Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

We build solar powered agro equipment and provide smallholder farmers with affordable solar irrigation, solar threshing, solar milling and solar drying services on a pay-per-use model that can be easily accessible to them through our rural solar hubs.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Nimsy Agro Solar Concept builds solar powered agro equipment and provides farmers with affordable solar irrigation, solar grain threshing, solar milling and solar drying services on a pay-per-use model easily accessible to farmers through our rural solar hubs. Our solar agro equipment uses no fuel and have zero carbon emission, they are sustainable, affordable and cleaner alternative to expensive and polluting fossil fuel agro equipment. Features/benefits of our four solar agro equipment; 1. Solar Multi Grain Thresher: Threshes over 500kg of multiple grains such as rice, maize, soybean and sorghum per hour and improve farmers productivity 2. Solar Dryer: It dries perishables like tomatoes and fruits faster and hygienically extending their shelf life from 3 days to 12 months. 3. Solar Irrigation Pump:- It is mobile and optimized for over 10 acres of farm land, pumps 30,000 liters per hour. 4. Solar Mills: Grinds grains into fine flour and can be powered by our solar thresher system.

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

Over 30 million Smallholder farmers across Nigeria spend 25-40% of their income buying fuel to power agro equipment for farm irrigation and processing, these equipment are expensive to operate because of the need to constantly buy fuel to power them and this is adversely affecting farmers income, bringing about low productivity, poverty and hunger. The recent hike in petrol prices in Nigeria has even worsen the situation for the farmers, for instance, farmers are spending over 5,000 Naira a day to buy petrol to irrigate one hectare of farm land, over 2,000 Naira to thresh and mill 100k kg of grain like maize or rice and suffering over 50% post-harvest loss of perishables like tomatoes and fruits. Also, Fossil fuel powered agricultural equipment also emit tons of carbon into the atmosphere that contribute to global climate change (19 - 31% of greenhouse gas estimated data from world bank and FAO) making agriculture the second largest contributor of green house gases.

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

1. We provide smallholder farmers in rural communities with affordable solar agro services( irrigation, grain threshing, milling and drying) via our solar hubs. Our solar agro services is 30-50% more affordable than using fossil fuel agro equipment, this is because our major source of energy is free solar energy abundantly available from sunlight. 2. Farmers are able to save over 70,000 naira monthly in fuel cost, this will help them save more and earn a better living. 3. Our solar agro product and services has increased smallholder farmers productivity, for instance, it only 10 -15kg of grain can be achieved manually threshing grain like maize or rice, with our solar powered mechanized option, farmers can thresh more than 500kg of grains in one hour. 4. Reduction in post harvest loss of perishables like tomatoes and pepper and extending their shelf life to over 12 months via our solar drying services. 5. Reduced Carbon Footprint as we provide cleaner alternative to fuel agro equipment

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

My startup is targeted primarily at over 30 million smallholder farmers in rural communities of Nigeria who carry out irrigation, grain threshing, milling and drying activities. These are major farming activities typically carried out by farmers from planting to harvest, as such our services are heavily needed by farmers, more so because we provide these services at a more affordable rate because our sour of energy is free solar power from sunlight abundantly available in Nigeria.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-10-14

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

4

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

2

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

1. Ibrahim Ishaya is our Operation Lead with 5 years Agri business experience background in Business administration. 2. Gloria Oche is our Marketing Lead, she is an Agriculture expert with a Bachelors of Agriculture 4 years working experience with farmers. 3. Samson Esuk is the Tech Lead, he is a Hardware designer & Programmer with 5 years experience and an HND in Electrical/Electronics. 4. Mafeng Ibrahim is our Farmers Coordinator and also in charge of coordinating the rural agents, she has 5 years experience working with smallholder farmers.

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

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Nimsy Agro helps farmers save over 70,000 in monthly fuel cost by using any of our solar agro services. Our solar agro equipment (solar irrigation pump, solar thresher, solar mill, solar dryer) uses no fuel and its powered by free solar power from sunlight, as such we are able to offer a much more affordable agricultural services to farmers which enables them to save more money, come out of poverty and earn a better living.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Our solar irrigation pumps helps farmers cultivate crops all year and our solar dryer minimizes post harvest losses of perishable like tomatoes and pepper extending their shelf life to over 12 months, this has increase food production and curtail hunger.

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

5

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

Carbon has been known to be toxic to human health, our solar agro equipment emits zero carbon and are cleaner and sustainable alternative to fossil fuel agricultural equipment and are environmentally friendly. Less carbon in the atmosphere means better air quality and reduction in health hazards from contaminated air.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

We provide training for our rural agents that manages our solar agro equipment

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Farming activities such as threshing and milling of harvested grains is usually left to the women, our solar thresher and mill will immensely help rural women improve productivity as our solar thresher is 75 times faster than manual methods used by rural women. Also, we employ the services of women to serve as our rural agents in providing our solar agro services to farmers, this helps them earn more money.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

We provide irrigation water through our solar pumps to help farmers cultivate crops all year round

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

We provide thousands of smallholder farmers in rural communities with access to affordable and clean energy for agricultural activities. Our solar irrigation pumps, solar thresher, solar dryer and solar mill and powered by clean solar energy and are sustainable alternative to fossil fuel powered agricultural equipment. We provide these agricultural services to farmers at 30 - 50 % less the prices charge by fossil fuel agro equipment, this is because our source of energy is gotten free from sunlight.

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

We provide jobs for youths and women in rural communities to act as our rural agents in providing our solar agro services to farmers via our rural solar hubs.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

We are building strong agricultural infrastructure powered by clean energy to help farmers have access to mechanized equipment that will improve their productivity.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

We are bridging the access gap to between farmers in rural communities and people in urban areas, with our services , they have access to mechanized farming equipment to improve their yields.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

We are providing farmers in rural communities with sustainable and cleaner alternative to fossil fuel agro equipment.

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

Our services are circular in nature, for instance, after threshing crops like maize and rice, we recycle the waste such as maize cob and rice stalk into briquettes for cooking as cleaner alternative to charcoal from tress.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Through the use of our solar agricultural products and services, we are curtailing over 5000 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere thus combating against climate change effects.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

none

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

We promote sustainable and low carbon agricultural practices.

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

4

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

By helping farmers earn more money , we are promoting justice and peace in rural communities.

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 are partnering with other stakeholders like the kaduna state ministry of agriculture in providing affordable solar agro services to farmers so as to improve their livelihood.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

5

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

6

06.08 Justification for my startup

The following makes our solar agro product unique and innovative; 1. Our rural solar hubs helps rural farmers have easy access to our solar agro services in their rural communities. 2. Our solar agro equipment are mobile and they have distinct adjustable and tilt able solar panels to help traps good solar energy 3. Our solar thresher has the ability to thresh multiple grains such as maize, rice, sorghum, soybean and millets. 4. Our solar dryer comes with two heat collectors from sunlight and dc fans with drying compartment all uniquely structured together.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitor are fossil fuel agro equipment for irrigation, threshing, milling and drying. There are a few other competitors like irrihub and OGV technologies providing building solar agro equipment but the following are our competitive advantages. 1. Cost savings: we are helping farmers save cost by using free solar energy to power agro equipment 2. Our solar products and services are affordable and easily accessible through our rural solar hubs system. 3. Our solar agro equipment have unique and distinctive design with huge local content as the materials we use in building them are sourced from local vendors and local fabricators 4. Our solar equipment are mobile with wheels, this helps for easy movement with our host communities 5. Our solar agro products are eco friendly and dependable, they emits zero carbon and contributes to reduction of green house gases into the atmosphere.

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

Yes we are, firstly, we employ the services of women to serve as rural agent in managing our rural solar hubs and providing our services to farmers. We also encourage young women to see agriculture as a business and with the services we offer, they can easily succeed in farming business.