Transforming Agriculture: Sorkunthika Srour and the Success of Farm Hero
Sorkunthika Srour’s entrepreneurial journey began while she was a student at the University of Queensland, where she graduated with a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, thanks to the support of the Australia Awards. During her studies, she co-founded Farm Hero with her friend Vikram Fidolin Anandharaja. Farm Hero is an innovative agricultural platform aimed at addressing critical issues in Cambodia’s farming sector. Their vision and dedication were rewarded when they secured fourth place at UQ Ventures’ Validate program. In addition, Farm Hero received the most votes for the Empower People’s Choice Award at the UQ Ventures’ Empower Women Accelerator’s Pitch Night, further validating their impactful approach.
Shortly after Sokunthika’s return to Cambodia, Swisscontact and Farm Hero forged a strategic partnership to enhance access to agricultural machinery services in Battambang province’s targeted areas under the MetKasekor Model implementation. This collaboration aims to streamline agricultural equipment booking through the Farm Hero App, ensuring that smallholder farmers benefit from efficient and convenient access to machinery and technology services. This initiative is a step towards revolutionising service provision, empowering farmers with seamless access to essential agricultural resources and providing key aggregation services.
Before embarking on her entrepreneurial venture, Sorkunthika had already amassed three years of experience in the field of regenerative agriculture and land degradation with Swisscontact. This background provided her with a deep understanding of the issues faced by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. Through the Validate program, Sorkunthika and her team confirmed a significant problem: smallholder farmers often do not receive no-till planting services in a timely manner. This delay can severely impact their productivity and the sustainability of their land.
Farm Hero’s proposed solution was a platform that bridges the gap between farmers in need of no-till planters and the service providers who offer them. This idea, simple yet powerful, aims to revolutionise the agricultural landscape in Cambodia. No-till planting is a key practice in regenerative agriculture, which focuses on improving soil health, reducing erosion, and enhancing biodiversity. By facilitating timely access to no-till planting services, Farm Hero is not only helping farmers improve their yields but also promoting sustainable farming practices that combat land degradation.
The journey of Farm Hero began with the identification of a critical pain point in Cambodian agriculture. Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of the country’s agricultural sector, often struggle to access essential services and technologies. This gap in service delivery hampers their productivity and contributes to ongoing issues of soil depletion and land degradation. Sorkunthika’s experience with Swisscontact provided her with firsthand insights into these challenges, inspiring her to seek a solution that would have a lasting impact. Sorkunthika said,
Farm Hero’s platform is a significant step towards transforming Cambodian agriculture. By ensuring that smallholder farmers receive no-till planting services on time, the platform helps to enhance their productivity and promotes the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices. This, in turn, addresses the critical issue of land degradation, which has long-term implications for food security and environmental sustainability in Cambodia.
Swisscontact and Farm Hero’s collaboration is geared towards nurturing Farm Hero’s growth as an early-stage startup while advancing tractor and agricultural machinery services through the Farm Hero platform.
Sorkunthika Srour’s journey with Farm Hero exemplifies the power of innovation and entrepreneurship in addressing real-world problems. Alongside her co-founder, Vikram Fidolin Anandharaja, her work is a shining example of how young entrepreneurs, equipped with the right knowledge and support, can drive meaningful change in their communities.
Transforming Agriculture: Sorkunthika Srour and the Success of Farm Hero
Sorkunthika Srour’s entrepreneurial journey began while she was a student at the University of Queensland, where she graduated with a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, thanks to the support of the Australia Awards. During her studies, she co-founded Farm Hero with her friend Vikram Fidolin Anandharaja. Farm Hero is an innovative agricultural platform aimed at addressing critical issues in Cambodia’s farming sector. Their vision and dedication were rewarded when they secured fourth place at UQ Ventures’ Validate program. In addition, Farm Hero received the most votes for the Empower People’s Choice Award at the UQ Ventures’ Empower Women Accelerator’s Pitch Night, further validating their impactful approach.
Shortly after Sokunthika’s return to Cambodia, Swisscontact and Farm Hero forged a strategic partnership to enhance access to agricultural machinery services in Battambang province’s targeted areas under the MetKasekor Model implementation. This collaboration aims to streamline agricultural equipment booking through the Farm Hero App, ensuring that smallholder farmers benefit from efficient and convenient access to machinery and technology services. This initiative is a step towards revolutionising service provision, empowering farmers with seamless access to essential agricultural resources and providing key aggregation services.
Before embarking on her entrepreneurial venture, Sorkunthika had already amassed three years of experience in the field of regenerative agriculture and land degradation with Swisscontact. This background provided her with a deep understanding of the issues faced by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. Through the Validate program, Sorkunthika and her team confirmed a significant problem: smallholder farmers often do not receive no-till planting services in a timely manner. This delay can severely impact their productivity and the sustainability of their land.
Farm Hero’s proposed solution was a platform that bridges the gap between farmers in need of no-till planters and the service providers who offer them. This idea, simple yet powerful, aims to revolutionise the agricultural landscape in Cambodia. No-till planting is a key practice in regenerative agriculture, which focuses on improving soil health, reducing erosion, and enhancing biodiversity. By facilitating timely access to no-till planting services, Farm Hero is not only helping farmers improve their yields but also promoting sustainable farming practices that combat land degradation.
The journey of Farm Hero began with the identification of a critical pain point in Cambodian agriculture. Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of the country’s agricultural sector, often struggle to access essential services and technologies. This gap in service delivery hampers their productivity and contributes to ongoing issues of soil depletion and land degradation. Sorkunthika’s experience with Swisscontact provided her with firsthand insights into these challenges, inspiring her to seek a solution that would have a lasting impact. Sorkunthika said,
Farm Hero’s platform is a significant step towards transforming Cambodian agriculture. By ensuring that smallholder farmers receive no-till planting services on time, the platform helps to enhance their productivity and promotes the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices. This, in turn, addresses the critical issue of land degradation, which has long-term implications for food security and environmental sustainability in Cambodia.
Swisscontact and Farm Hero’s collaboration is geared towards nurturing Farm Hero’s growth as an early-stage startup while advancing tractor and agricultural machinery services through the Farm Hero platform.
Sorkunthika Srour’s journey with Farm Hero exemplifies the power of innovation and entrepreneurship in addressing real-world problems. Alongside her co-founder, Vikram Fidolin Anandharaja, her work is a shining example of how young entrepreneurs, equipped with the right knowledge and support, can drive meaningful change in their communities.