Cameroon - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

A platform/ application which has 3 users; A Farmer, A Transport vessel and a client. This is an app with the aim of connecting these users so as to facilitate the delivery of raw food material and minimize the lost made during its transportation.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

FarmXpress is a platform which shall enable farmers, drivers and buyers to connect with one another. For Farmers: * List their produce, including type, quantity, and location. * Set pricing and preferred delivery windows. * Receive offers from drivers and choose the most suitable one based on factors like price, ratings, and availability. * Track the progress of their deliveries in real-time. For Drivers: * Browse listings for available loads. * View details like pick-up and drop-off locations, produce type, and weight. * Submit offers to farmers based on their pricing and preferences. * Get matched with shipments and receive directions. * Track their earnings and manage their schedules. For Clients: * Search for specific produce or browse by category. * Find nearby farmers or filter based

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

Reducing the risk of loss after harvest Creating jobs opportunities for the unemployed Bridging the digital divide in Cameroon Lack of Transparency Unfair Pricing Inefficiency in finding reliable means of transportation.

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. Increased Efficiency: Farmers can easily find reliable drivers to transport their goods, while drivers can find loads to haul and optimize their routes. This eliminates the need for manual searching and negotiation, streamlining the process for everyone involved. 2. Improved Transparency: The app can provide real-time tracking of shipments, allowing farmers and clients to monitor the progress of their goods and ensure timely delivery. 3. Fairer Prices: By connecting farmers directly with drivers and clients, the app can help to cut out middlemen and reduce transportation costs. This can lead to fairer prices for both farmers and consumers.

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

An app connecting farmers, drivers, and clients benefits all three groups by: * Farmers: Saves time finding reliable drivers, potentially reduces transportation costs by cutting out middlemen, and offers real-time shipment tracking for better delivery management. Also, the app helps minimize the lost of ready to be shipped crops d * Drivers: Locates available loads to optimize routes and earnings, simplifies the process of finding and booking deliveries, and provides transparency into delivery expectations. * Clients: Gains access to a wider variety of fresh produce directly from farmers, potentially benefits from fairer prices due to reduced middlemen, and enjoys the convenience of in-app ordering and delivery tracking.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-06-01

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

0

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

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

Still Looking For Partners.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pearly-kusona-0183b018b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

1. Increased Income for Farmers: By potentially reducing transportation costs through fewer middlemen, farmers may earn a higher return on their crops. This can improve their livelihoods and financial stability. 2. Improved Market Access for Small-Scale Farmers: These apps can connect small farmers with a wider customer base, allowing them to sell their produce more easily and potentially increase their income. 3. More Employment Opportunities: Drivers can benefit from increased job opportunities due to the growing demand for produce transportation. This can provide them with a steady income and contribute to poverty reduction. 4. Fairer Prices for Consumers: By potentially lowering transportation costs, the app can lead to more affordable prices for fresh produce, making it accessible to low-income consumers and improving their dietary choices.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

1. Reducing Food Waste: Improved efficiency in the supply chain can minimize food spoilage during transportation, leading to more fresh produce reaching consumers. 2. Improved Market Access for Farmers: Easier access to markets for farmers incentivizes them to produce more, potentially increasing the overall availability of food. 3. Fairer Prices for Consumers: By potentially lowering food prices, the app can make fresh produce more accessible to low-income communities, improving their dietary options and reducing hunger.

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. Increased Access to Fresh Produce: By facilitating a more efficient supply chain, the app can make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to consumers, promoting healthier dietary habits. 2.Fairer Prices for Nutritious Food: Potentially lower food prices due to reduced middlemen can increase affordability of healthy produce, particularly for low-income communities. 3. Improved Food Quality: Real-time tracking and faster delivery can minimize spoilage and ensure fresher produce reaches consumers, potentially improving the nutritional quality of their food.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

2

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

An app connecting farmers, drivers, and clients offers several advantages, but it doesn't directly address educational equity or lifelong learning opportunities. This app's focus is on streamlining agricultural logistics.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

1.Economic Empowerment for Women: Women often play a significant role in agriculture, particularly in small-scale farming. By improving market access and potentially increasing income for farmers, the app can empower women farmers and contribute to their financial independence. 2. Increased Opportunities for Women Drivers: The app can provide women with more opportunities to enter the transportation sector, which has traditionally been male-dominated. This can expand their economic opportunities and promote gender equality in the workforce. 3.Flexibility for Women Consumers: The app's convenience of in-app ordering and delivery can be particularly helpful for women with busy schedules, allowing them to access fresh produce more easily.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Doesn;t directly adress this point.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Focuses on agriculture and logistics.

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

* Increased Efficiency: The app streamlines the agricultural supply chain, reducing inefficiencies and potentially lowering costs. This can benefit all participants economically. * More Job Opportunities: The app can create new job opportunities for drivers by connecting them with more delivery opportunities. Farmers may also need to hire additional labor to keep up with increased production or demand. * Improved Market Access: By connecting farmers with a wider customer base, the app opens doors for increased sales and income. This can promote economic growth, particularly in rural areas. * Fairer Prices: The app can potentially reduce transportation costs by cutting out middlemen. This can lead to fairer prices for both farmers and consumers, improving affordability and economic well-being. Overall, the app can contribute by promoting land efficiency, creating jobs , improving market access

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Thia app won't directly contribute to building large-scale infrastructure projects or heavy industries. However, it can indirectly promote aspects of SDG 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) by: * Enhancing Efficiency in Agricultural Logistics: The app fosters a more streamlined agricultural sector, potentially reducing reliance on traditional infrastructure and creating a more responsive system. * Promoting Sustainable Practices: By potentially reducing food spoilage and optimizing transportation routes, the app can contribute to a more resource-efficient agricultural industry. * Encouraging Innovation: The app itself is a technological innovation that addresses inefficiencies within the supply chain. Its success could inspire further technological advancements in agriculture and logistics.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

1.Economic Empowerment for Small-Scale Farmers: By giving small farmers better access to markets and potentially fairer prices through fewer middlemen, the app can improve their livelihoods and contribute to closing the income gap between rural and urban populations. 2.Increased Income Opportunities: The app can create new job opportunities for drivers, particularly in developing countries, promoting economic inclusion and reducing poverty. 3. Improved Food Security and Nutrition: By increasing access to fresh produce, especially in underserved areas, the app can contribute to better nutrition and health outcomes, reducing inequalities in health and well-being. * Fairer Prices for Consumers: The app can potentially lead to fairer food prices for consumers, particularly in low-income communities. This can improve their access to nutritious food and reduce inequality in dietary quality

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

This app can promote sustainable cities and communities in a few ways: * Reduced Food Waste: Improved efficiency in the supply chain can minimize food spoilage during transportation, leading to less food waste and a smaller environmental footprint for cities. * Local Food Systems: The app can encourage people to buy local produce, reducing transportation distances and associated emissions. This supports local farmers and fosters a more self-sufficient food system for cities. * Access to Fresh Produce: By making fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible, the app can contribute to healthier diets for urban residents, promoting overall well-being within communities.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

Thia app can promote responsible consumption and production in a couple of ways: * Reduced Food Waste: Improved efficiency throughout the supply chain can minimize food spoilage during transportation, leading to less food waste. This translates to more responsible resource utilization by both producers and consumers. * Supporting Local Farmers: By facilitating connections between local farmers and consumers, the app encourages people to buy local produce, which often uses fewer resources and packaging compared to conventionally transported goods. This promotes a more sustainable food production and consumption cycle.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Thia app can promote climate action in a few ways: * Reduced Emissions: Optimizing delivery routes and potentially reducing food spoilage through faster deliveries can lower the app's overall carbon footprint. * Supporting Sustainable Practices: By connecting farmers with a wider market, the app can incentivize them to adopt more sustainable practices to meet consumer demands. * Encouraging Local Consumption: The app can promote buying local produce, which typically requires less transportation and refrigeration compared to long-distance deliveries, reducing emissions.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

Thia app focus on land agriculture not marine,

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

This app can promote life on land (SDG 15) in a few ways: * Supporting Sustainable Agriculture: By potentially increasing farmer income and improving market access, the app can incentivize them to adopt more sustainable practices like crop rotation and reduced pesticide use. This can contribute to healthier soil and biodiversity. * Reducing Food Waste: Improved efficiency in the supply chain can minimize food spoilage during transportation, leading to less food waste. This translates to less pressure on land to produce more food. * Promoting Local Food Systems: The app can encourage people to buy local produce, which can help reduce reliance on large-scale industrial agriculture that can harm ecosystems. This promotes sustainable land management practices.

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

It does not help promote peace and justice amongst societies and it focuses strictly on agriculture.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

The app contributes to SDG 17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development) by: * Facilitating Technology Adoption: The app itself represents technological innovation applied to address challenges within the agricultural sector. Its success can inspire further development and adoption of technological solutions in agriculture, promoting sustainability goals. * Promoting Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: The app fosters collaboration between farmers, drivers, and consumers, creating a more interconnected and efficient agricultural supply chain. This type of collaboration is crucial for achieving many SDGs. * Enhancing Data Availability: By collecting data on production, transportation, and consumption patterns, the app can provide valuable insights to stakeholders. This data can inform decision-making and policy creation to support sustainable development efforts.

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

5

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

3

05.08 Justification

The app offers a combination of features that fosters innovation in the agricultural supply chain: * Streamlined Logistics: The app directly connects farmers with drivers and clients, eliminating the need for middlemen and streamlining the process of finding transportation and markets for produce. * Real-Time Tracking: The app allows for real-time tracking of shipments, providing transparency and ensuring accountability throughout the delivery process. * Fairer Prices: By reducing reliance on middlemen, the app has the potential to reduce transportation costs and lead to fairer prices for both farmers and consumers. * Wider Access: The app can connect small-scale farmers with a wider customer base, improve market access for consumers seeking fresh produce, and contribute to a more inclusive food system.

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

The main competitors for the app would likely be: * Established logistics companies: These companies may already have a presence in the agricultural transportation sector, offering hauling and delivery services. * Regional cooperatives or associations: These organizations might connect local farmers with transportation providers within their networks. * Online marketplaces: Some online marketplaces focus on farm-to-consumer sales and might offer delivery options through partnerships with existing carriers.

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

Yes I am. Especially in the field of technolgy. I recently did a cyber security out reach across different schools wherr I took timr to tel the girls how we can all break barriers set before us.