Cameroon - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Chefs can be connectors between producers and consumers. This project aims at enhancing mindfull cultivation and eating by reconnecting farmers to what they grow, lead Chefs, Cooks, Waiters, Managers and Consumers in my Restaurant to how food is produced

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The "Concious Food" project aims at renewing ties lost between producers, the food they grow,, cooks and consumers. The project involves opening a restaurant which provides cheaper food to the poeple, buys directly from farmers and makes their silent voices heard. It involves leading Chefs, waiters and managers working in my restaurant, to the fields to meet with farmers, and reconnect with how the food is grown and produced, feeling the smell of mother earth and living the moment (grounded experiences) just to rekindle the forgetten experience of being on the land, and enhance food value. It also involves the display of food production images in the restaurant, exchanging knowledge and curiousity with consumers as a powerful way to reconnect people to their food and enhance mindful eating thus reduce food wastage. The project will equally involve academic research where it will train students on internship on the value of food systems and formulating campaigns to foster awareness.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Food and agricultural problems. Humans depend on food for survival, and the future of food equally depends on the human practices which fosters productivity, mitigates post harvest loss and food wastage, enhances food transformation, preserves bio-diversity, soil and the ecosystem. Nowadays, many people have lost ties with nature and this lack of connectivity between people and nature has led to degradable practices which do not only destroy the soil and biodiversity but equally exacebates food wastage, which can lead to food insecurity in future if care is not taken. This project therefore seeks to solve the problem of lack of conciousness in the process of food production, transformation and consumption. This project is therefore a response to SDG 11- Responsible production and consumption and SDG 10- Sustainable cities and communities.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1- Food is our most intimate conncetion to earth. The project will build a holistic sustainable development community as it will renew lost ties between producers,, the foods they grow, cooks and consumers. 2- The concious food project will eqaully guarantee the wellbeing of people and the ecosystems. 3- It will equally creat awareness on the value of food production processes and connection between stakeholders across the whole agro-food supply -chain. 4- Traditional foods will be valued. 5- Through the project, the silent voices of farmers and their struggles will be heard, thus improve on their visibility and appreciation. 6- It will help in mitigating food wastage through its mindfull eating practices and campaigns. 7- Bringing conciousness into food systems can support the transition to holistic, bio-regional approaches and creation of productive landscapes of regeneration. 8- Enhances regenerative food systems food systems that is conducive to people and planet.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

1- Farmers and the other stakeholders of the agro-food supply chain system 2 The genral public

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

3

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Dr. Lawrence Tatanah Nanganoa has 12years experience in soil science and agricultural research. He works with the Institute of Agricultural Research and Development. and has experience working directly with farmers and farmer groups where he test soil suitability and recommends ferterlisers for use during farming. Madam Netongo Ndolo Remy has 8 years experience in counselling and psychotherapy. She works with the Ministry of Secondary Education as a guidance counsellor and she is skilled in conciousness approaches which actively supports the cultivation of inner capacities, into interventions that support the transformation of food systems. Miss Nfor Cynthia Kfukfu has 1 year experience in Bakery and food processing. Although still undergoing training she is already apt with the skills of cookery and pastries making.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

d) Primary commodities (food, drink, household and personal products)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

The concious food project will increase farm productivity and and sales of farm products thus improving on farmer's wellbieng and alliviate poverty.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

The "Concious Food" project will create awareness of good farming practices by bringing to conciousness the struggles and contributions of famers to the consumers through the foods cooked. Connecting these farmers to the food they grow, cooks,waiters and manager to farmers and nature will bring about concious practices such as mindful production and consumption which will lead to the respect of the ecosystem, increase soil fertility, prevents post harvest loss and food wastage. Increase productivity and mindful eating will eliminate hunger. moreso. the cheap but fresh food provided by the restaurant will greatly reduce hunger as it will be affordable even to the less priviledged.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

1- The food gotten from farmers will be fresh and not over fertilised as our team will help farmers with the right knowledge on fertilisation. thus the food will be direct and healthy. 2- The mindull practices provided by our team to both farmers and consu,ers will not only incease food productivity and mitigate food wastage, but will equally guarantee the mental health of producers who are faced with varied agricultural challenges as well as ensure the physiscal and mental health of consumers. 3. The food cooked in the retaurant will be of high quality and of standard fit for consumption as not only will the food be fresh, directly from farm, but we have equally acquired the knowledge of good cuisine standard as chefs.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

1- The project will help build inner capacities of Interns such as compassion, mindflness and value adding 2- Through its campaigns and awareness activies it will educate the public on concious farming practices and mindful eating.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

1- 3/4 of my team is made up of females 2- The concious food project is not discriminatory in application. it gives equall opportunities to both males and females to benefit from the projection both at production and consumption levels.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

The Concious Food project will influence attitudes and change human behaviours leading to healthy practices wich will protect, preserve and sustain nature, including clean water points. As such impleneting these practices through evidence-based programs such as mindfulness is a guarantee for clean water and sanitation both at the restaurant and community levels.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

1- Through the Concious Food project, agricultural stereotypes will be broken thus it will encourage many, especially young people to engage in a genuine and decent work such as agriculture. 2- This project is also innovative in transformation of the agro-food system. It will lead to regeneration as many other young people will try to emulate from us and thus, bring about economic growth .

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Incorporating conciousness programs in the food system is quite innovative. The Concious food program aims at building inner capacities that activates systemic change and regeneration. Through our evidence-based approches such as nature-connection, mindfulness, compassion and non-violent communication, these practices foster awareness, connection and creativity that unlocks structural solutions.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

The program builds inner capacities such as compassion and mindfullness which will bring about the spiritual and cultural transformation of people by reducing selfishness, greed and apathy, thus promoting the spirit of living together, solidarity and communualism.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Through the concious food project, farmers will be connected to the food they are growing,, cooks, waiters and managers will be taken to the fields to be connected with the farmers and food they grow, and consumers will be connected to the realities of the farmers and will learn to appreciate their struggles and contributions more. this will inturn creat compassion, improve mindful practice and eating. these practices will increase food production, mitigate post harvest loss, encourage tranformation and the practice of good hygene and sanitation. with such practicies, sustainability is guaranteed.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

Through the eveidence-based concious practices of the "Concious Food" project such as mindfullness, nature-connectivity, non-violent communitcation and compassion, farmers will adopt a more proactive approach towards their work, they will gain agengy over their work and assume responsibilities more often. Also, consumers will be more concious of the effort farmers put in growing crops and will change their behaviours on their consumption habits.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

The concious food program encourages approaches and interventions that are climate friendly and supports food system transformation in that. Our team will encourage farmers sustain landscapes by amplifying traditional wisdom in farming which can sustain soil better and preserve bio-diversity.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

Through the eveidence-based concious practices of the "Concious Food" project such as mindfullness, nature-connectivity, non-violent communitcation and compassion, farmers will adopt a more proactive approach towards their work, they will gain agengy over their work and assume responsibilities more often. this includes farmers in piciculture. Also, these approaches will tramsform the behaviour of people to value nature more and understand make them understand their responsibility in contributing to a sustained community wgich includes the life below water.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Through the eveidence-based concious practices of the "Concious Food" project such as mindfullness, nature-connectivity, non-violent communitcation and compassion, people will adopt a more proactive approach towards their work, compel them gain agengy over their work and assume responsibilities more often. As producers and consumers become more mindful of their environment, and develop compassion more often, it will rienforce innate capacities, tyransforming them to adopt healthy practices that can sustain terrestial ecosystems, conserve bio-diversity and preserve nature. as well as reduce obesity through mandful eating.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

5

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

Thwe concious food programs intends to transform minds and this comes along with agency and attitude change. once people become more concious of their actions they will be at peace with self and others.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

The concious Food project is a combination of food, agriculture and conciousness with common goal to support people from across food and agricultural systems cu;ltivate innate capacities that activates systemic change and regeneration. The project aims at establishing a community of practice and learning within which individuals and organisations can connect, learn and exchange knowledge, support and inspire each other, and collaborate to build concious food systems. The initiative originated to adress the sustainability of challenges of agricultural produces through multi- stakeholders cooperation and dialogue. As such this project intend to seek the collaboration of the government, companies, farmers and development practioners who support food systems transformation acros the agricultural value chain.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

3

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

5

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

restaurants do exist and even once which provide cheap food. but incorporating conciousness practices to food systems is a an inovation in the food system. It could be considered as new version of an old service which is food service and and externsion of a parcicular service: the conciousness approach to living. The project does not only aim at selling food but incorporating healthy agricultural practices and mindful eating to ensure sustainability and community development.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Other restaurant owners, and the following makes us stand out from them: 1 - We are disposed to getting sure cheap and fresh supplies directly from the farmers we intend to teach the conciousness practices. Their innate transformation will be a gurantee to their honest practices and reliability. 2- Our team already has the needed expertise to expediate this project to success 3- This project is a core area for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as such collaboration is sure. 4- Our campaigns are enough contents for marketing and our approaches of compassion, self-awareness, mindfullness and non-violent communication will transform our audience to customers, as well as retain them.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

non