Disrupting the Middleman
In Western economies, some of the biggest success stories—Amazon, Uber, Airbnb—are built on middleman models. They don’t own the inventory or provide the core service. Instead, they sit in between supply and demand, offering convenience, trust, and access. But across Africa, there’s a growing movement, especially among members of the diaspora, to eliminate the middleman—particularly in sectors like agriculture.
At first glance, this makes sense. Why not connect cassava farmers directly to markets, cut out the inflated markups, and pass on savings to consumers while increasing farmers’ profits?
But this well-intentioned disruption overlooks something deeper: the role of the middleman in Africa goes far beyond simple transactions. They’re not just brokers—they're enablers. They act as informal financiers, providing upfront capital, farming inputs, and logistical support when formal banks won’t. In regions where interest rates can soar to 25% or more, these middle players effectively de-risk production for the farmers, filling critical gaps in access to credit and resources.
So what happens when you try to remove them without replacing their support function? You risk undermining the very ecosystem you’re trying to improve. You may connect a farmer to a buyer, but without seed money or equipment financing, there’s no harvest to sell. The supply chain breaks before it begins.
The takeaway? Before you disrupt, immerse. Understand the culture. Walk the fields. Talk to farmers. Learn how value is currently created—not just where it's lost. Innovation without empathy can waste years and capital. But when you understand the nuance, you don’t just build a better system—you build one that actually works.
If you're serious about transforming agriculture or any sector in Africa, your solution must do more than cut out the middleman. It must replace what they provide—or partner with them in ways that bring more equity and less exploitation. That’s where real impact lies.
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