Proximity
Proximity is a not-for-profit social enterprise that is designing and delivering products and services to the rural population and especially farmers with the intention of enhancing livelihoods. The scope of oits network reaches nearly 75 percent of the farming population. Proximity has customers in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Lower Myanmar, the Dry Zone and the Shan hills.
The company's revenue model is 35% earned revenue from the farm technology and agronomy products we sell and 65% philanthropic capital.
Proximity holds a portfolio of farm tech products including sprinkler and drip irrigation, solar-powered water pumps, sensors and precision planting and also provides a range of services to support farmers throughout the growing season. These specialized services include techniques for seed selection, soil health, fertilizer usage, and pest and disease management.
Proximity also grants a crop loan and provides vital season-long working capital in cash to cover input costs such as seeds and fertilizer, along with hired labor, tools, and harvesting equipment. The most popular loan is sized 250,000 – 600,000 kyats / 178 – 427 USD.
Scale: 250,000+ farm customers added each year on a base of over 900,000 farm families
Reach: 10,000 villages, 160 townships, 75% of the farming population
Median: Net gain of $300 annually per farmer income
Efficiency: 6x (net income gain/cost to deliver)
Cumulative Impact: $498 million in the past 16 years (from 2020)
Sustainability: 35% of budget from earned revenue, 98% repayment rate on farm loans