March 2021 agricultural “platforms” in a digital era

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Who operates platforms?
Broadly speaking, there are four types of players 
that have set up agricultural Platforms:
1. Technology start-ups developing 
innovative Platform business models. 
Inspired by the example of Platforms in 
other sectors and the rapid digitization of 
the agriculture sector, tech start-ups have 
developed a wide range of agricultural 
Platforms with the aim of establishing 
profitable businesses. For example, Agrocenta 
in Ghana offers various Platform functions 
and digital solutions to connect farmers and 
businesses—this start-up has attracted a 
number of investors.
2. Agricultural pipeline businesses adding 
Platform functions to their model. For 
these businesses, leveraging their existing 
position in the market to facilitate interactions 
as a Platform can benefit their core business 
and/or provide them with a promising new 
business model from which to generate 
additional revenues. For instance, E-Choupal 
is run by the large commodities trader ITC 
and is intended both to empower farmers and 
improve their access to agricultural goods 
and services from a variety of businesses, 
while making the supply chain more efficient, 
thereby reducing procurement costs and 
complexity for ITC.
3. Government or development actors 
operating Platforms for the public 
good. Especially in contexts where market-
driven dynamics are ill-suited for meeting the 
needs of vulnerable population subsegments 
(e.g., subsistence farmers, women, youth), 
public or development actors may set up 
Platforms with impact-oriented aims. 
Catalogo de Productos Agropecuarios is a 
produce marketplace operated by the Ministry 
of Agriculture of Peru. The Platform is free 
to use and connects vulnerable smallholder 
farmers to offtakers and final consumers to 
sell their agricultural produce.
4. Operators of existing businesses in