GeoPoll, has announced a strategic partnership with Control Union, global leader in agricultural certifications, food safety, and sustainability.
The Partnership allows Control Union to tap into GeoPoll’s multimodal mobile platform and database of 200 million users, giving them access the fastest and most cost effective data collection method available in emerging markets.
Together, GeoPoll and Control Union will utilize mobile surveys to engage and educate smallholder farmers in emerging economies, with the goal of reaching 1 million farmers by 2020 via SMS and voice messaging.
The partnership will allow commercial organizations such as global brands, exporters, and suppliers, as well as governments and non-profits to ensure social compliance in key value chains and to empower farmers to gain greater access to markets, ultimately adding value for both farmers and consumers.
Johan Maris, Managing Director, Control Union said that Control Union is excited to focus its expertise and better support smallholder farmers. GeoPoll’s team and platform provides us practical tools to connect with rural farming communities to educate, certify and link them to a global marketplace.
“The survey tools also empower our commercial clients to monitor goods as they move through supply chains, increasing transparency and helping them report better economic and social impact. Accessing information from the most remote farming communities will no longer be a barrier to asking or answering consumer questions,” he said.
Together GeoPoll and Control Union will launch several mobile products aimed at non-profits, commercial organizations, exporters and suppliers:
• Certification Surveys: Mobile survey instruments which will monitor farmers’ compliance with programs such as Global GAP and Organic certifications.
• Value Chain Monitoring: Mobile survey instruments that will serve as a tool for sustainable value chain design and monitor social, economic and ecological impact.
• Compliance Messages: One-way push content messages promoting agricultural compliance.
• Custom Surveys: Mobile survey instruments with customized questions and design, allowing clients to collect mobile data which will inform and enhance their operations in local markets.
“We are pleased to partner with Control Union to improve engagement with smallholder farmers, bringing them increased access to global markets and business opportunities. This is an excellent use of the GeoPoll platform, and we’re confident that the better data and increased knowledge generated through this partnership will be beneficial for both farmers and ultimately consumers,” said James Eberhard, Founder & CEO of GeoPoll.
The partnership will initially focus on countries in Africa including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda, expanding to key markets in Asia including Indonesia and the Philippines. With consumers demanding increased transparency, target value chains include coffee, cocoa, cotton, palm oil, rice, tea, tobacco, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
