Tanzania - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Fluoride-contaminated soils (FCS) are "outlier soils" that hardly respond to conventional fertilizers. RUTUBA-soil manufactures a alternative "bio-remedial bio-fertilizer" derived from inedible seaweeds for remedial and plant nutrient requirements in FCS

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

RUTUBA-Soil manufactures an alternative bio-remedial bio-fertilizer for use in fluoride-contaminated soils. This fertilizer is a blend of inorganic and organic forms. The organic forms are derived from inedible seaweeds (Ulva japonica) mostly found on the coastal shores as waste materials. The unique aspect of it is that the fertilizer granules are coated with the fluoride remedial material that traps and locks off the reactive fluoride in the soil to prevent fluoride from reacting with the plant nutrient. Therefore, our fertilizers increase the amount of nutrients that reach the plant by locking off the fluoride in the soil, but they can be used in common/uncontaminated soils as well.

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

Chemical fertilizers have been used for centuries to maintain and increase food production worldwide because they allow farmers to provide specific nutrients essential to their soil requirements. However, the efficiency of the conventional is limited to common soils and does not account for “outlier soils”. Outlier soils are soils identified by uncommon physical, chemical, or biological properties that react differently to the fertilizers and thus affect their efficiency. Fluoride-contaminated soils are one of the outlier soils that result in reduced crop yield and quality as well as necrosis irrespective of fertilizer input. This is because fluoride reacts with the conventional fertilizer to form other compounds limiting nutrient availability to the crops grown highlighting the need for an alternative fertilizer in these areas.

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

First; (Plant nutrition) The farmers living in fluoride-contaminated will be able to supply their crops with essential nutrients sufficiently at minimum fertilizer application rates serving them money and thus high-quality and quantity agricultural crops Second: (Soil quality): Our product contains organic forms which are sources of soil organic carbon (SOC) which is a soil conditioner. This improves the soil biota and overall soil quality which is essential in enhancing the soil productivity. Third: (Remediation) Over time, the fluoride contaminant in the soil will be locked off minimizing its concentrations to the minimum concentrations.

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

The beneficiaries are the farmers both smallholder farmers and established farmers who live in fluoride-contaminated soils which constitute about six regions of the country (United Republic of Tanzania) and other affected regions of East Africa (Kenya in particular). However, the fertilizer can also be used in other uncontaminated regions of the country affected by soil erosion due to the conditioning property of our fertilizer

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2022-01-01

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

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

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

RUTH LORIVI MOIRANA: She is currently a Lecturer in Material Science and Engineering at NM-AIST. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania and then went to China for her Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Engineering at Harbin Institute of Science and Technology (HIT) She is the current lead researcher in a project funded by PASET-Rsif under the Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA). FREDY SIMEL LOLUSU: holds a bachelor's degree in accounts and finance (BAF) from MUCCOBS and a master's degree in project management, planning and finance at AIA. He is currently the director of a newly established NGO named SoilFocus-Tanzania. ELIZABETH LORIVI MOIRANA: She obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy from Shandong University, and a master's degree Master of Public Health, Health System specialization, at the University of Cape Town-South

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/feed/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

The project intends to eliminate poverty through assisting smallholder farmers improve the quality and quantity of their agricultural produce by using a more efficient fertilizer product

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

The project intends to eliminate poverty and hunger by assisting smallholder farmers improve the quality and quantity of their agricultural produce by using a more efficient fertilizer product

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

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

N/A

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

N/A

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

2

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

N/A

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

N/A

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

N/A

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

My start-up will hire some people and therefore contribute to decent work particularly to women and youth

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

2

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

N/A

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

N/A

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

N/A

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

N/A

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

The production method minimizes the release of GHGs but enhances the community resilience to climate change impacts

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

The start-up will use seaweeds, however, the seaweeds that will be used are inedible seaweeds that are mostly waste materials at the shores of the ocean

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

N/A

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

2

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

N/A

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

N/A

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.

6

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.

5

05.08 Justification

Like other industries, our product is a fertilizer. But our product has one important thing that only a few products currently in the market have: "the organic component" which is a soil conditioner. Also, our product has something that other products in the market currently do not have; "the fluoride-remedial coating" which gives it a bio-remedial property which is needed by six regions of the country which more than 70% of smallholder farmers

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

I have two potential competitors: Minjingu Fertilizer, which manufactures inorganic fertilizer, and imported fertilizers. My business, however, stands out because it delivers the same product, but ours is specific to the regions that need it most. We have been working in collaboration with the target communities since 2021 during the beginning of the project and they are excited about our product

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

N/A