Ghana - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

PreSERVE’s mission is to directly buy fruits and vegetables from farmers and preserve them by processing them into flakes, powder, paste, juices, flavor and spices to keep them from spoiling and for easy consumption. It will prevent post-harvest loss

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

In my communit,farmers produce a lot of vegetables such as tomatoes,cassava leaves, jute leaves, hibiscus leaves, okra, pepper among others, fruits like shea fruit, ackee, cashew, guava, pawpaw, mango, among others and some other perishables like sweat potato, lemon grass, mushroom, garlic, ginger, spring onion, fresh locust beans, turmeric, cloves among others which have high nutritious value with the hope that they will be sold early for them to get money and produce more but instead, due to the nature of these fresh products, they spoil even before they are sent to the market for sale and majority of what is sent to the market is not able to sell and as a result, are sold at a relatively cheaper price to buyers causing loss to them. Sometimes, farmers do not get a place to even store the remaining produce making them perish which makes them not able to even cater for their families because farming is what they do for a living. PreSERVE will curb this through storage and consumption.

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

The main problem to be solved is post-harvest losses and healthy eating habits and by so doing, we will buy produce (vegetables and fruits) directly from farmers, process them to prevent the problems and promote sustainable management solutions and food waste by , freeze drying, and adding value to these produce by turning them into flakes, powder, flavor, juices, and paste maintaining the natural nutrients and after which, sell at affordable prices to consumers in consultation with the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) which will tackle SDGs 11 and 12 and thus sustainable cities and communities and responsible consumption and production respectively. There are currently no known organizations and businesses tacking a project like this in Bole and even Savannah region at large because most of them are concentrated in Northern region (Tamale) and its surroundings.

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.Preventing post-harvest loss of vegetables and fruits 2.Improving the health of people since this natural produce will be sold in their nutritious value 3.Contributing to food security in the country 4. Providing decent work to locals by enabling us employ (both males and females) to work on the on the venture and earn a living

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

The project is first of all aimed at serving 1,000 people in my community most especially farmers thus 50 by January 2026 and saving them from post-harvest losses because we will purchase this farm produce, preserve and even process them into consumable goods good ready for the market. It will also improve healthy eating habits among locals and our larger consumer market. Our target direct beneficiaries are the farmers, locals, chop bars, and our indirect beneficiaries will be hotels and restaurants, urban dwellers since these products will be good for the consumption of all irrespective of the age groups.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-11-09

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.)

Safo Lukeman Kura Abraham holds an MSc in Architecture, he is also an MSc exchange student from the Braford university and is a current PhD candidate (Architecture) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and one of his research interest areas is sustainable environmental management. He has managed his virtual office for 4 years now and he has knowledge in rural development, revite, and other architectural tools and software. Diana Rashida Rashid is a culture and Tourism, KNUST,passionate about entrepreneurship, community/international development, project manage and the sustainable development goals. She aspires to be a policy analyst because she is deeply passionate about creating positive and lasting change on a global scale. She believes that addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change requires a holistic and collaborative approach. Ayishatu Inusah is passionate about enterprenuership and into innovative bead 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

By providing a sustainable source of income for farmers and locals

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Income generated from the project by farmers and locals employed will help them provide for their families during hard times

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

3

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

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

We will help provide decent work for all so that instead of them planting their fruits and vegetables and losing them and their capital due to post harvest loss once every session, they will be able to produce in all seasons and still get their profits. Locals will also benefit from this since the project will need more hands-on site

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

we will invest in innovative preservation methods with farmers and locals to help curb postharvest loss

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

12 provide 100% natural and nutritious fruits and vegetables flakes and powder with the available natural resources for healthy consumption and prevention of diseases

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

3

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

2

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

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

6

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.

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.

6

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.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.08 Justification

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

Most of the organizations and projects such as savannah foods company limited is into fruit juice and fresh yogurt making only and situated in urban cities such as Tamale, an urban city, in the northern part of the country are located in Tamale, which is in a different region neglecting the savannah region most especially the rural area of focus thus Bole. Erofah fruit processing industries juice making, blessed child foods in north Kaneshie into baby foods. Whiles they are into just fruits juice and yogurt making, we will be into vegetables and fruits flakes, powder, spices, juices and paste to help reduce post-harvest losses and improve good eating habits.

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

Yes. Most of the jobs in my community are for men, so in including females, they will be the majority to be employed since the processing and production of products will be their fit this washing, arranging, packaging among others which will help boost their competence and also help provide for their families