Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

FarmLeaf is a platform that seeks to help farmers adapt to the effects of climate change by providing educational, operational, and financial support for agroforestry adoption.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

FarmLeaf is a platform designed to streamline the agroforestry adoption process for African farmers. This goal will be achieved by providing operational, educational, and financial support for farmers implementing agroforestry practices. Our project will offer training on agroforestry practices, access to affordable financing, and a reliable supply chain for agroforestry products. We address operational hurdles by imparting essential skills through tailored extension services, online training modules, and peer-to-peer learning. Financial support will be provided through partnerships with microfinance institutions, offering flexible, affordable loans tailored to small-scale farmers. To enhance market access, we will establish farmer cooperatives to facilitate collective marketing, develop value-added products, and implement a Participatory Guarantee System for certification.

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

Farmers in Africa are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. For instance, small-scale farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture and are, therefore, susceptible to events such as floods and droughts. Other challenges such as increased soil erosion and declining soil fertility also threaten these farmers’ livelihoods. These factors are exacerbated by unsustainable farming techniques practiced in Africa. For instance, monoculture farming, which is the practice of planting a single crop in large fields, is highly unsustainable and leads to a host of environmental and economic problems. Monoculture farming increases the vulnerability of crops to the impacts of climate change, such as droughts and floods, by reducing the diversity of the ecosystem and making it more susceptible to disease and pests. This leads to reduced crop yields, food insecurity, and increased poverty for small-scale farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

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

Climate impacts: Our project will have positive effects on the local climates and environments around farms in Africa. The benefits include carbon sequestration, reduced soil erosion, biodiversity conservation, reduced use of synthetic fertilizers, and improved water quality and quantity. Social impacts: By helping farmers reduce and adapt to the effects of climate change on farming, this project will improve their livelihoods, maintain food security, eliminate fertilizer costs, and improve the farms’ aesthetics. Economic impacts: The trees planted as part of the agroforestry project will provide an extra income stream for farmers in the form of fruit, nuts, or timber. This way, this project will contribute to their long-term financial stability. Improved soil quality and water availability will also boost yields and turn a higher profit every season.

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

This project is designed for African farmers. Many households on the continent depend on their farms for their subsistence and economic needs. These households, most of whom are low-income, are the most susceptible to the effects of climate change despite having a low carbon footprint. Droughts, floods, and soil erosion have destroyed the soil quality of their farms denting their harvests. This problem is exacerbated by unsustainable farming practices such as monoculture farming. This population can be disrupted through a platform that will educate them on sustainable farming and agroforestry adoption while providing financial and operational support: us!

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-03-04

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

4

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

3

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

1. Christopher Khajira is an all-rounded individual with great skills in engineering and proficiency in programming languages like C++ and Python. He is also a farmer and practices sustainable agroforestry practices. 2. Daisy Florence has skills in project management which enable her to be great in both problem-solving and time management. She is very good with illustrations and schematics because of her excellent analytical skills. 3. Lilibeth Langat our team lead. She is an Accountant and a maize farmer in Kericho County, Kenya, where she has been practicing sustainable farming. She has great time management, adaptability, and organizational skills. Lilibeth is also a great leader who can communicate effectively and is highly determined. 4. Lavender Chemutai is very innovative. Her skills range from great communication, critical thinking and not to mention that she is an award winning writer and essayist. Lavender is able to come up with various solutions to mitigate climate change t

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

https://farm-leaf.com/

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

FarmLeaf promotes sustainable farming through the integration of agroforestry to improve crop yields and income for small-scale farmers in Africa. This will help reduce poverty by providing more stable and diversified sources of income.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

By increasing agricultural productivity and resilience through agroforestry, FarmLeaf supports food security. It also diversifies food sources with the integration of various crops and trees.

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

5

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Improved nutrition from diverse agroforestry products contributes to better health. Additionally, the reduced use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides promotes safer farming environments and reduces health risks.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

6

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

The project provides education and training to farmers on sustainable practices and how to adopt agroforestry, enhancing their knowledge and skills in agroforestry.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

By involving women in training and farming activities, the project promotes gender equality and empowers women economically.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Agroforestry improves water retention and reduces runoff, helping maintain clean water supplies and preventing soil erosion.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Although it is not FarmLeaf's primary goal, the project's focus on sustainable practices and potential use of biomass for energy could contribute indirectly to clean energy solutions.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

FarmLeaf will create job opportunities in agroforestry, training, and support services, contributing to economic growth and decent work.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

By promoting innovative agroforestry techniques and building local capacities, FarmLeaf supports sustainable industry practices and infrastructure development.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

FarmLeaf targets small-scale farmers, often marginalized, thus reducing economic inequalities by providing them with resources and market access.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Agroforestry practices enhance the sustainability of rural and peri-urban areas, contributing to resilient and sustainable communities.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

5

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

FarmLeaf promotes sustainable farming practices and reduces reliance on synthetic inputs, fostering responsible consumption and production.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

By sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, FarmLeaf actively contributes to climate change mitigation.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

Indirectly, FarmLeaf reduces runoff and soil erosion, which can protect water bodies from sedimentation and pollution.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

FarmLeaf supports biodiversity and ecosystem services by integrating trees and diverse plant species into farming systems.

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

3

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

FarmLeaf fosters community cooperation and participatory approaches, contributing to stronger institutions and social cohesion.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

FarmLeaf emphasizes partnerships with local organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to achieve its objectives.

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

2

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.

4

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

4

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

3

05.08 Justification

FarmLeaf envisions creating a product/service that improves on existing agroforestry practices, representing a new technology and an extension of current agricultural methods. While there are similar products/services, FarmLeaf addresses unmet needs in sustainable farming. It combines new and traditional approaches, offering a modern version of agroforestry that enhances productivity and environmental benefits.

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

FarmLeaf is not projected to have any competitors in Africa. Similar products exist in other markets, such as the Carbon Farming Group in New Zealand and the Agroforestry Group in Malaysia, but they are not designed to cater to the unique needs of low-income African farmers. Our solution is tailored to the African landscape and will form partnerships with local groups such as empowerment societies, microfinance institutions, and farmers groups.

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

Yes. When my team and I proposed FarmLeaf, we selected a female team member to be our team lead due to her excellent leadership skills.