M-PAiSA Farmer Payment Eases Agro Marketing Processing Time
Payment processing time for over 200 farmers registered with Fiji Agro Marketing have been reduced to 10 seconds. This was made possible through the M-PAiSA farmer payment, an easier payment method launched by Vodafone Fiji in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture. Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Ritesh Dass said the M-PAiSA farmer paymen would help a farmers livelihood in a cashless manner.
He said it offrered a more transparent way of exchange as it provided greater accountability for money.
“More importantly, our farmers will not have to wait.
“As soon as they get their produce from their fields, they are accounted for and will have their money pretty much the same day.
“That’s the efficiency of the service that we are driving,” he said.
Mr Dass said while carrying cash would posed a risk for theft, the M-PAiSA farmer payment would also enable farmers build on their wealth and sustainable employment for their families.
“So, this is a very simple platform that has a huge level of success across the globe on a similar platform.
“I’m very happy that you know we have reached this juncture and partnership that we have announced, I think it can only grow from strength to strength,” he said.
Vodafone Fiji
Vodafone Fiji head of e-commerce Shailendra Prasad said the M-PAiSA farmer payment would enable farmers to be more productive on the field.
With over 400 M-PAiSA agents across Fiji, the new payment platform would make a difference in farmers lives.
It would also reduce time spent going to the bank to check their balances.
“We are enabling the option for Agro Marketing to pay farmers directly on the mobile, wherever they may be, the moment they are able to determine how much a farmer is able to pay with the details in the system.
“They would then be able to enter the farmer’s mobile number, and the amount they need to pay, and execute the payment to be approved by the relevant people in the finance department.
“The money is received on the farmer’s mobile phone within seconds.
Cashless
The M-PAiSA Farmer Payment is available for Vodafone and Inkk users and is accessible through the M-PAiSA app as well as by dialing *124#