AI-Enabled Agroforestry Value Chains

We are building the AI-enabled physical commodity trading house for underutilized tropical tree crops. Many tropical tree crops, such as jackfruit, tamarind, moringa are climate resilient, nutritionally rich, and have high value and yield. But in many of the emerging markets, these crops have little supply chain integration, processing, access to markets or capital, leading to 30-40% waste.  We are specifically working on improving access to markets, finance, and technology for farmers growing underutilized tree crops.  We are 1) using AI to map supply and demand for these crops and 2) use this information to originate transactions between farmers and institutional food purchasers for purchasing value added products from trees, starting with school lunches. Using these transactions, we will 3) provide value chain financing for processing and value addition by local women’s self help groups (financial cooperatives), storage, and transportation to facilitate the transaction.