e-pineA: Digital Supply Chain Solution for Pineapple Market Access and Traceability

e-pineA is the ideal solution to facilitate market access for agricultural products and reduce post-harvest losses

e-pineA is a digital solution that improves smallholder farmers’ access to markets while reducing post-harvest losses and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. It combines farmer training with a platform that connects producers to buyers and provides data on production, yields, and harvest timing. This helps align supply with demand, improve product quality, and ensure traceability for higher-value markets.

The solution is designed to be accessible, with field agents supporting farmers and offline functionality for low-connectivity areas. Results show increased farmer incomes, better market access, and adoption of improved practices. With its ability to address key constraints in agricultural value chains, e-pineA offers a scalable and practical tool for development programs focused on inclusion, resilience, and sustainable food systems.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Positive impacts: 15

Target Group	Positive Impacts
Women smallholder farmers in remote areas	- Women farmers gain direct access to local and international buyers through the e-pineA platform. - They increase their income by selling higher-quality produce at better prices. - Digital mapping of their fields allows them to monitor crop maturity and improve harvest timing. - Participation in training and support programs strengthens agricultural knowledge and digital skills. - They gain greater bargaining power in cooperatives and market transactions.
Youth farmers in remote or marginalized regions	- Youth farmers can leverage e-pineA to identify profitable market opportunities for pineapple sales. - The platform enhances their digital literacy and technology skills. - Real-time market and production data help youth plan harvests and supply more efficiently. - Increased visibility to buyers allows youth to scale small enterprises. - They develop networks with other farmers, buyers, and cooperatives.
Women-headed households with climate-vulnerable farms	- Women-headed households can use e-pineA to anticipate market demand and plan production more efficiently. - Access to advisory tools and crop tracking improves resilience to climate variability. - Timely notifications and data reduce post-harvest losses. - Participation in digital market systems increases income security. - Women gain confidence and control over production and sales decisions.

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Unintended impacts: 9
Mitigations: 9

Barriers: 9
Mitigations: 9

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

e-pineA enables farmers to monitor crop maturity and plan harvests in line with changing weather patterns. The platform’s predictive analytics help adapt planting and harvesting schedules based on seasonal trends and climate variability.

Farmer climate change readiness: Moderate improvement

Farmers gain access to data-driven guidance, allowing them to anticipate climate impacts such as droughts or irregular rainfall. However, readiness depends on training and adoption rates, particularly among women and youth in remote areas.

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

By promoting agroecological practices through training modules integrated with e-pineA, farmers reduce monoculture risks and encourage intercropping. However, adoption of biodiversity-friendly practices is still limited by local knowledge and resource access.

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

e-pineA itself has a minimal carbon footprint as a digital platform. By reducing post-harvest losses and optimizing logistics, it indirectly reduces greenhouse gas emissions from wasted produce and inefficient transport. The impact could improve further with adoption of sustainable farming inputs.

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Through guidance on reduced overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, e-pineA helps protect soil and water quality. Positive environmental health impacts are contingent on farmers following recommendations.

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Encouraging good agricultural practices, including organic inputs and crop rotation, improves soil fertility over time. e-pineA tracks fertilizer use and planting practices, helping prevent soil degradation from over-fertilization.

Water use: A bit less water used

Improved planning and field monitoring enable more efficient irrigation scheduling and better water resource management. Predictive harvest data reduces the risk of over- or under-watering, though adoption depends on infrastructure availability.

Problem

Limited market access: Smallholder farmers have limited access to structured and higher-value markets, reducing income opportunities.
Variable quality and production: Poor farming practices and climate impacts affect pineapple quality, yields, and farmers' ability to meet market requirements.
High post-harvest losses: Poor harvest planning and weak market linkages lead to product wastage and loss of farmer income.
Weak value chain coordination: Limited coordination between farmers, cooperatives, buyers, and service providers reduces opportunities for efficient and inclusive value chains.
Limited access to market information: Poor access to production, demand, and price-related information limits farmers' ability to plan production and make informed market decisions.

Solution

Improved market access: e-pineA connects smallholder farmers with local and international buyers and supports access to higher-value markets.
Improved quality and production: The platform provides guidance on good agricultural practices, input use, crop monitoring, and market requirements.
Reduced post-harvest losses: Harvest forecasts and buyer notifications help farmers plan harvesting and reduce wastage.
Stronger value chain coordination: The platform connects farmers, cooperatives, buyers, and field agents to improve communication and coordination.
Better market information: Real-time information on crop maturity, expected yields, available volumes, and market demand supports better farmer decisions.

Key points to design your program

e-pineA offers a scalable solution for development programs aimed at improving smallholder livelihoods, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing market access. It supports inclusive, gender-sensitive, and climate-smart interventions.

Key Points for Program Integration:

Technology Overview: Digital platform with field mapping, yield forecasting, and supply-demand alignment tools.
Development Impacts: Enhances income, reduces losses, promotes sustainable practices, strengthens resilience, and supports SDGs.
Complementary Practices: Combine with training on agroecology, sustainable farming, and market compliance.
Target Beneficiaries: Smallholder farmers, producer groups, women and youth entrepreneurs.
Geographical Focus: Pineapple production zones, especially high-potential smallholder regions.
Implementation Phases:
- Preparation: Assess needs, select target communities, plan resources.
- Pilot: Demonstrate platform use, train producers and field staff.
- Scale-Up: Expand across regions, integrate with other programs, track results.
Resources & Logistics: Field agents, smartphones or tablets, training materials, budget for support and monitoring.
Partnerships: Collaborate with NGOs, extension services, private sector buyers, and research institutions.
Monitoring & Evaluation: Track number of producers reached, sales facilitated, income improvements, adoption of best practices, and environmental benefits.

IP

No formal IP rights

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology's development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology's readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 9 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: validated

Level of use 9 out of 9

Common use by intended users, in the real world

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Positive impact 15

Target Group	Positive Impacts
Women smallholder farmers in remote areas	- Women farmers gain direct access to local and international buyers through the e-pineA platform. - They increase their income by selling higher-quality produce at better prices. - Digital mapping of their fields allows them to monitor crop maturity and improve harvest timing. - Participation in training and support programs strengthens agricultural knowledge and digital skills. - They gain greater bargaining power in cooperatives and market transactions.
Youth farmers in remote or marginalized regions	- Youth farmers can leverage e-pineA to identify profitable market opportunities for pineapple sales. - The platform enhances their digital literacy and technology skills. - Real-time market and production data help youth plan harvests and supply more efficiently. - Increased visibility to buyers allows youth to scale small enterprises. - They develop networks with other farmers, buyers, and cooperatives.
Women-headed households with climate-vulnerable farms	- Women-headed households can use e-pineA to anticipate market demand and plan production more efficiently. - Access to advisory tools and crop tracking improves resilience to climate variability. - Timely notifications and data reduce post-harvest losses. - Participation in digital market systems increases income security. - Women gain confidence and control over production and sales decisions.

Unintended impact 9

Target Group	Unintended Impacts	Mitigation Measures
Women smallholder farmers in remote areas	- Some women may struggle with digital literacy and navigation of the platform. - Increased platform use could add to their workload during busy harvest periods. - Cultural barriers may limit their direct interaction with buyers.	- Provide gender-sensitive training and field agent support. - Offer offline functionality to ease data entry. - Pair women with mentors or cooperative support to facilitate engagement.
Youth farmers in remote or marginalized regions	- Youth may overestimate market potential or income from platform use. - They may face tension with older farmers due to increased competition. - Over-reliance on e-pineA could reduce diversification of income streams.	- Provide market awareness and realistic income projection training. - Encourage cooperative and peer-supported approaches. - Promote diversified production planning alongside platform adoption.
Women-headed households with climate-vulnerable farms	- Predictive data may be inaccurate under extreme climate events. - Dependence on digital tools may reduce flexibility in adjusting production practices. - Limited technical support could cause stress during harvest or sales periods.	- Combine predictive analytics with local field advisory support. - Provide contingency planning strategies for climate risks. - Maintain ongoing field agent support for troubleshooting and guidance.

Barriers 9

Target Group	Barriers	Mitigation Measures
Women smallholder farmers in remote areas	- Limited smartphone ownership and internet access restrict platform use. - Cultural norms may restrict mobility and market engagement. - Low literacy or digital literacy reduces adoption.	- Provide shared devices and offline-enabled features. - Partner with women-focused cooperatives and local facilitators. - Offer visual/audio guides and field agent support.
Youth farmers in remote or marginalized regions	- Limited experience with market access and digital platforms. - Lack of financial resources to invest in production or technology. - Weak professional networks reduce market opportunities.	- Offer youth-focused digital training and mentorship programs. - Facilitate access to microfinance or startup grants. - Build peer networks and cooperative linkages.
Women-headed households with climate-vulnerable farms	- Climate shocks reduce production and income, limiting engagement with e-pineA. - Limited access to weather data and technical support hinders planning. - Multiple vulnerabilities (gender, climate, resource constraints) compound risk.	- Integrate climate-smart advisory services into platform features. - Provide real-time weather updates and adaptive planning guidance. - Ensure continuous field support and training on risk mitigation.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

e-pineA improves market access for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, enabling them to sell their pineapples at higher prices.

Goal 2: zero hunger

By reducing post-harvest losses and improving production efficiency, e-pineA increases the availability of quality pineapple for local consumption and export.

Goal 5: gender equality

The technology explicitly benefits women smallholders by providing equal access to digital tools, training, and market opportunities.

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

e-pineA facilitates formalized market connections between farmers and agribusinesses, encouraging fair pricing and reliable supply chains.

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Reduces post-harvest losses, improving resource efficiency and minimizing food waste.

Goal 13: climate action

Integrates climate-smart practices and predictive analytics to mitigate the impact of weather variability on crops.

Goal 17: partnerships for the goals

e-pineA connects multiple stakeholders: smallholders, agribusinesses, exporters, government, and development partners.

Create an account
Producers and buyers start by downloading the e-pineA app and creating an account. Buyers can register directly through the app, while producers can either self-register or be onboarded with the help of field agents from BioLife Tech.
Register and map fields
Producers enter their field information, including location, size, variety, planting date, and GPS coordinates. This data allows the platform to create a dynamic map showing all registered fields and tracking crop development over time.
Track production
Producers receive guidance from agricultural technicians on best practices, sustainable farming, and market requirements. They regularly update field information such as fertilizer usage, treatments, and crop growth stages.
Forecast harvests
e-pineA uses the collected data to predict yields, estimate harvest periods, and display the maturity level of crops with an intuitive color-coded system. This helps buyers plan procurement accurately.
Search and order products
Buyers can filter fields by maturity level, quantity, location, quality, or certifications. Once suitable fields are identified, buyers can place orders directly through the app, with payment options including Mobile Money or bank transfer.
Harvest and pack
After confirming the order, producers organize harvesting and packaging with support from BioLife Tech field agents to ensure quality standards are met.
Payment and transaction completion
Producers receive payment promptly (typically within 24 hours), while buyers receive a final invoice. The platform ensures transparent transactions and traceability for all parties.
Offline functionality
The app can be used without an internet connection. Data entered offline is automatically synchronized once connectivity is available. Field agents assist producers who may have difficulty using the app independently.