Zimbabwe following in footsteps of India, Nigeria to establish farmer ID registry

Zimbabwe is taking the path of countries such as India and Nigeria with the creation of a digital farmer ID database amid an advocacy for the digitization of Africa’s agricultural ecosystem.

The process in the Southern African country is beginning in the tobacco sector where the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) says it wants to establish a biometric database of all tobacco growers in line with Harare’s digital transformation push in all sectors of the national economy.

The Herald reports, citing an X post by TIMB which calls on tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe to bring along their national IDs, get their biometrics captured and be “part of a sustainable, secure, transparent, and efficient tobacco industry.”

The body said being part of the biometric grower management system means that “growers can verify transactions like input collection, stop order and insurance” while also ensuing efficiency by “allowing growers to get support and payments without delay.”

In another X post, TIMB assures that the biometric registration process is “quick, secure and ensures a brighter future for your farming journey.”

TIMB has assured members of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) that the system is safe and that their biometric data is secure.

The Tobacco Framers Union Trust (TFUT) leader, Victor Mariranyika, has welcomed the novelty, calling it a “modern way of identifying an individual for closed transactions.”

ZTGA and other tobacco farming officials have lauded the initiative, saying it is an important transition that must take every farmer along.

SADC Digital Farmer ID

The Zimbabwe initiative falls within the ambits of a wider regional program called the SADC [Southern African Development Community] Digital Farmer ID.

It is a program designed to provide farmers in southern Africa with a biometric ID card which can enable them have access to several important agricultural services, as well as close up the gaps faced by farmers in terms of important resources, financial programs and modern technological solutions, according to Devpost.

The ID, developed by SADC, in partnership with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), is a biometric centralized registry which uses blockchain, AI and IoT sensors to deliver results. The system has been designed to meet the specific challenges in communities across that part of Africa.

Nigeria farm registry to be linked to G2P card system

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has provided additional details about a farmer registry it is working out with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), revealing that the system will be enabled by the National Identification Number (NIN) and a Government-to-People (G2P) card initiative.

Last week, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) entered into an MoU with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) to register at least six million farmers for a farmer digital ID in the course of this year.

In a joint release, the partners say linking the NIN-backed registry to the G2P card will allow for provision of targeted and ringfenced aid to farmers and other recipients of government benefits under the FMAFS programs.

Officials say every farmer whose biometrics are captured will be issued a G2P card, which shall have all information about the farmer linked to it, such as the size and location of their farmlands and the crop or livestock type.

They add that the card will be designed with “multiple wallets that can provide verifiable identification and also process transactions without internet connectivity, allowing the Ministry to support beneficiaries in the most remote locations.”

“The card is unique to each citizen, and every Nigerian and legal resident is eligible to obtain it, banked or unbanked. The G2P card will be owned by and personalized to each MDA [Ministry, Department, Agency] that adopts its usage.”

Soon, no farmer income cash support without farmer ID

In India, state governments have been working to popularize a farmer ID system which has just been introduced.  Last month, reports emerged that in the near future, farmers will be unable to benefit from certain advantages such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme which provides income cash support to landholding farmer families yearly, as well as other benefits dedicated to farmers.

While the initiative appears laudable, there have been concerns, as reported by Rural Voice, about having a farmer ID separate from the Aadhaar digital ID which is already integrated with almost every government service in India.

Mastercard’s Community Pass as a trailblazer

In parts of Africa and Asia, one project that has been assisting farmers to easily access vital services and sell their produce is the Community Pass introduced by Mastercard.

Stephanie Smith, an official of the payments card company who spoke to Devex recently, emphasized the importance of digital ID to farmers, noting that “agriculture is the number one employer in low-income communities.”

The Senior Vice President for Community Pass at Mastercard, said the digital ID they introduced to connect individuals in rural communities, is solving the problem of invisibility which the people have faced over the years.

She underscored the place of Community Pass in supporting digital and even financial inclusion because it enables farmers to have a presence in the digital economy.

In an interview in 2023, the founder of Community Pass, Tara Nathan, said the digital ID was helping to transform lives and enhancing digital inclusion.

In 2024, Mastercard said it intends to reach at least 100 million people in Africa with the Community Pass digital ID in the next ten years.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  farmer ID  |  identity management  |  India  |  Mastercard Community Pass  |  Nigeria  |  SADC Digital Farmer ID  |  social protection  |  Zimbabwe