Where are all the Ag Tech apps?
The world is in constant change, and technology adoption continues to increase and transform entire industries, yet the agricultural industry selects carefully when to adopt new technology and habits.
The misconception about farmer’s tech adoption
Farmers are busy people, they live in the real world, they know where “stuff” comes from, they create the “stuff”, they take pride in it, and they pass it down through generations. The “stuff” works because it’s an art form, it’s a craft, and it’s always been done the same way. This is one of the many reasons why farmers may be technologically hesitant. And when we talk about technology in this case, we are talking about particularly apps, social media, and platforms that revolve around content rather than getting things done.
“When it comes to technology that will serve farmers, they are all over it. “
Farmers look for the latest tractors and the latest toys, if it will save them time and money, when this happens, technology is easily adopted and accepted.
When doing our research, we’ve heard time again from industry startups how hard it’s been for them to have their products adopted by farmers, blaming the farmer for repelling new things. And although farmers’ strong-headed qualities may come off as repelling, we instead work hard to understand them and serve them. To create winning products and serve your user’s needs, it is necessary to get into the mind of the user.
Why can farmers be hesitant to new things?
Farmers are constantly trading, buying, and selling, and are bombarded by offers constantly. Throughout their lifetime, farmers have made good and bad deals, making them acutely attune to filter the unnecessary out quickly. If we understand this, we also understand that for farmers to be compelled to give their time and attention, their needs need to be served, and therefore product for profit is not a good starting point.
Clunky products
There are many Ag Apps in both the iOS and Android stores, and although some have managed success, there is a lack of quality apps in the agricultural space. This lack of quality combined with self-servicing business models would give the impression that Ag Apps are hard to build, but it is the lack of quality and old-fashioned business models that are making Ag Apps hard for farmers to adopt.
Give before you receive
To win a farmer’s loyalty is hard, they have been deceived many times, however, farmers will often try new things if they have nothing to lose first as they are always looking for a good deal. Media outlets are advertisement funnels these days, diluting the information with filler content with the sole purpose of visitors clicking ads. This not only wastes people’s time and money, but it goes directly against what news is made for: to inform people so that they can be better equipped to make daily choices.
Why Easy Newz
Easy Newz was birthed from the need for farmers to have a non-biased trusted source of valuable information all in one place. We are here to serve the farmer’s needs and to change the way news is consumed.
