Nigeria - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Maimota empowers African farmers by connecting them directly with buyers & optimizing transport logistics, tackling food waste & boosting incomes.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Maimota, an African Agritech app, tackles food waste & empowers small holder farmers. It connects them directly with truck owners, optimizing routes (future) to reduce spoilage. Farmers gain access to wider markets & potentially fairer prices. By minimizing waste & boosting incomes, Maimota contributes to a more secure & sustainable food system in Africa.

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

Maimota tackles two intertwined issues in African agriculture: post-harvest loss and limited market access for small holder farmers. By connecting farmers directly with buyers and optimizing logistics (including potential future features like route optimization), Maimota aims to significantly reduce spoilage and empower farmers with better market access and potentially fairer prices. This contributes to increased income for farmers, more food reaching consumers, and a more secure food system overall.

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

Three major benefits of using Maimota's platform: * Reduced Post-Harvest Loss and Increased Income for Farmers: By connecting farmers directly with buyers and optimizing logistics (potentially with route optimization and tracking features), Maimota can significantly reduce spoilage during transportation. This translates to less food waste and more of the harvest reaching buyers, ultimately increasing the income farmers earn from their crops. * Improved Market Access and Fairer Prices: Traditionally, smallholder farmers rely on middlemen who take a significant cut of the profits. Maimota eliminates this middle layer, allowing farmers to connect directly with a wider range of potential buyers, including supermarkets and distributors. This increased access to markets can empower farmers to negotiate fairer prices for their produce, leading to higher overall income. * Enhanced Transparency and Efficiency: The mobile application provides a platform for real-time communication.

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

Maimota targets smallholder farmers in Africa, tackling their limited market access and post-harvest losses. By connecting them directly with buyers and potentially offering storage solutions (future), Maimota empowers farmers with fairer prices, increased income, and reduced spoilage. The project also benefits truck owners through optimized routes (future) and efficient matching with farmers, maximizing their earning potential. Ultimately, Maimota contributes to Zero Hunger by ensuring more food reaches consumers, improves food security, and empowers rural communities.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2018-09-28

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

4

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.)

Adetiloye Aiyeola, CEO (Male, Full-time): Driven by personal experience, Adetiloye brings his passion for agriculture and entrepreneurial spirit to lead Maimota's growth. * Michael Dada, CFO (Male, Full-time): Over 8 years of financial and accounting expertise ensure Maimota's financial stability and efficient resource allocation. * Timilehin Baraye, Logistics Officer (Male, Full-time): With 5 years of logistics experience, Timilehin optimizes routes, ensures efficient operations, and understands the challenges faced by both farmers and truck owners. * Anu Aiyeola, Technology Officer/Product Manager (Female, Full-time): Anu leverages her technical skills to develop and manage the Maimota platform, ensuring a user-friendly and effective experience for all. 14 / 15 * Kachollom Jama, Vendor Relations Officer (Female, Full-time): Kachollom fosters strong relationships with vendors, ensuring a smooth and reliable supply chain.

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

http://www.maimota.awesomefresh.ng

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

c) Industry (equipment, commercial, logistical and professional services, transport)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Maimota tackles poverty by; Reducing post-harvest loss, thereby connecting farmers directly with buyers (potentially fairer prices), and offering microloans, which empowers farmers to earn more income. This allows them to invest in better seeds, fertilizers, or storage, leading to a sustainable cycle of increased productivity and poverty reduction. Improving efficiency in the agricultural sector through route optimization and potential e-mobility integration which can create new job opportunities in logistics, storage management, or maintaining electric vehicles. Increasing income for farmers translates to investments in rural communities. This can improve infrastructure, education, and overall quality of life, breaking the cycle of poverty. Connecting small holder farmers with wider markets, which can indirectly contribute to poverty reduction by creating opportunities for small businesses like local restaurants or distributors to access fres

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Maimota tackles multiple aspects crucial to achieving Zero Hunger (SDG 2) by; *Connecting farmers directly with buyers and potentially offering storage solutions, Maimota minimizes post-harvest spoilage, ensuring more food reaches consumers (less waste, more availability). *Empowering small holder farmers through fairer prices, wider markets, and information can incentivize investment in better seeds and practices, potentially leading to increased yields and overall food security. *Eliminating middlemen creates a more efficient market. This can lead to potentially lower food prices for consumers and reduced need for increased production to compensate for lost yields. *Maimota's data can inform policymakers on food security strategies to improve infrastructure and distribution, contributing to long-term food security.

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

2

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Women play a crucial role in African agriculture, often constituting a significant portion of the workforce. However, they face challenges like limited access to land, resources, and decision-making power. * Connecting farmers directly with buyers and potentially reducing reliance on middlemen, Maimota can increase overall income for small holder farmers, including women. *Greater control over income can strengthen women's voices within households and communities. *Invest in education and healthcare: Increased income allows families to invest in education for girls, breaking the cycle of poverty and promoting gender equality. *Time saved due to efficient logistics or reduced post-harvest losses can free up time for women farmers. This can allow them to: *Engage in income-generating activities: Pursue additional income streams or entrepreneurial ventures. * Invest in their own learning and development opportunities.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

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

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

3

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

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

3

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.

5

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.

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.

5

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

5

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

5

05.08 Justification

While some Agritech solutions target larger commercial farms, Maimota specifically caters to the needs of smallholder farmers, the backbone of African agriculture. The app's design and functionalities are tailored to address their unique challenges, including: Limited Market Access: Traditionally reliant on middlemen, small holder farmers often struggle to reach wider markets and secure fair prices. Maimota directly connects them with buyers, eliminating middlemen and potentially increasing their profit margins. Inefficient Logistics: Poor infrastructure and lack of coordination lead to delays and spoilage during transportation. Maimota's route optimization feature minimizes travel time and fuel consumption, ensuring faster deliveries and fresher produce. Maimota's innovation lies not just in its technological functionalities but in its holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Africa.

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

Maimota's competitors include traditional middlemen, online marketplaces, logistics firms, and warehouse operators.They stand out from other competitors by; * Catering specifically to small holder farmers, addressing their unique needs like micro-deliveries and potentially limited digital literacy. *Optimizing routes can reduce costs and spoilage compared to existing solutions. *Partnerships with storage facilities could offer affordable cold storage, a gap in some regions.Maimota goes beyond connecting farmers, aiming to empower them with information and potentially financial tools

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

Yes. Maimota could feature success stories of female farmers who have seen significant income growth or improved market access through using the platform. This showcases the positive impact Maimota has on women entrepreneurs. *Organize workshops or conferences focused on using technology to improve agricultural yields and business acumen. Invite successful female entrepreneurs using Maimota to share their experiences and inspire others. * Integrate features within the Maimota app that provide additional resources or support specifically geared towards female farmers. This could include access to webinars on financial literacy or marketing strategies.