Case Study: Satellite Credit Scoring — 44 Farmers Scored From Space is the story of how data-driven insights help bridge the gap between traditional agricultural limitations and modern verification methods. By utilizing satellite imagery and local cooperative data, Maputo Bridge Capital (MBC) ensures that resources reach verified smallholder farmers in Mozambique, including the 44 members of the COJAZ cooperative in Zambezia.
The Challenge
95% of Mozambican farmers are unbanked. They typically have no credit history, no formal bank statements, and lack the collateral required by traditional financial institutions. Because of these barriers, banks cannot provide the financing necessary for these farmers to thrive. Without a transparent record, it becomes difficult for the broader community to understand who needs support to succeed during the growing season.
The Solution: Alternative Data Scoring
MBC evaluates farmers using 6 alternative data sources to understand their agricultural capacity:
- Satellite NDVI (30% weight) — Sentinel-2 satellite measures crop health from space. Zambézia NDVI: 0.78 (highest in Mozambique). Healthy crops serve as an indicator of a reliable farmer.
- Mobile Money Activity (15% weight) — Transaction patterns help reveal payment habits.
- Weather & Climate Risk (15% weight) — Open-Meteo API provides 30-day rainfall vs historical average. Zambézia: 27mm rain, 80/100 weather score.
- Farm Profile (15% weight) — Farm size (11.4 hectares average), years farming, and cooperative membership status.
- Repayment History (15% weight) — The track record of repayments into the Community Fund.
- Community Verification (10% weight) — Verified by field agent Anselmo Boaventura through COJAZ cooperative membership.
The Nature of the Harvest
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Impact on the Farmer's Season
For a smallholder farmer, these technological insights represent a shift toward accountability and growth. By tracking NDVI and rainfall data, the cooperative can identify which farms are flourishing and where specific needs arise. Once the harvest is complete, farmers repay their costs into a Community Fund, which is then used to sponsor the next farmer in line, ensuring the cycle of support continues.
The Data
- Farmers scored: 44 (4 via live calculation, 40 via batch)
- Average credit score: 526/850 (Grade D — new, unverified)
- Verified members: 608/850 (Grade C)
- NDVI: 0.78 (healthy crops confirmed from space)
- Weather score: 80/100 (good rainfall)
- Processing time: 3.7 seconds per farmer
- Cost per score: $0
- Bank account required: NO
Future Technological Possibilities
Researchers and technologists envision a future where advanced AI and satellite processing models could further revolutionize agriculture. By analyzing hyper-local spectral data, automated systems could potentially predict crop yields with even greater precision. While these concepts remain in the research and development phase, they represent a powerful vision for what could be built to empower Mozambican agriculture by removing the dependency on legacy banking systems.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is NDVI? A: NDVI stands for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, a method used to measure the density and health of vegetation based on how plants reflect light.
Q: Why is mobile money activity used for scoring? A: Mobile money patterns provide a digital trail that reflects financial habits in regions where traditional bank accounts are not accessible.
Q: How does weather data impact farm analysis? A: Weather data provides context on climate risks and rainfall, helping to assess the environment in which the crops are growing.
Learn more about how we work at Maputo Bridge Capital or see how sponsoring a farmer works.
If you would like to support a farmer, you can sponsor one from $25. Please note that sponsorships are gifts, not investments, and are not tax-deductible. 92% goes directly to the farmer's local seed and fertilizer shop, while 8% covers field verification and receipt documentation. To help a farmer thrive, visit our sponsorship page.