Digital Bridges for Smallholder farmers: The Mekong Farm App Story

Smallholder farmers in the Mekong region have long relied on middlemen, faced volatile prices, and lacked timely technical advice. The Mekong Farm app is changing this by connecting farmers with buyers, value chain actors, peers, and agroecology experts, turning smartphones into tools for market access, learning, and better decision-making.

Greenovator leads the enhancement of the Mekong Farm app, funded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS).

Piloted in Can Tho, Vietnam, and later expanded to Battambang, Cambodia, the project concluded in August 2025.

Headed by Ms. Yin Yin Phu, Greenovator co-founder and business development director, the team recorded almost 2,000 app users during the pilot, including 50 smallholder farmers in Can Tho who tested key features and provided structured feedback.

Their inputs helped shape two new core functions on business linkage and agroecological knowledge, with local-language support.

Phu highlighted that demand for safe, sustainably produced food is opening new markets for farmers who adopt agroecological practices that improve soil health and reduce production costs. To seize these opportunities, farmers need digital tools that close information gaps and connect them directly to markets and services.

“Digital platforms are a critical enabler for this transformation, addressing information asymmetry by connecting farmers directly with buyers and value chain actors, empowering farmers to become modern agricultural entrepreneurs,” said Phu.

The project found high smartphone ownership among farmers but also a need for simpler, more intuitive platforms than many existing agricultural apps. In response, the Mekong Farm app introduced persistent login, simplified authentication, and voice commands to ease adoption, especially for first-time digital users.

During the pilot, nine value chain partners joined the app’s Business Mapping and Linkage function, including suppliers of eco-friendly inputs and providers of agritech services such as drone planting, smart irrigation, and field mapping.

Through the Community feature, moderators shared over 50 posts on sustainable farming practices, reaching 136 farmers and creating a channel for localized agroecological learning.

One farmer noted that the Mekong Farm app improves access to modern technology while cutting transaction costs: “I can compare the prices for new fertilizers and seeds from three different vendors and check the quality of drone services. This saves me time and helps me get the best deal.”

Youth and women are actively engaged on the platform: 68% of app users in Vietnam are under 40 years old, and 28% are women.

Mr. Thei Soe Min, CEO and co-founder of Greenovator, stressed that the app’s impact goes beyond income. “It’s about building confidence, creating a strong community, and supporting sustainable modern farming. This is the future of farming in the Mekong region.”

By connecting nearly 2,000 farmers with buyers, value chain partners, and agroecology experts, the Mekong Farm app is enabling smallholders to make smarter decisions, adopt sustainable practices, and take charge of their farming futures.