HOSIL.TJ – online agricultural inputs delivery service
Now there is no need to go to district or province centres, and even other regions of the country for purchasing needed input agricultural supplies
HOSIL.TJ is an online delivery service of agri-inputs in Tajikistan that offers farmers seeds, crop protection products, fertilizers, etc. at affordable prices
Don't waste your time and energy. The ordered agri-inputs are delivered from HOSIL.TJ to your home or farm free of charge
| Type | Digital Solution |
| Organization | Neksigol Group (Neksigol Navovar is responsible for software development and Neksigol Mushovir is for technical backstopping on the agronomic part) |
| Organization Type | Startup / Small-medium enterprise |
| Country / Territory | Tajikistan |
| Location | Khujand |
| Implemented in | Tajikistan |
| Link | https://hosil.tj |
| Use case | Access to market |
| Domain | Plant health and production; Livestock, animal health and production; Beekeeping; Soil management; Soil management |
| Description |
HOSIL.TJ is an online delivery service of agri-inputs in Tajikistan and currently, it is working in MVP format, which is the earliest version of the product that has a minimum set of functionalities sufficient to be presented to the public and tested on the first users.
Farmers can call the Call Centre or order in the online web-portal for seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products etc. HOSIL.TJ offers agri-inputs at affordable prices, guarantees quality and provides the best after-sales service. Guaranteed quality means agri-inputs are certified, not fake and with a minimal environmental hazard. The focus of the service is mainly on modern, high-performance and environmentally friendly agri-inputs supplies. The best after-sales service means that ordered agri-inputs are delivered to clients' doors free of charge and agronomists-consultants will provide advice on how to properly use purchased agri-inputs. The system was launched in 2021 by Neksigol Group with a grant received as a result of winning the competition "#InnoResponse Challenge initiative" of the UNDP Youth for Business and Innovation” project. |
| Since | 2021 |
| Maturity | Early stages (Ideation) |
| In partnership | UNDP |
| Technology | Digital (online) platforms (forums, communities, portals); Digital communication (email, messengers); Call Centre; API (Application Programming Interface) |
| Technology description |
HOSIL.TJ is a web-based platform offering agri-inputs delivery service. It is designed with a device-friendly user interface which means users can open and use it on computers tablets and smartphones with all its functionalities and adopted interface. Registration in the platform is most simplified by applying authentication through mobile phone numbers and confirmation codes. The platform provides users functions for quick order in one click, comparing prices and features of agri-inputs and making smart-purchases using online advice, for example, for correct selection and calculation of the exact amount of required materials. Also, HOSIL.TJ connects with financial institutions' payment gateways through API connection for making available online payments on the platform through the national bank card Korti Milli, VISA and e-wallets.
Due to the high cost and poor quality of the internet in rural Tajikistan, farmers are limited in the use of the online platform to order input supplies. Therefore, HOSIL.TJ also established the Call Centre. It allows farmers to call and order needed agri-inputs. Instant messengers such as Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp and IMO are also used to share information and communicate with customers - farmers, input suppliers, village advisors and taxi drivers. The HOSIL.TJ web-platform is available in Tajik language. |
| Users | Smallholder farms; Medium-size farms; Large-size farms; Private sector (other businesses); Civil society organizations (NGOs, local action groups); Agri-inputs suppliers; Agro-shops; Field agro-consultants; Village advisors; Taxi and truck drivers |
| Users’ description |
Users of HOSIL.TJ are all agricultural producers, especially smallholder farmers and farmers from remote villages.
HOSIL.TJ cooperates with almost all local input suppliers and agro-shops and provides them with the opportunity to use digital technologies to sell their products, which can serve as an additional channel for sales and advertising. HOSIL.TJ creates income opportunities for taxi and truck drivers by hiring them as couriers to deliver ordered agri-inputs. The drivers collect orders from HOSIL.TJ for delivery to villages, before picking up their passengers, thereby increasing their incomes and decreasing delivery costs of agri-inputs. HOSIL.TJ offers additional income for field agro-consultants and village advisors offering them commissions for online ordering of agri-inputs in bulk for farmers from their villages through HOSIL.TJ. |
| Business model | Markup |
| Business model description | HOSIL.TJ turns the purchase of agri-inputs into its profit model by introducing online and remote ordering. HOSIL.TJ gets a 10% commission from each order. The average check for buying agri-input is 500 TJS and out of it, HOSIL.TJ commission is 50 TJS, , which includes all costs for the processing and delivery of the order. |
| Challenges |
Due to lack of access to digital devices, high cost and poor quality of the internet and low digital literacy in rural Tajikistan, farmers are limited in the use of the online platform to order input supplies. To mitigate this challenge, HOSIL.TJ established the Call Centre, which allows farmers to call and order needed agri-inputs. Although, maintaining the Call Centre increases expenditures of HOSIL.TJ.
The agricultural input market is poorly developed in Tajikistan, and is dominated by low-quality fertilisers, plant protection products and seeds without any quality certificates; often there are plenty of counterfeit and fake products of famous brands. It leads that HOSIL.TJ is not always able to fulfil the received orders, because it is impossible to find quality agri-inputs with relevant certificates inside the country - from local input suppliers. To mitigate it, HOSIL.TJ is going to establish cooperation with international suppliers. Due to the high cost of agri-inputs and poor knowledge of agronomic practices, most farmers use very limited agri-inputs and choose the cheapest ones even if they do not have any quality certificates. On one hand, it leads to low yield and poor quality of farmers products. In other hand, it leads to fewer orders for HOSIL.TJ. To mitigate it, HOSIL.TJ conducts workshops and field days as well as involves field agronomists and village advisors to present to farmers how improved agri-inputs and good agronomic practices can increase production efficiency and profitability. |
| Food Value Chain stage | Production; Post-harvest handling and aggregation |
| Impact |
Now there is no need for farmers to go to district or province centres, and even other regions of the country for purchasing needed input supplies. The ordered agri-inputs are delivered to their doors free of charge.
On one hand, HOSIL.TJ facilitates farmers' access to quality and reliable agri-inputs in all villages of the country, including in remote villages by applying digital technologies and by promoting sustainable agricultural practices. On the other hand, HOSIL.TJ assists in sales growth, increase customers and incomes of local input suppliers, agro-shops, field agronomists, village advisors, and taxi/truck drivers. Currently, HOSIL.TJ gets about 50-100 average monthly orders. |
| SDGs | SDG 1: No poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth; SDG 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure; SDG 10: Reduced inequalities |