Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

our focus is to drive food and water quality analysis and promotion of food-water nexus to achieve sustainable development goals. we employ community-driven engagement and participation to realize our goal. Our approach is "DO IT AND EXPLAIN".

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

food-water quality actors offer food and water testing for quality and product certification. we achieve this through laboratory testing of food in line with national industrial standards. the general public is our target, including water and food vendors. we achieve traction by promoting water and food quality campaigns to our communities, streets and religion worship centers. we share our flyers and physical demonstration of our services using test-kits, then encourage them to bring their food and water for testing. we charge for our services and collaborate with other related service providers, such as industrial water treatment outlets, if the need arises from our clients.

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

World Health Organization(WHO)/United Nation International Children Emergency Fund placed safely managed water in Nigerian households at only 28.98%, with over 40 million Nigerians still practice open defecation. WHO reports that E. c.oli bacteria is associated with 77.3% of Nigerians household water at point of collection and 90.8% at point of use, the presence of E.coli shows that the water is unfit for drinking. However, according to the Nigerian annual Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene(WASH)-National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASH-NORM), 11% of households had at least one diarrhoea case every 6 weeks because only 9% of Nigerians have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Also, more than 200,000 Nigerians die of contaminated food and poisoning annually, with a cost of illness burden of around $3.5 billion.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

first off, we carry out water testing to prevent faecal and priority chemical contamination, this will help Nigerians to know the quality of water they are consuming, thereby improving their well-being. Secondly, our food quality tests and campaigns to ensure finished products comply with established standard is a novel way of awakening Nigerians to tackle issues of food poisoning and food insecurity in the nation. Finally, our startup is contributing to realization of sustainable development goals such as clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), zero hunger-SDG 2 through food security, and good health and well-being (SDG 3). This is because with safe water, people cannot get sick easily, therefore no need for spending on medical interventions.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our startup aimed to serve the general public, since water is life and nobody can live without food. In general, households, water and food vendors, recreational water facilities owners, hotels, schools and hospitals are our major clients. In rendering our services, we do not discriminate against people on the basis of their beliefs and background. We seek to reach the remotest communities with little to no basic amenities.

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-01-03

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

3

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

1

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Alfa Friday Francis is our team lead and project coordinator. he is a seasoned biotechnologist and environmental sanitation expert with 5 years of practice. He has attended over 4 conferences on food-water nexus. 2. David Idibe is a professional microbiologist, with 6 years of practice, both in science and medical laboratories. he is skilled in basic microbiological anaysis of water and physico-chemical parameters. 3. Eyee Moses has diploma in law. She is passionate about contributing to sustainable development goals, especially on gender equality, women right, girl-child health and well-being.

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

https://foodwaterqualityactors.website3.me/

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

f) Healthcare (healthcare equipment and services)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

when people fall sick arising from contaminated food and water, lots of money could be spent on medical treatment which takes away from income of people. Not only does poor water quality affect economic situation of people but also could lead to huge medical debts due to prolong illness, thus impoverishing the people. Additionally, when people get sick from contaminated water and food, they may not be able to work, especially the self-employed which may hinder such person from engaging in works that bring money to his pocket, leading to financial hardship.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

We cannot achieve food security without food safety. We do offer food testing and embark on food vendors sensitization exercise. if foods are protected from contamination, which in most cases prevent spoilage organisms as well, then most food products will be available throughout seasons, thereby mitigating shortage and hunger arising from their unavailability.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

People fall sick when contaminated and infected water and food are consumed. By getting to know the quality of what they are consuming, this will improve their overall health and well-being as the likelihood of falling ill becomes minimal from water and food intake.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

2

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Our start up does not discriminate against people on the basis of their gender. We even went on to demonstrate our commitment to gender equality by including female expert in our team. Also, our sensitization outings always target areas where equal women and men will be informed.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

we offer water testing and campaigns for water quality test in commercial, school and hospital facilities. W.H.O states that to achieve universal coverage of 6.1 targets of sustainable development goals, it calls for increased effort by sixfold. So, Food-water quality actors are accelerating 6.1 targets by ensuring that there is an increase in proportion of Nigerian population using safely managed drinking water services- indicator 6.1.1.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

When people are healthy, they are better happy at the their various places of work. This does not only boost their productivity, but also enhances economic growth as they work better leading to personal development and growth. Even employers of labour benefit from healthy workers as they work better, leading to huge turnover and expansion of the company.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

3

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

we also seek to offer our services to local communities, which are either neglected or lack basic amenities. we strive to carry along those who are not economically viable, thus reducing inequalities among Nigerian social stratification.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

In Nigeria, inappropriate management of urban water systems are responsible for contamination of public water supply. By carrying out test of water in households and other facilities, we are assessing the efficiency and safety of urban water transmission lines, thereby contributing to sustainable cities and communities.

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

We promote compliance to regulations and standards by ensuring that commercial water and food producers are putting out safe products for consumers. when we test and discover non-compliance of certain parameters to appropriate standard, we go on to provide ways of tackling the problem. We also educate general public on how to identify fake products, so as not consume food and water which could have been infected, spoilt or stale.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

when available water and food are properly managed, they tend to promote sufficiency, even there is disaster of climate change, either in form of lack of rainfall due to drought or widescale flooding.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

When harmful chemicals such as lead and arsenic are present in water, they will cause poisoning of fishes and other aquatic lives, if they find their way into large water bodies. Our investigations ensure that priority chemical contaminations are sought in water for different purposes, especially industrial effluents.

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

when industries and stakeholders at all level work in harmony to ensure safe water and food, institutional framework will be strengthened, fostering peace and justice.

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

We have developed partnership with other bodies assisting us in our services. we currently partner with mozuk scientific and analytics laboratories on most water quality tests of heavy metals such as lead, iron and copper. We hope to build on this partnership in years to come.

06.01 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

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

3

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

3

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

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

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.08 Justification for my startup

Agreement not up to 4

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Few laboratories are into water quality analysis here, but most of them do not have the integrated services we offer. We are unique in the sense that, we go for on-site testing and offer consultation services in partnership with mozuk laboratories. We undertake community-driven approach that aids our work being continuously projected out to our prospective clients. We have outcompeted

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

Yes, by including a female as co-owner of the startup, we are encouraging female participation in entrepreneurship. Also, she has taken step by ensuring that one of our workers is female.