Farm business

Buy, lease or PAYGo: paying for farm technology

How the three ways to pay for smart farming equipment compare — outright purchase, leasing and PAYGo by M-Pesa — and which suits which farm.

· 4 min read

Smart farming equipment pays for itself through water, fertiliser and yield — but the payback comes over seasons, and the cost comes up front. That is why there is more than one way to pay.

Buy outrightLeasePAYGo
Up-front costFull priceNone or smallSmall deposit
PaymentsOnce (milestones)Fixed monthlyFlexible, by M-Pesa
MaintenanceWarranty, then paidIncludedRemote support included
OwnershipImmediatelyOption at end of termAfter final instalment
Best forCapital or loan in handPredictable operating costSmallholders paying from earnings

How PAYGo works

After a small deposit, you pay in instalments by M-Pesa — daily, weekly or monthly. Each payment keeps the system unlocked for the time it covers. Pay ahead whenever you have a good harvest; when the last instalment is paid, the system is yours.

The platform subscription

Whichever way you pay for the equipment, the software is a subscription — Starter, Professional or Enterprise — so the dashboard, alerts and AI advice keep improving without new hardware.

Start with a walk around your farm.

The first conversation is a site visit: we walk the farm with you and understand what you grow or keep and what is going wrong. No cost, no commitment. Buy outright, lease, or pay as you go by M-Pesa.