The data we collected wasn’t used for typical marketing purposes or for consumer research.

Instead, it was and is being used for the greater good.

Right now, it's fighting climate change.

Protecting Colombian farmers' crops and incomes.

Establishing a weather database in an area where none existed.

And ensuring there's enough crops to make the farmers' favorite beer.

Situation:

Farmland in Northern Colombia’s mountainous Cordoba region is suffering from unprecedented heavy rainfall due to rapid climate change.

In 2022 alone, over 4.9 million acres of Colombia’s crops were lost during rainy season, including cassava, the main ingredient used to make Cerveza Nativa.

Unfortunately, traditional tools used to predict bad weather can’t keep up with climate change. And uneven mountain terrain renders modern weather radar practically useless.

The inability to proactively protect their fields puts farmers’ income and their crops — including cassava — at great risk.

Brief:

Help Nativa support cassava farmers better protect their crops from the devastating effects of climate change.

Objectives:

Fight the war on climate change and help small farmers protect cassava – and all their crops.

Strengthen crop and financial security for farmers and have enough cassava to make Cerveza Nativa.

Reinforce brand loyalty amongst the small farmers who grow Cerveza Nativa’s cassava.

• Data insights

One simple data insight provided the only inspiration needed:

2022, Colombian farmers lost 4.9M acres of crops during rainy season.

After measuring rainfall levels with the Nativa Meter, farmers use a WhatsApp number on the label to share weather data with agricultural experts who give farming advice based on current conditions.

That data is then shared with Colombia's National Meteorological Institute to update local weather, and, create an open-source weather database to help farmers better prepare for oncoming weather.

• Innovation

Nativa Meter's low price gives agronomists and meteorologists more data points to work with. Normal rain gauges cost $18 USD at retail. For just $0.34 USD per bottle — a 98% savings, experts can now have thousands of data points where none previously existed.

• Originality

A rain meter isn't a new idea. Reinventing it to use data instead of folklore to do your farming is.

• Data gathering

The data we collected wasn’t used for marketing purposes, but instead, for the pursuit of improved farm production that benefits us all.

Farmers use a Whatsapp number on the label to send current conditions and rainfall data to Nativa Meter’s team of agricultural experts.

• Data interpretation

The experts then analyze the data and advise farmers on better crop management, based on current and predicted weather.

The data is then shared with Colombia’s National Meteorological Institute to update current regional conditions, then collected in an open source weather database that allows meteorologists to gather data points and predict future weather patterns.

• Targeting

This effort is aimed solely at small farmers in northern Colombia's Cordoba region, and is designed to help them improve crop management. To reach them, we simply added the Nativa Meter to the bottle and let word of mouth do the rest.

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• Data journey

When the rain stops, farmers go outside and gather rainfall amounts from their Nativa Meter(s). They then use a WhatsApp number to report their data to our team of agricultural experts.

• Implementation

Our agricultural experts then analyze the data and give farmers realtime advice on how to better prepare their crops for the threat of oncoming heavy rainfall.

• Data integration

Data from farmers from throughout the region is then aggregated and shared with Colombia's National Meteorology Institute, to update current conditions, as well as create an open-source historical database designed to help better predict weather patterns and avoid future disasters (because of mountainous terrain, even the most sophisticated weather radar cannot depict accurate weather conditions).

• Application

With this information, farmers can irrigate more efficiently and know when to open and close drainage systems, so as not to overwater – and kill – their crops.

• Data enhanced consumer experience

Farmers use feedback supplied by agricultural experts and meteorologists to proactively make adjustments to help ensure crop security.

• Data driven behaviour change

Over 280 thousand acres of Colombia’s Cordoba region is now protected by the Nativa Meter, meaning over 20 thousand farmers are using this valuable tool

• Sales

38% increase from March-April 2023. The initial run of 20,000 Nativa Meters sold out in less than a week and were immediately put to use.

At $0.34 USD per beer, farmers save 98% on a rain gauge versus $18 USD.

Net savings from the initial run of 20,000 bottles: $353,200 – the equivalent of 208 Colombian farmers’ annual incomes.

• Engagement

200% increase in brand interactions from March-April 2023.

• Achievement against business targets

75% increase in brand favorability in northern Colombia

81% increase in purchase intent

Because Colombia’s farmers live well below the poverty line, washed out crops mean wiped out income. Being able to help protect their crops with a rain gauge for almost nothing is huge. Getting one that’s already on the bottle of something farmers already buy and drink is massive.

Lastly, uneven mountainous terrain makes the most advanced up-to-date weather radar tracking systems unable to accurately depict current and precise weather patterns. This makes the Nativa Meter’s reportage of conditions in these areas crucial to helping farmers in the region prepare for bad weather.