Risks
The use of smart agriculture systems may increase the generation of e-waste, contaminating the environment, including soil, air, and water.
Impact Risks
Azerbaijan has a low degree of cybersecurity; unreliable data storage may jeopardize the obtained data and cause cybersecurity issues (38).
A shortage of highly skilled individuals with the necessary skills and practical expertise with modern agricultural techniques in the agriculture industry may impede the intended impact (41).
Potentially, more automation in the workplace in the agriculture sector might increase overall unemployment (37).
Unless proper subsidy programmes are implemented, rural farmers who have limited financing options may be excluded due to the high costs of smart agriculture inputs (38).
Impact Classification
What
Smart agriculture software solutions can lead to improved efficiency and profitability for farmers, and better environmental sustainability and food security while contributing to the government's digital transformation agenda.
Who
Farmers, agricultural exporters as well as start-ups and entrepreneurs active in developing smart agriculture software will benefit from the increased profits and productivity.
Risk
Low level of cybersecurity and limited number of skilled individuals can limit adoption of smart agriculture software, while increased automation could lead to higher unemployment overall.
Contribution
In addition to the overall growth in the ICT market, smart agriculture software solutions can lead to improved efficiency and profitability for farmers as 17% of enterprises are at a transitional phase of digitalization with some having adop
How Much
Strategic use of soil nutrients and water management through smart agriculture software can improve crop productivity by 60% (62).
Impact Thesis
Increase agricultural productivity through digital transformation in the agriculture industry, while enhancing natural resource management, improving decision-making, and reducing production costs.
Enabling Environment
Policy Environment
Strategy of Socio-economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan between 2022 – 2026, 2022: Highlights that the application of technology in the agriculture industry will lead to higher productivity while targeting to increase agriculture-generated added value by 4% per annum during 2022-2026 (4).
State Programme of socio-economic development of the regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2019-2023, 2019: Provides a framework for the socio-economic development of the regions of Azerbaijan, including the establishment of a modern 50 hectares farm for grain production in Ismayilli incorporating smart agriculture technology (59).
Strategic Vision and Roadmap for Azerbaijan Agriculture, 2016: Envisions building a digital database for the agriculture sector to forecast productivity (25). The Ministry of Agriculture disclosed in 2022 that a digitalize database on agricultural products is being developed (26).
National Pathways to Sustainable Food Systems 2030, 2021: Includes ensuring full digitalization in the agri-food sector and fostering cutting-edge technologies in the sector, as part of the future objectives and key priorities (3).
Strategic Roadmap for the Development of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2016: Includes long term vision for 2025 for the ICT sector, including a greater integration of enhanced data services into Azerbaijan's key industries is envisioned (60).
Financial Environment
Financial incentives: Entrepreneurship Development Fund (EDF) provides soft loans with an annual interest rate of 5% and credit limits starting from AZN 5,000 (USD 2,941) up to AZN 1 million (USD 588,235) for companies operating in the agriculture sector (47).
Fiscal incentives: Income produced directly from the production of agricultural products is exempt from income tax. They are also exempt from VAT on agricultural products and property tax on land used for agricultural production (Tax Code Sections 102.1.11, 164.1.18 and 199.9) (28).
Other incentives: Agroleasing OJSC, a state owned leasing company, offers special leasing conditions to agricultural enterprises. Agroleasing rents or leases the technological and agricultural equipment acquired with state funding at a rate of 20% (31).
Regulatory Environment
On Foodstuffs No 759-IG, 1999: Establishes the legal framework for managing food quality, organizing the production of food products, and ensuring the population's food security (27).
Land Code of Azerbaijan, 1991: Establishes the legal framework for the distribution of land rights The Code defines several forms of landownership, including state, private, and communal ownership, and lists the entities that may be landowners. The definition of Farmland is included in Article 52 (28).
On Information, Informatization and Protection of Information, 1998: Governs relationships resulting from the creation, collection, processing and dissemination of information, and the establishment and use of information systems and the means for their protection (29).
On Entrepreneurial Activity, n.d: Defines the principles of entrepreneurship in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the rights and duties of entrepreneurial subjects, and the reciprocal relationships of entrepreneurs with the state and institutions (30).
Presidential Decree, February 23, 2019: Mandates taking necessary measures to organize, maintain and ensure the effective use of the “Electronic Agriculture” Information System (EAIS) (33).
Marketplace Participants
Private Sector
FarmConnect, Agrovir, Sky Life Industry LLC, Alpha Exports Inc.
Government
Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Agroleasing OJSC, State Agency for Food Safety, State Agency for Agro Credit and Development, Agricultural Subsidy Council, State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (ASAN).
Multilaterals
Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Finance Corporation (IFC), EU4Climate, EU4Digital, EU4Business, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, IFAD, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), GEF.
Non-Profit
USAID, Argo Information Center of Azerbaijan, Ganja Agribusiness Association, Agroinvestment Credit Union, Association of Agricultural Input Dealers in Azerbaijan, Farm Progress Center for International Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
Target Locations
Azerbaijan: Baku
Azerbaijan: Absheron - Khizi
Azerbaijan: Mountainous Shirvan
Azerbaijan: East Zangazur
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