4S Technology Market Segmentation model

Background

To help address the issues in the agriculture sector, the Mekong Inclusive Growth, and Innovation Programme (MIGIP) the predecessor of ISA aimed to induce commercial adoption of new and increase the uptake of existing agriculture-appropriate mechanization and technologies among smallholder farmers and strengthen capacity development amongst local private sector partners and commercialisation of their technologies. To make this happen, Swisscontact Cambodia developed the 4S Technology Market Segmentation or, for short, the 4S Model.

The 4S Technology Market Segmentation model (4S model) is a go-to-market strategy that includes 4 Stages of Search, Set Up, Service and Showcase, specifically designed for private sector players to bring new agricultural technology/ machinery to farmers. 4S essentially does market segmentation so that promotion efforts are more targeted.

Aims and Objectives

Through the implementation of the 4S Model newer, better, and more effective techniques and technologies for farmers will be commercialized and so, productivity in farming will rise and the needs for heavy labour in the field will be reduced.

Institutionalisation Vision

The 4S model aims to be a product offering of Swisscontact as a resource for the private sector, that are interested in technology commercialization.

4S in the Making

2017

Commenced work with technology importers

Swisscontact’s Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP), worked with technology importers with an aim to promote innovative partnerships to expand the adoption of appropriate existing technologies and to strengthen local capacity in agricultural innovation to increase the competitiveness of agriculture sector leading to more market driven employment and income generation.

2018

4S Technology Market Segmentation model piloted

4S Technology Market Segmentation model was first piloted in Oddar Meanchey province to support Yee Chhun to improve their marketing strategy. Yee Chhun sold 132 tractors and implements that year using the 4S model. Later that year, MIGIP also partnered with Angkor Green, Larano workshop, Neourn Workshop and Department of Agriculture Engineering to commercialize several implements using the 4S Model. The development of the 4S Marketing Strategy also commenced.

2019

4S model established as a go-to-market strategy for the private sector

With the implementation of the 4S Model, 282 tractors and implements were sold by Yee Chhun, 38 tractors by Angkor Green. This established 4S model as a go-to-market strategy for the private sector to introduce and promote new agriculture technology to farmers as more partners were now interested in using the model. Larano decided to implement the model only in 2020, and by 2021, he sold 5 no-till planters (2 for maize no-till planters; 3 for rice no-till planters), 11 land levellers and 3 roller crimpers.

2021

Development and finalization of the 4S Handbook

The 4S Handbook was developed by Swisscontact and finalized with the contributions from private partners Yee Chhun, Larano Manufacturer, Neourn Workshop and Angkor Green Investment and Development Company , public sector partners Conservation Agriculture Service Center (CASC) of Department of Agricultural Land Resources Management (DALRM), Department of Agricultural Engineering (DAEng) under General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) and research institutions CIRAD and academic institutions Royal University of Agriculture and Kansas State University who actively participated and contributed to the intervention and implementation of 4S model to promote the machineries to reach out to smallholder farmers in Cambodia.

Resource Documents

4S Pitch Deck

978 kB

Technology Commercialization portfolio

3 MB

4S Handbook

4 MB

Events & Articles

09.07.2020

Agriculture Companies Share Knowledge on Social Media Marketing

Swisscontact through Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP)’s 4S model prepared a Social Media Marketing Experience Sharing Session, during which our partners in agriculture sectors came to learn and share their experiences in different topics such as content marketing, handy tools for Facebook page management and basic mobile...

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Promote Adoption of Agriculture Technology

Goal: to promote the adoption of innovative and appropriate scale agriculture technologies.

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WATCH: 4S – A model for agriculture technology promotion in Cambodia

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