Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

My project is a agribusiness into production of rice with future prospects in the value chain in terms of processing, packaging and distribution.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

My project is a rice farm. The farm is located at Garang Mbula, Demsa LGA Adamawa State.

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

The main problem this project is solving is the challenge of food insecurity in Nigeria as a nation. The project ensures that it contributes to the production of product (rice) to service markets and ensure families get access to quality staple food which it tops the list. It also addresses the challenge of unemployment in the nation. Currently, the farm has two permanent staff plus tens of others who work on need-for-work basis and are paid daily wages. It also addresses the challenge of gender inequality. In ensuring this, our transplanting from the Nursery bed is largely done by women. They are paid per bed they transplant. Owing to this, the project in general addresses the challenge of hunger, poverty, malnutrition, inequality and by adopting some regenerative practices, it conserves the environment.

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

The benefit of using the product we offer is the nutritional value it offers to individuals as part of ensuring good nutrition. Another advantage the product offers while maintaining value and quality is it's affordability and availability. We ensure consistency and consumers are able to buy at the smallest units with their size of income. The product because it is cultivated with the best practices, has the advantage of staying long without spoiling. The product is allowed to mature and dry well before harvesting. It reduces the level of loss to firms and households who wish to store large quantity over a certain period of time.

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

Food production and supply is a wide market and so also the audience or target consumers. The target beneficiaries includes; individuals, households, processing firms, food outlets and vendors among others. Rice is discovered to be one of the widely consumed stable food in Nigeria. Although the highest producer in Africa, it is again the highest importer of milled rice in the world. This clearly shows the wide market gap created by individuals and others.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-08-30

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

20 and above

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

12

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

Other business owners around are also largely starters. In terms of skills and experience, some of them are not knowledgeable enough about some practices such as fertilizer application, pest applications or weed control. From observation also, they appear not be the real owners of the farm as you see new faces during harvest being called "Oga" (The head or boss).

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

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554982838032

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Farming

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

My start up contributes to ensuring "No Poverty" by providing employment opportunities for youths and women. At the moment, the farm has two permanent staff who are paid on monthly basis during the farming seasons. Also the farm employs casual workers on need-for-work basis and are paid on daily basis. They are usually engaged during the transplanting period, weeding and also harvest that includes the winnowing largely done by women. All of this activities are being paid for and it contributes to individual income generation.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Our start up is in the Agricultural sector and into farming precisely - rice farming. By this, the start up ensures food provision to individuals and markets. If there are no producers of food, hunger and by extension malnutrition will set in. In essence, our farm addresses the goal of zero hunger by ensuring production of quality food where individuals and families can buy to feed on or convert into other products to make other foods that will be consumed.

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

Rice is a carbohydrates and thus it helps in giving strength to the body. The nutritional value present in the product helps in promoting good health and well-being.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

In terms of education goal, what the farm provides is basically informal in nature and more of micro consultancy to other farm neighbors.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

My start up contributes to gender equality because a good percentage of our activities on the farm is done by women. The transplanting is solely done by women and we have observed that they do it it best with care. During harvest, women also gather the rice stalk before thrashing and are involved in winnowing. By doing this, it does not only create opportunities for the women but also help to bridge the cap in terms of income generation.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

5

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

In ensuring clean energy, the start up has experimented the use of solar energy to generate power and supply water for irrigation. This method the farm hopes to build on it as it grows in order to reduce burning of fossil fuels.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

By providing employment and income generation opportunities, the start up contributes to the decent work ans economic growth of individuals. This also transcend to the national level adding to supply supply, encouraging industrialization and serving other agro and agro related business all yielding to overall national economic development.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

It contributes to industry innovation and infrastructure in terms of the processing, packaging and distribution.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

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

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

The nature, manner of operation and product offering in itself encourages responsible consumption and production of what is being consumed.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

5

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

By first experimenting the solar energy, the farm contributes to climate action. It also envisions full operation of irrigation using solar energy as it grows and expands.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

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

2

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

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

2

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

2

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

2

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

6

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.

6

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

6

06.08 Justification for my startup

The product we offer is an improvement in the existing ones. Our farm cultivates one of the best breeds of rice that nutrient filled, easy to grow, highly adaptive and resistant with high quality yield. Our product meets a great market demand in supply of rice.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitors are farmers who are into rice production. We stand out from them because of the quality and variety of rice we cultivate using the best practices. In terms of energy conservation, we stand out by adopting strategic practices to cut down burning of fossil fuels.

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

Yes. I established a community based organization named Mbula Education Development Group (page available on Facebook) where to teach and guide students (including) females on entrepreneurship and skill development.