Smart Tractor

Product Description

Hello Tractor is an agricultural technology company that has created a service to provide Smart Tractors to smallholder farmers. The service aims to provide upon request a tractor service to farmers to enhance their production capability and increase field production and efficiency. Farmers can either buy the tractors or rent them. Upon request, smallholder farmers can rent the tractors from owners through the company’s Hello Tractor mobile app. Hello Tractor is an Android application for tractor owners to share their fleet of tractors with a network of smallholder farmers. The company also offers Smart Tractor Financing that requires no collateral and has flexible repayment schedules. The Smart Tractor is a 15 HP tractor equipped with various attachments that can be tailored for variety of crops and stages of the production cycle and is sold and maintained by Hello Tractor.

Hello Tractor prioritizes women farmers, who are responsible of the majority of food production in Nigeria.

Head-quarters are located in Washington, D.C. with additional operations in Abuja, Nigeria and founded by Jehiel Oliver.

Target SDGs

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Market Suggested Retail Price

$7,500.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Hello Tractor manufactures and distributes the tractors to farmers and entrepreneurs.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include John Deere Seed Cum Fertilizer Drill and Tryctor.

Manufacturing/Building Method

Manufacturing is completed on a batch order process through partnerships in China. ^{interview with representative}

Intellectural Property Type

Patent

User Provision Model

Hello Tractor reaches users through channel partners like Syngenta who have high touch relationships with farmers through their distributor networks. Entrepreneurs can purchase a Smart Tractor from Hello Tractor and manage the tractor on the software network. Renters can request tractor service via SMS and mobile money that is managed on an Android application.

Distributions to Date Status

As of May 2020, Hello tractor has fitted its IoT technology on over 2,500 tractors and serviced more than 500,000 farmers.

Targeted Crops

The tractors are suitable for a variety of crops, their six different attachments allow their use in irrigation, plowing, fertilizer distribution among others.

Field Coverage (ha/hr)

Unknown

Materials

N/A

Weight (kg)

518 kg

Power source

Motorized

Design Specifications

This product is a 15 horsepower simplified tractor with a single axle and modular functionality to incorporate different tool requirements. The tractor can be attached to a disc plow, tiller, harrower, water pump and sprinkler, seeder, trailer, and harvester. It is also suitable for a variety of soil conditions and designed specifically for small crops (5 Ha or less). Each smart tractor comes with a GPS and other IoT add-ons, for tracking purposes, use, and maintenance needs. The owner will be notified when the tractor needs maintenance. Specifications:

518kg weight (with tiller attachment)
Dimensions: 2680mm x 1030mm x 1290mm
Single cylinder, diesel, 4-stroke, direct injection, water cooling engine.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Smart Tractor owners are sent maintenance reminders via SMS and can schedule on-site maintenance by trained Hello Tractor technicians. There is no call center, but after-sales support technicians can be reached directly.

Replacement Components

Replacement components are available including regular upkeep items and tractor tool attachments.

Lifecycle

6 year expected lifetime with a 1-year Hello Tractor warranty. ^{Interview with representative}

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

The access to tractors allows farmers to plant 40 times faster and 2.5 times cheaper than conventional manual methods. The benefits of tractor services for farmers include: planting on time, 63% average savings, and upwards of three times increase in yield.

Vetted Performance Status

None

Safety

Automated agricultural equipment can be dangerous and needs to be operated with caution.

Complementary Technical Systems

The Smart Tractor can be paired with complementary agricultural tools to increase efficiency. Hello Tractor also sells separate monitoring devices.

Academic Research and References

Kolk, A., Ciulli, F., 2020. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Science Direct, volume 34.

Daum, T.,Villalba, R.,2020. Uber for Tractors? Opportunities and Challenges of Digital Tools for Tractor Hire in India and Nigeria. SSRN

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Other Information

There is an informative video available on YouTube. Hello Tractor mobile app. Hello Tractor prioritizes women farmers Farmers are charged a $75 USD per hectare fee to rent tractor service. $4,000 USD for the tractor and disc plow, tiller, harrower, and 1yr subscription to the software. Interview with representative $7,500 USD for the tractor with all the attachments (disc plow, tiller, harrower, water pump and sprinkler, seeder, trailer, harvester) and 1yr subscription to the software. Customers can utilize a low interest loan with a 3-5 year payback from bank partners such as Fortis MFB and Union Bank. Trained individuals and farmers who have a need to use a tractor for a short period of time, but cannot afford to purchase a tractor outright. Small investors who want to invest in farming by owning one or more Smart Tractors to lend through Hello Tractor app. Notification is sent to tractor owner when maintenance is needed. The benefits of tractor services for farmers