Advancing Digital Innovation for Smallholder Farmers: What We Learned

The final report Advancing Digital Innovation for Smallholder Farmers: What We Learned presents the key findings and lessons from a comprehensive effort conducted throughout 2025. The project “Innovation in Ag Tech and Digital Agriculture for Small Farmers”, funded by IDB Lab and the Smallholder SustaiNability Upscaling Programme (SSNUP), and implemented by Incofin Foundation, deployed technical assistance, mentorship, acceleration, and grant funding to fourteen organizations that developed agtech solutions suitable for smallholder farmers.

This report was produced by The AgTech Network LLP, commissioned by Incofin Foundation. It draws on quarterly grantee interviews, field visits, farmer interviews, and extensive desk research conducted between July 2025 and March 2026. The report provides practical insights into the opportunities and challenges of scaling digital agriculture solutions for smallholder farmers across Latin America.

By the end of 2025, the portfolio of 14 agtech organizations had reached nearly 35,000 smallholder farmers in Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, Paraguay, and Peru. The participating organizations delivered a diverse range of digital solutions, including AI-powered agronomic advisory services, mechanization platforms, parametric insurance, digital financial services, and productivity-enhancing technologies.

Key lessons

While the participating organizations operated in different markets and business models, several consistent lessons emerged.

Strong distribution partnerships proved to be one of the most important success factors. Organizations that entered the program with established implementation partners were able to focus on growth, while those without strategic partnerships spent significant time building market access before they could scale.

The research also reinforces the importance of designing solutions around farmers’ realities. Simple, intuitive products were more readily adopted, particularly among users with limited digital literacy or constrained time and resources.

Gender inclusion was most successful when embedded into program design from the outset. Organizations that integrated gender-responsive strategies into product development, outreach, and implementation consistently achieved stronger outcomes than those attempting to address inclusion later in the process.

The report also highlights several implementation challenges. One-year funding cycles limited the ability to measure productivity gains across complete agricultural seasons. Delays prevented several grantees from launching according to schedule, and in some cases gender objectives became secondary as organizations prioritized rapid user acquisition.

Rather than reflecting shortcomings of individual organizations, these experiences provide valuable evidence for designing future innovation programmes that are more effective, inclusive, and sustainable.

[Download the report in English →]

[Download the report in Spanish →]

The report includes detailed case studies, profiles of all 14 participating enterprises, cross-cutting analysis, and recommendations for funders, policymakers, and digital agriculture innovators.