Partnership expands equipment access to small farmers, drives tractor equipment rental market, and spurs economic growth in Nigeria and other developing regions

CalAmp (Nasdaq : CAMP ), a technology solutions pioneer transforming the global connected economy, announced today that it is partnering with Hello Tractor and Aeris to equip John Deere tractors with intelligent telematics and wireless connectivity. The partnership and combined integrated Internet of Things (IoT) technologies create an "Uber for tractors" that enables an on-demand mechanized equipment service for small farmers in Nigeria and other developing areas to improve economic advancement.

John Deere is part of a public-private partnership which will deploy tractors over a five-year period in Nigeria through an innovative business model making highly productive and profitable equipment more accessible and easier to manage for contractors offering services to small farmers. The partnership creates a technology-sharing ecosystem that promotes economic growth by putting more land into production and creating jobs across the region.

"It's exciting to see the innovation that Hello Tractor is bringing to the contractor segment in Africa. John Deere's success comes from how we and our dealers make sure our products are as productive as possible and always up and running," said Jason Brantley, managing director, Sub Saharan Africa, John Deere. "The Hello Tractor solution fits right into that and I think we are really just seeing the beginning of what is possible through data and telematics services for smallholder contractors."

Initial tractor deployments are estimated to yield:

9 million hectares of land into production;
37 million metric tons of additional food; and
More than 2 million direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria - all powered by Hello Tractor, CalAmp and Aeris technologies and solutions.
"There is no doubt agricultural mechanization will have an impact on Nigerian farmers' efficiency. The magnitude of that impact - and how quickly tractors can benefit society - will largely depend on the private sector, government and the public working together," said Jehiel Oliver, founder and CEO of Hello Tractor. "Today's announced partnership marks a significant step toward bringing this positive impact to the nation. This alliance will help Nigerian farmers access more affordable and dependable tractor services that will make a real difference in shaping the future of agriculture."

This partnership transforms manual farm labor into mechanized agriculture that is more operationally efficient to increase food productivity and sustainability. The business model allows farmers greater access to equipment and services, enables owners to optimize fleet operations, and inspires the growth of a burgeoning equipment tractor rental market.

"We're thrilled to be a part of delivering a valuable solution to the growing sharing economy that will make a positive impact on farmers in developing areas," said Carl Burrow, senior vice president of global sales at CalAmp. "Through real-time data, farmers have an opportunity to develop sophisticated agricultural businesses and contribute substantially to the community at large. We're honored to be part of such an exciting effort in leveraging IoT technologies to empower the next generation of business."

The CalAmp intelligent telematics device installed on the tractor delivers location and detailed usage information to the Aeris® Mobility IoT platform. That data is analyzed and delivered to the Hello Tractor platform and mobile app. Equipment owners and rental companies use actionable data insights such as location, engine hours and tractor patterns to make informed decisions about equipment availability, utilization and proactive maintenance to operate their fleets more efficiently.

"Using Internet of Things technologies, Hello Tractor is accomplishing amazing things to make best-in-class farm equipment available to smallholder farmers. Aeris is delighted to provide the IoT connectivity and data solutions necessary to give Hello Tractor and farmers the ability to strengthen food security in Nigeria," said Harry Plant, vice president of social impact, Aeris, a technology leader in IoT.

About Hello Tractor

Hello Tractor is focused on improving smallholder farmer's access to timely and affordable tractor services along with other farm inputs. Our technology makes it easy and profitable for tractor owners to (1) monetize tractors as business assets and (2) connect with farmers to schedule tractor services. Hello Tractor's innovative use of IoT (the Internet of Things) simplifies complex data to ensure transparency, profitability, and accountability across our ecosystem of farmers, tractor owners, tractor dealers, original equipment manufacturers, banks, and governments.

About Aeris

Aeris is a global technology partner with a proven history of helping companies unlock the value of IoT. For more than a decade, we've powered critical projects for some of the most demanding customers of IoT services. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Aeris strives to fundamentally improve businesses by dramatically reducing costs, accelerating time-to-market, and enabling new revenue streams. Built from the ground up for IoT and road tested at scale, Aeris IoT Services are based on the broadest technology stack in the industry, spanning connectivity up to vertical solutions. As veterans of the industry, we know that implementing an IoT solution can be complex, and we pride ourselves on making it simpler.

About CalAmp

CalAmp (Nasdaq : CAMP ) is a technology solutions pioneer transforming the global connected economy. We help reinvent business and improve lives around the globe with technology solutions that streamline complex IoT deployments and bring intelligence to the edge. Our software applications, scalable cloud services, and intelligent devices collect and assess business-critical data from mobile assets, cargo, companies, cities and people. We call this The New How, powering autonomous IoT interaction, facilitating efficient decision making, optimizing resource utilization, and improving road safety. CalAmp is headquartered in Irvine, California and has been publicly traded since 1983. LoJack is a wholly owned subsidiary of CalAmp. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.

CalAmp and the CalAmp logo are among the trademarks of CalAmp and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries, and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.