Koeeru Enters a New Stage in Central and South American Expansion

Following our participation in the JICA-IDB Lab “Open Innovation Challenge TSUBASA (B2B Course) 2023,” Koeeru is excited to expand further into Central and South America. We’re proud to announce a partnership with the San Juan Agricultural and Livestock Cooperative (CAISY R.L.) to further improve “Mi Mercado Verde” in Bolivia. This app will support local farmers by helping them bring their products to market more efficiently.

Through this collaboration, we aim to address key issues for farmers—like income stability, production consistency, and product traceability—while building a sustainable, market-driven business in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Partnership Background

Farmers in the Global South face unique challenges, including limited financial resources and a lack of business skills to effectively market their products. Koeeru has been developing a SHEP-based* application to help small farmers in developing business skills and expanding sales channels by understanding market needs.

*SHEP: Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment & Promotion, a “grow-to-sell” approach promoted globally by JICA.

In 2023, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) sponsored a project to support the creation of new business through the promotion of digital transformations in emerging countries. As a part of this, Koeeru, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock Services of the Department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia and the Universidad Tecnológica Privada de Santa Cruz (UTEPSA), developed a Bolivian version of our SHEP Marketplace, “Mi Mercado Verde”, which is now being used as a tool to promote the SHEP methodology throughout the Santa Cruz Department after undergoing a demonstration project.

Our next steps include refining our business model, building partnerships, and laying a foundation for growth in Central and South America. Through the JICA-IDB Lab “Open Innovation Challenge TSUBASA,” we connected with CAISY to further these goals.

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What is CAISY?

Established by Japanese immigrants in 1957, CAISY is a well-known agricultural cooperative in Bolivia. CAISY’s activities span poultry farming, agricultural materials procurement, and advanced farming techniques. It supports farmers in the San Juan area by selling agricultural products collectively, advancing farming technologies, and contributing to the well-being of its community.

Challenges Facing CAISY

To expand its brand and build a sustainable business model, CAISY has identified these key challenges:

• Digital Marketing: There is no system to efficiently collect customer insights or communicate with the target market (e.g., urban middle and upper classes).
• Direct Sales Channels: CAISY currently relies on intermediaries, lacking a system to sell directly to consumers, such as hotels and restaurants.
• Traceability and Branding: Counterfeit products exist, and CAISY lacks a robust system to ensure traceability and maintain brand reliability.

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Areas of Collaboration

Koeeru and CAISY will work together to expand Mi Mercado Verde with new functions that address these challenges:

• Marketing Support for Farmers: Farmers will conduct their own market research to understand pricing, trends, and consumer needs, using this information to plan production and negotiate with buyers.
• Fair Pricing and Direct Sales: Data from the platform will help determine fair prices and allow farmers to sell directly to buyers, bypassing intermediaries.
• Enhanced Traceability with Blockchain: Blockchain technology will provide transparency and verify the quality of products.
• Data Monetization: We will explore new revenue streams by using marketplace data to provide market insights and support services.
• IDB Lab Application Support: A prototype platform will be developed with these functions, and we plan to apply for IDB Lab support to evaluate its impact on social challenges.

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Voices from CAISY and Koeeru Leadership