AGRICULTURE

AS WE HAVE IT
IN AFRICA
-Pg 4
 4

CONTENTS
Technology

8
Innovation
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Opinion

Maduka Emmanuel C
Editor-in-Chief Designed by
Adesiyan Joseph A.
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2 3
Technlogy Technlogy

TACKLING
FOOD
with
WASTE
CHOWBERRY
O scar Ekponimo, a software developer passion-
ate about reduction of food wastage and alleviating

Ekponim0
hunger.
Growing up with the familiarity of hunger, he knew
first-hand, what it meant to go without food this firmed
his resolve to do something to ensure other wouldnt go
through what he went through.
At 11 his father became severely ill and lost his Job, and

Oscar
with that also the family income dwindled. His mother
earned little as a nurse that he and his siblings ate one
substantial meal every two days. For about three years
they had little food in the house as he recalls if we had
one small meal at the end of the day, it was a good day.
The web application which he created called Chowberry
connects supermarket to NGO ad low-income earners
where food about to expire can be sold at discounted
prices to those in need. The app recently concluded its
three month pilot stage involving 20 retailers, successfully
fed 150 orphans and reached about 300 people in Lagos
and Abuja.

The web app works by alerting retailers via scanned bar

codes when packaged food is reaching expiry enabling
them offer it to those in need (individuals and welfare
organisations) at discounted rates. In his words I saw an
opportunity to provide affordable nutrition to millions of
people while providing retailers with a sustainable system
for managing the end of shelf life. This is a win- win solu-
tion
The app can be seen as a ready solution to food deficit
which is expected to soon be scaled up to National, Re-
gional and Global levels of impact.

4 5
Technlogy Technlogy

J amila Abass, a computer scientist founded Mfarm in 2010,

after reading about how farmers disconnected in terms of
information are exploited by middlemen price wise, many
farmers only have produce but dont have the means to
market their produce themselves.
Abass who always had a knack for entrepreneurship from an
early age, grew up selling at a shop as both parents were

CONNECTING
entrepreneurs, she used to sell produce from her kitchen gar-
den to neighbours and sell sweets made out of milk and
sugar. She combined her entrepreneurial and technical skills

KENYAN FARMERS
in a meaningful way.

MFARM
Abass and her formidable team developed a tool Mfarm,

Jamila Abass
that allows farmers to SMS the a number to receive informa-

TO A LARGER
tion relating to retail price of their products, those prices are
updated daily with information of 42 crops sold in 5 major
Kenyan markets.
Mfarm futher realised that farmers dont have access to stor-
age facilities while also realising that many farmers are pro-
ducing in low volume and buyers in big cities dont want the
hassle of getting the needed produce from multiple farmers.
This led to offering a group selling tool which gets farmers to
team up to bring their produce to selected offsetting/drop
points. They then send SMS to the system to promote what
they sell

Furthermore in addition to the group selling tool and market

price information tool Mfarm also developed a group buy-
ing tool allowing farmers pool resources to negotiate better
prices for inputs. All transactions are handled by Mfarms in-
tegrated mobile money transfer system but can accommo-
date adding bank accounts.
The system is kept at balance by both buyer and seller. When
order is placed, the seller takes his produce to the designat-
ed collection point and sends a confirmation message to

Kenya
Mfarm. While for the buyer, after collection of the produce

Redefining
send an SMS to Mfarm to verify the quantity and quality.

Agriculture
Once thats been confirmed and the order completed the
money is released to the farmers account by Mfarm while for
collective orders with multiple farmers, the money is distribut-
ed to individual accounts

MFARM
Mfarm is helping farmers transition from subsistence to com-
mercial farming by incentivizing entrepreneurial activity and

with
collective actions.

Technology
6 7
Innovation Innovation

8 9

Innovation
Abdulaziz Almulla
Making
Deserts
Green
In 2016, Abdulaziz K. AlMulla, the
founder and CEO, was working
on a National Security response
project for a regional government
in the GCC. During this time he re-
alised how food and water secu-
rity are a massive and imminent
challenges for the Arabian Gulf.
Abdulaziz K. AlMulla hails from Ku-
wait. He holds an MBA and BA
from Wharton School of Business
and the University of Pennsylvania
respectively. He was a banker with
HSBC and a consultant with McK-
insey & Co. Abdulaziz has been
10
a serial investor in the venture
space across a range of technol-
ogies. While also feeling the pull
towards doing something socially
impactful, Abdulaziz saw the po-
tential to leverage technology to
make deserts green Madars
motto.
Madar farms established in Febru-
ary 2017, is revolutionary Agricul-
tural Technology company that
strives to be synonymous with sus-
tainable interventions,It was very
important to Abdulaziz to build a
local brand. Madar is an Arabic
word that has multiple meanings.
r
Innovation
a
While
d
it
direct-
ly means
around the year
a
alluding to our ability
to grow in any environ-
ment, we identified with the
meaning the alternative path.
We believe in doing business that
M
is both financially feasible and socially
impactful we are both dreamers and
business-minded people and the new path
forward alludes to that
Madar farms unique innovation is the leafy green machine
a hydroponics farm in a box, the leafy green machine. Hydro-
ponics is the method of growing plants without soil, using miner-
al nutrient solutions in a water solvent. Hydroponic farming within
a controlled environment allows growing all-year, ensuring consistent
quality and quantity
The LGM is an insulated container that is fitted with a smart hydroponic
farming system. This enables precise control over growing conditions such
as temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. Specialised LED lights emit rays
that mimic sunlight for photosynthesis, and an automated dosing panel con-
stantly monitors water quality to regulate and optimize temperature, pH,
and nutrient levels.
The Leafy Green Machine is the brainchild of Freight Farms, based in Bos-
ton. They are our technology partners and we deploy the technology in
the Middle East and Northern Africa region. We work in tandem, and are
customizing the product for the local environment to improve efficiency
while decreasing costs, and developing an ecosystem around the product
to increase ease of use. For example, we are developing software with day-
to-day step-by-step video instructions in several languages, including Arabic,
Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Tagalog.
We provide regional operational and after sales support, including the
Farms
11
Innovation
option of a dedicated sales channel,
which means that LGM customers can
sell their produce to Madar Farms. Most
importantly, we are developing edu-
cational programs and seek to deploy
the LGM in schools, which is a part of
our mission to inform future generations
about food and water security.
On the benefit of the LGM Restau-
rants and supermarkets are drawn to
our supply-chain-excellence. Growing
in LGM protects plants from pests and
disease, meaning that we do not have
to use any pesticides or insecticides on
our produce. Food tests have revealed
that our produce is healthier than what
is currently available. Consumers are at-
tracted by the fact that they can trace
and trust our produce.
The LGM has a small footprint its output
is comparable to 1.5 acres of traditional
farmland, and it use 99% less water than
traditional farms. For governments, our
tech is proof that hydroponics works in
the region, and is integral to achieving
food and water security.
Moreover, you do not need to know
anything about agriculture before op-
erating the container the automated
system and controls take the guesswork
out of growing. The core founding Ma-
dar team all come from various business
backgrounds.
The LGM currently costs US$ 85-95. Ma-
dar farms is working on bringing the
costs down and expect the cost to de-
crease significantly over the next few
years.
While the LGM is a step in the right
direction, even 1000 containers would
only just impact import dependency at
a national level. Their next project is to
build a TechnoFarm, which is a 40,000
sqft automated farm factory. This would
produce 3000 kg of vegetables every-
day. In addition to this, Madar farms is
12
Innovation
in the process of developing tech that
will be optimised for growing vine crops
such as tomatoes, legumes, and berries.
The current achievements have been
faced with some challenges, Regula-
tion does not keep pace with innova-
tion - tech companies often face this
issue. For example, in the local market,
to be eligible for agricultural water and
electricity rates, you have to operate
on land that is zoned for agriculture.
However, this defeats one of the value
propositions of the LGM that you can
grow anywhere.
However, the largest challenge is public
education. People are simple unaware
that their food habits have the largest
impact on climate change. Showing
people that growing hydroponically
in a controlled environment is not just
more sustainable, but produces a high-
er quality and more nutritious product.
In general, we know little about the way
our food is grown, and the impact it has
on our planet and our health.
Madar farms is. Currently operating only
in Dubai, but will be in multiple states
in the UAE by the end of the year, and
in 4 countries by 2018 , Our long-term
vision is to be a regional hub and part-
ner for sustainable agricultural technol-
ogy. Were conducting research on the
feasibility of various aquaculture tech-
niques. We want to transform region-
al agriculture, and have a holistic ap-
proach, aiming to offer the complete
nutritional profile.
13
Innovation Innovation

The
Leafy Green
Machine
14 15
AgriBusiness AgriBusiness

SankofaMunchables

Our Uniqueness lies in

our commitment to true
innovation from a
traditional base

16 17
AgriBusiness AgriBusiness

demonstrate that our culture /tradi- in Ghana. Weve been around I think at this time our contribution
May we meet you?
tions and our modernization do not for just few months[3], but we are is in our effort to provide a sustain-
have to be alien. That the truest way strategically looking outward. All able business that not only supports
My Name is Jamie Saleeby, I am the
to modernise is with our tradition at at the right time. livelihoods, but seeks to play a role
Founder and General Manager at
the base. The best way I knew I could What challenges were faced in elevating our rich heritage. As to
Sankofa. The role of GM at Sankofa
play my role in demonstrating that is in terms of starting up sankofa further social responsibility we are
really entails that of a Managing Di-
through Food. Others use music, art, munchables? yet to get solid footing to engage
rector or CEO. Given that it is a small
cinema. We want to use snacks. I cannot answer that question be- even further.
company however my role requires
cause the challenges are innumer- From your perspective would you
that I am very hands on in every as-
How many people started this ven- able and as new ones arise I often say Going into value additions
pect of the business
ture with you? times forget the older ones. But mildly expensive?
Sankofa munchables is a
I am actually the only what I remember from the begin- Two years to come up with flavour
Ghanaian brand, what does
founder of the com- ning is that everything cost twice concepts is a costly and time con-
the name sankofa mean
pany. But as we to three times as much, and ev- suming process. Developing brand
and what made it the
journey on we erything took twice to three times style/theme and packaging and
choice of the brand
have some as long just to initiate. marketing to match also time con-
as a name?
very signifi- Whats the vision for sankofa in the suming and costly. Any way you
Sankofa is an
cant people coming years? cut it is definitely expensive. It may
Akan word/pro-
coming in to To be the foremost natural snack not be the most profitable venture
verbial word
be part of foods company in the region and monetarily, but it is very profitable
which translates
our growth beyond. in other ways for me.
to say, to go
and de- From your perspective, What What advice do you have for
back and get.
v e l o p - makes sankofa unique and dif- young people who wish to go into
It really insin-
ment, with- ferent from other snack food pro- agribusiness in the area of value
uates that it is
out whom ducers? addition?
wise and fine to
things would I believe it is our commitment to Develop products that have true
take what is from
be very dif- true innovation from a traditional innovation. Look to food science
the past, and use
ferent. base. It is also our objective to cre- for help. Build products around
that to better the
ate a brand and snack that not people. Spend time on under-
future. That is essen-
When was sankofa only satisfies the palate but also standing every single aspect of
tially what we strive to
established and the mind. We aim to create every- the value and supply chain. You
do with snacks; We take
where is it currently locat- day snacks that inspire. may have machinery but do you
our traditional snacks and
ed? I found it quite interesting, the have feedstock?
evolve them with food innovation.
quotes in the chips. Whats the What aspects of the value and
Ghana, Accra. It is located in Haatso motive behind the quotes? supply chain must be developed?
Every brand has a story behind its
an area of Accra. Its really another element of en- You may have product but do you
emergence, an idea or experience
What products does sankofa cur- gagement for the customer, which have the market?
that sparked a flame to establish it
rently have under its brand and are also pulls from our culture. Some Beyond that I would just say you
whats that story for sankofa?
there other countries beyond Ghana fortunes will make you think, other should understand your why. You
where its products are sold? make you laugh. need this to determine your lev-
Its a complexity of things that
Sankofas current focus is on Plantain How does sankofa contribute or el of commitment. If you do not
brought this about. But it really goes
Chips. Currently we are only carried give back to society? know this your efforts may be futile
down to an effort on our part to
and only take a toll on you. Know-
ing why will give you grit.

18 19
AgriBusiness AgriBusiness

Jamie
Saleeby
Founder, Sankofa
20 21
AgriBusiness
BEING
THE NEXT
McDonalds
The Academic Staff Union of
Universities[1] indefinite strike in
2012 had diverse impacts on Ni-
gerian
Tertiary Students but for Asusu
Kevwe it signalled an opportunity
to start a
viable business.
Asusu Kevwe is a business and
finance graduta from the
prestigious Niger Delta University.
Born of a Delta father who owns a
bakery and a Bayelsian mum,the
third of four children (three of
whom are boys) recounts that she
had always been drawn to what
her father does, I would always
22
want to go to the
bakery, I was very little then but I
loved seeing the workers work, I
was always amazed at how they
turned flour into delicious things
Asusu started Kevwe cakes and
cookies in 2012 in her words I
had just gotten admission (Into
the university) but few months
into it assu went on an indefinate
strike and I knew I couldnt sit at
home doing nothing, my sister
helped me find a place where I
took baking classes, when I was
done i now decided to start kev-
we cakes and cookies
It wasnt easy when she started,
she had no tool, no money, noth-
AgriBusiness
ing at all, but like she says Well when I started I had
no money, I usually tell just about anybdy I see that I
Asusu
bake , when I get a job, I use my profit to buy my tools.
Thats how it has been, when kevwe cakes n cookies
started I invest 100 percent of the profit I have back to
Kevwe
the business, and that has enabled me to grow and
brought me this far.. To balance academics and her
business she seldom took jobs only on holidays.
Like every business person, Asusus best moment Is
when the clients loves the product and gives a satis-
factory remark although pricing has been a big chal-
+2349050758945
lenge because of the resent hike in the prices of al-
most everything, the raw materials are now expensive
making d finished products almost double of the price
it used to be but not withstanding being so committed
to her entrepreneurial journey she envisions a future of
rapid regional and global expansion of her venture, in
the nearest future i want to be the next macdonald, I
want to have a bakery in every state in Nigeria, every
country in Africa and beyond
For people comtemplating in start- ing out
Asusu says just start, off course it
wouldnt be rosey at the begin-
ning but just start, many peoe-
ple make capital the issue but
its not, the fear of starting is
the actual problem, when
there is a will, there is al-
ways a way.
1- The Academic Staff
Union of Universities is
a Nigerian Union of
University academ-
ic staff founded in
1978.
iG@ kevwecakes_n_cookies
23
Sustainability
G
hana has
over 3million hectares of degrad-
ed land, we want to help bring
that number to close to zero-
Kofi Debrah
Kofi Debrah. Founder and Partner
at Oko Forests and is responsible
for the day to day operations of
the organisations. He began no-
ticing a lot of environmental de-
struction in Ghana and wanted
to help combat it, Kofi started re-
searching into the causes of sea
pollution and deforestation and
what it would mean for human-
ity if we carried on as business as
usual.
OKO FOREST,the leading agency
that helps to bring people out of
poverty in rural areas whilst signifi-
cantly increasing Ghanas tree
cover. Oko is the Orisha of ag-
riculture and the harvest. I was
looking for an African name that
captured our essence, goals and
values, when I found the name
Oko it immediately resonated.
Kofi then decided to focus on
24
Sustainability
combatting deforestation when
he realised that one of the main
drivers of deforestation is agricul-
ture, I come from a long line of
farmers. I then looked at what
crops where causing the most de-
struction and also looked at their
market value. I then came across
agroforestry and was excited to
find a solution that had many
Oko
case studies across the world
where people who adopted
agroforestry practices mitigated
the need for people to encroach
into forests. I interviewed farm-
ers and people in government, I
then saw a huge opportunity to
not only help farmers increase
their income but also to set up a
profitable company. That is when
Oko was born.
Forest
Oko Forest was established in
2016 with its headquarters in Ac-
cra, they currently manage four
projects in Ghana, Our focus is
on creating agroforestry systems
at scale, we currently focus on
commercial trees that can bring
income to farmers and their fam-
ilies and help them to find mar-
Agroforestry
kets for their goods. Some of the
commodities we deal with are
cassava, cocoa, coconuts and
for Sustainability
moringa.
Kofi highlights that Cashflow was
an issue when starting, also build-
ing up trustful relationships with
farmers and suppliers. Their cli-
entele includes Distributors and
processors of cassava, coconuts
and morniga. They also consult
with landowners who want to
make their land more productive.
Oko Forest is unique because
they take a systems approach
to combating rural economic
25
Sustainability
development and deforestation,
they are interlinked with other is-
sues too, I find that a lot of or-
ganisation combat issues in iso-
lation, however, we approach
matters from the understanding
that everything is connected. We
are helping to combat poverty
and helping to regenerate the
environment for this and future
generations
Getting farmers to adopt inno-
vations can be challenging be-
cause farmers are conservative
but we find that their children
are not, when we engage farm-
ers we aim to engage their whole
family as often it is a family op-
eration, it also links into how we
can help them rise out of pover-
ty, how we can help them to in-
crease their yields and income, it
takes a lot of trust building, many
trips to see them and also using
mobile technology to communi-
cate with them. We plan to orga-
nise community meetings so that
farmers can discuss best practice
with their peers. At present we
are working with lead farmers
who we can use in the communi-
ty meetings as examples of best
practice innovation.
Oko Forest plans to create agro-
forestry buffer zones around key
national parks in Ghana, Kofi ex-
plains, we want to be seen as
a leading agency that helps to
bring people out of poverty in
rural areas whilst significantly in-
creasing Ghanas tree cover.
Ghana has over 3million hectares
of degraded land, we want to
help bring that number to close
to zero.
26
Opinion
Akpelu Chukwuwueke Emmanuel
Agricultural Economist and Consultant
Youth empowerment in
Agriculture as it relates to
the economy and food security
of Africa
The definition of Youth in Africa varies from society, cul-
ture, and tribe. It also varies across time, space, as well
as within societies. Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and South
Africa define the youth population as those between the
ages of 15 and 35; and International organizations such
as the United Nations and the World Bank define youth as
those aged 15-24 years (UNECA,2009). TheAfricanYouth
Charter defines youth as people in the age group 15-35.
Agriculture according to the Merriam Webster online dic-
tionary, is the science, art, or practice of cultivating the
soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying
degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting
products
KOFI DEBRAH
The economy encompasses all activity related to pro-
duction, consumption and trade of goods and services
in an area. The economy applies to
everyone from individuals to entities such as corporations
Ghana has and governments. The economy of a particular region
over 3million hectares or country is governed by its culture, laws, history, and
geography, among other factors, and it evolves due to
of degraded land, we necessity.
want to help bring that
number to close to zero
Food security, as defined by the United Nations Commit-
tee on World Food Security, is the condition in which all
people, at all times, have physical, social and economic
access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets
their dietary needs and food preferences for an active
and healthy life.
27
Opinion
The future of Africa is in the hands of
the youth. They are one of the greatest
assets and an inevitable force for im-
proving the productivity and growth of
all sectors of Africas economy. Indeed,
as the Youth Division of the Africa Union
Commission puts it, about 65% of the
total population of Africa is below the
age of 35 years and 10 million youth
enter the labor market annually.
Agriculture has played a vital role in Af-
rican economic growth and social im-
provement. For most African countries,
agriculture remains the largest employ-
er of any sector in the economy. Agri-
culture employs about 65% of the total
work labor force in Africa and develop-
ing countries. It has absorbed the high-
est percentage of the working popula-
tion (about 65%). It contributes about
30% of the GDP in most countries. It is
vital to economic growth, generating
incomes, and creating jobs. Agriculture,
already Africas largest employer, is the
most immediate means of catalyzing
economic growth and employment for
young people.
According to Christiaensen, Demery
and Kuhl (2011), a 1% increase in ag-
ricultural per capita GDP reduced the
poverty gap five times more than a 1%
increase in GDP per capita in other sec-
tors, mainly among the poorest people.
It is a pro-poor, income-generating and
employment-creating sector for most
Africans and developing economies.
Therefore, it is very important for youths
to be equipped with entrepreneurial
spirit or skills through Agricultural work-
shops and symposiums. With an abun-
28
The future of Africa is in the hands of
the youth. They are one of the greatest
assets and an inevitable force for im-
proving the productivity and growth of
all sectors of Africas economy. Indeed,
as the Youth Division of the Africa Union
Commission puts it, about 65% of the
total population of Africa is below the
age of 35 years and 10 million youth
enter the labor market annually.
Agriculture has played a vital role in Af-
rican economic growth and social im-
provement. For most African countries,
agriculture remains the largest employ-
er of any sector in the economy. Agri-
culture employs about 65% of the total
work labor force in Africa and develop-
ing countries. It has absorbed the high-
est percentage of the working popula-
tion (about 65%). It contributes about
30% of the GDP in most countries. It is
vital to economic growth, generating
incomes, and creating jobs. Agriculture,
already Africas largest employer, is the
most immediate means of catalyzing
economic growth and employment for
young people.
According to Christiaensen, Demery
and Kuhl (2011), a 1% increase in ag-
ricultural per capita GDP reduced the
poverty gap five times more than a 1%
increase in GDP per capita in other sec-
tors, mainly among the poorest people.
It is a pro-poor, income-generating and
employment-creating sector for most
Africans and developing economies.
Therefore, it is very important for youths
to be equipped with entrepreneurial
spirit or skills through Agricultural work-
shops and symposiums. With an abun-
dant supply of youthful labor and an
increasing demand for food and farm
products in national, regional and
global markets, Africa and developing
countries should be able to redirect and
provide the skills and knowledge need-
ed for the youth labor force to engage
in productive, ecologically sustainable
agriculture. It is currently projected that
Africas food markets will increase from
USD 313 billion in 2010 to USD 1 trillion in
2030 (World Bank, 2013); food imports
have exceeded exports since 2013.
There are opportunities for the youth
to become producers and suppliers
of food to meet the demand created
by Africas expanding domestic mar-
ket. Demand in international food mar-
kets is growing as well, and increasing
global food prices hold the promise of
higher rates of return on investments in
high-value agricultural products. More
than two-thirds of young people who
work in rural areas are already en-
gaged in agriculture, and there is still
an abundant supply of land. Agricul-
ture is a sector of opportunities for rural
young people. The youths can play a
very big role in bringing food to the ta-
bles (bringing food security), they have
the potential and drive to do so, but
they need motivation and support from
the government.
Governments must take the lead in cre-
ating the enabling environment within
which farmers and other actors can
deliver. They must ensure that all poli-
cy areas, including trade, education,
finance and health, are involved and
aligned. Market-based approaches
must be prioritised as the only proven
way to ensure long-term viability.
Opinion
Empowering youth in agriculture for
now and the future requires concen-
trated effort by both the private and
public sector to develop policies and
intervention strategies that will enhance
scarce resources into productivity and
improvement of skills using both formal
and informal educational, training and
innovative extension services to make
agriculture the sector for employment
growth. The private sector must focus
on bringing in investment and devel-
oping new technologies and other in-
novations, as well as delivering greater
efficiencies where possible. And farm-
ers must be front and centre of the pic-
ture. Supporting youth in agriculture to
increase agriculture productivity and
improve market access is vital to mak-
ing progress in creating jobs, reducing
poverty, and growing the economy.
In addition to all the argument put for-
ward above. I think it should start with
the scholars and degree holders of ag-
riculture and agricultural related disci-
pline. Most of us are just farmers by name
not in practice. Producers (farmers) are
the most important components of ag-
riculture and are the ones having the
most of problems. You cant educate
or help or solve their problems without
relating with and being part of them,
which I believe could only be possible
via translating what we learnt in school
to the fields where they are. If we put in
practice our knowledge, it will demon-
strate vividly to the government, ordi-
nary farmers and prospective investors
the real potentials in agriculture and
the lost confidence in Agriculture as a
viable business and source of livelihood
will be restored.
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Startup Startup

Agrocomm
Restoring Lives
THE STARTUP
Agrocomm is an agrotech company that man-
ufactures and distributes hubs to interested
farmers to grow their own food in a portable
and profitable way without the need of land
and using limited resources. We also act as the
middle men for these farmers. We purchase
from them and handle the processing, pack-
aging, marketing and sales of their produce.

THE STORY
Agrocomm was birth after a challenge was
declared by Hult Prize, a global competition
that seeks to reward $1 million dollars to the
best startup that seeks to solve a social issue.
The Challenge? How can we restore the rights
and dignity of 1 million refugees by 2020?
We were initially a team of four consisting of
Oparinu Adebowale, Williams Bright, Oguniran
Gabriel, all students of the department of
Transport Management Technology, finally
Omotayo Boluwatife, a Chemistry student and
then included Ibitoye Bademi, an Industrial
Chemistry Masters student. We are all students
of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
We made solving this challenge our mission.
And for months we tried to create an idea
that was indigenous to our African refugees
because, there are refugees and there are ref-
ugees. We found out that what African refu-
gees lacked most was food, then shelter then
clothing. These might all sound like the basic
needs but these are not the pressing needs of
Image Credit: theweek.com

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Startup

most refugees in Europe, Wi-Fi according to a

research of a finalist team of the Hult Prize was
a more pressing need for the refugees of some
countries. But I am sure that is nowhere near
the mind of an African refugee. How to eat
today definitely is.
Understanding the problem an African refu-
gee faced, we knew we had to find a way to
get these refugees (who are naturally farmers)
to grow nutritious food and also create reliable
sources of income for themselves. But there
was no land and no capital!
After lots of research we decided to create
what we like to call a Portable Farming Mod-

We are Social
el, where people could farm without nec-
essary having large spans of land and with
limited resources as well as little capital. We
looked into making it possible for farmers to
grow crops in a box. Crazy? But possible! We
researched some more and looked for a crop
that was both profitable and nutritious. A trip
to the African Centre for Mushroom Research
(our partners) confirmed our guess that Mush-
rooms might just be it. We created a model
of our box, called MUSHUB. We are still on the
prototype stage box but with proper funding,
we have plans of kick starting our pilot stage
by early next year.

MUSHUB
The MUSHUB, our first food growing hub for
mushrooms, will cost N20, 000 ($64) but we will

@agrostrides
however spread the payback period to 12
months. It has the capacity to produce 34kg
conveniently and will rake in an income of
more than N30, 000 ($95)monthly for the farm-
ers. And with its year round productivity, they
are insured of better income flow.

THE VISION For Enquiries and Advert Placement

We are out to make food production more por- Call Emmanuel on +234(0)8132964386
table and profitable and improve the income
of small scale farmers around Africa.
emaduka52@gmail.com

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