Preparing for the best, not the worst, with sorghum (2017)

SALES STRategy

Target: Malian smallholder farmers

Challenge: How might we engage smallholder farmers in a conversation about sorghum that inspires them to try our new hybrid variety? 

Summary:  myAgro received a grant through USAID to sell a drought-tolerant variety of sorghum in Mali. After having introduced the variety through traditional sales methods, very little sorghum was being sold. 

Process:

• Observation of field activities, focus groups with field staff 

• Desk research 

• Design and test a sales script with a small group of agents

• Deliver and train a wider group of agents  

Insights: In conversations with field staff, we realized that many farmers don’t prioritize sorghum as a cash crop. When we promoted it as a drought-resilient crop, we were mistakenly raising farmers’ anxiety about the upcoming season. A “prepare for the worst” mentality left farmers uneasy. 

Marketing Plan: We flipped the script on sorghum, focusing on its goodness and health benefits for the family. After warming them up to the idea of sorghum being good for the family, we shared more about drought and flood tolerance. 

Result: We turned around sorghum sales, delivering the seed to over 1,500 farmers in Mali.