As part of our effort in providing finance and other necessary assistance to farmers in Nigeria and beyond, We have intention to launch a platform known as SMAP farmers Network. This platform is aimed at collecting data of potential farmers in rural communities through an existing Fadama group in Nigeria and to further provide answers to challenges of waste and spoilage how to improve livelihood. We will also use the platform to educate, finance and share marketing informations at the right time to farmers.
We believe there are crops that are highly demanded at the international markets, like Benni seeds, cotton, cassava, cashew etc , hence our platform will facilitate a process of assessing farmers in key areas and ensuring their challenges are addressed by sponsors and investors. We believe companies and individual investor are looking for farmers they can fund to grow a particular Seed, but then with an acceptable credit policy and a contract agreement reached between parties using a trusted platform.
With financial resource as the constrained element, angel investors, Government agencies, international development agencies can be a useful tool in providing the required seeds to farmers without necessarily committing physical cash through an innovated Agro based financial market. we strongly believe Quality Seeds (inputs) can be supplied to identified farmers in the required quantity while farmers implement the planting and harvesting with quality harvest instrument ( mechanised farming) to reduce damage as recommended by community expert. There will be a ready market,off takers and investors who introduced the initial seed. They buy up the harvest produce at an agreed market price. The existence of this idea is partially from two major selected Entrepreneurs, but with an innovation to repurchase and create a larger market. This idea seem to be the strategic way that small scale farmer can be assessed, without any form of political involvement but young, talented and experienced innovators with ideas to developing platforms that are capable of changing the world in key developmental areas. Our major concern now is the methods to be deployed in repurchasing this harvest should there be angel investors and post advance monitoring and supervision. This idea is to reduce the possibility of waste and niches to financial resources using SMAP farmers Network.
SCOPE OF OUR AGRO SUPPORT SERVICES
1)Supporting small scale farmers through the provision of finance and other agricultural input (quality seed and seedlings) in Nigeria and Africa durig our expansion plan starting from Benue state.
2) Provision of a ready market at the local and international level eve in case of bumper harvest
3)Ensuring the availability of food all year round.
4) moving from subsistence to commercial farming
SMAP FARMERS NETWORK, will be a platform through which crop seed and other financial resources are provided to small scale farmers in Nigeria and beyond and with a concrete agreement reached to repurchase harvest from farmers by sponsors, investor or entrepreneur’s with effective demands. For majority of small- scale farmer’s access to financial resources is tenuous, at best. The experience cash influxes after crops are harvested and sold at the market, but tend to have limited access to capital at crucial moments before growing seasons begin. In this opportunity area we are committed in providing ways to smooth the income of small scale farmers both to increase their ability to invest in measures that will improve their outputs, but also in the health education and well being of their families.
We are aware as finance consultants,that there seems not to be any sort of financial market for small scale farmer that is all encompassing, hence we are resolute in insuring that small scale farmers and their family members who toil all day to produce food for the world also access financial resource when they want it and how they want it provided they are character wise positive after assessment by our team and other relevant FADAMA coordinators.
Our idea will commence with data collection using a networking model that will benefit those collecting this data in the way and manner we presume and effectively filling them in our intended website, also farmers can have access to this website to download, share and register new members in their respective locations bearing in mind the segment as designed. Also where applicable we may be working with traditional leaders to be able to gather momentum. Small scale farmers based on our research will be grouped with certain parameters to allow room for accessibility. (Existing small scale farmers family are between 35-40, hence we may be adopting same). What we anticipate from small scale farmers during the first phase includes data collection, secondly collections of finance challenge areas and or type of land and seed crops needed and operational cost of farming a particular type of seed and quantity. This whole process will finally translate into a wider outreach to government, sponsors and angel investors in providing answers to small scale farmers at large and further using the platform to train, create market.
As an organization our targeted clients/ member will be called SMAP FARMERS, must not necessarily be a Nigerian but a resident of Nigeria and any other African country who grow crops and with certain limitations we now call small scale farmers challenges. Other features includes but not limited to:
(1) should be a farmer or intending farmer with passion to start small and grow big.
(2) Willing to be a leader or follower if appointed by our team in their locations or existing leader where applicable .
(3) Willing to participate at the state and national level of the network.
(4) Must provide farming objective that suites our interest areas.
(5) Have fulfill any legal requirements attached to your type of farming.
(6) Must fall within the age bracket of 21-60 years as recommended by community expert.
(7) should be willing to share ideas and individually connecting our platforms to other farmers in your respective communities, also ensuring their data are captured by our team in you location.
OUR IDEA MISSION
At SMAP FARMERS NETWORK, our mission is to open room for a wider participation among farmer who share ideas through brainstorming in peers and using our strength, platform to attract angel investors, Government, international development agencies and sponsor around the word who share similar view.
IDEA ACTION PLAN AND STEP
- Informing farmers through various means like existing Fadama groups facilitators, coordinators social media and zonal fadama coordinators. While they accept to provide relevant data that will aid us accessing their strength and weaknesses using SMAP farmers data collection forms.
- Farmer after being captured accepts to be segmented in a group considering their locations, soil test, farming practice,type of farm and areas of interest.
- Farmers attained peer gathering and moderated by their group leaders as determined by our team in their location to learn newer opportunities within our reach and considering their challenges.
- After a careful study at the group level a second stage of assessment will be carried on every state and local government to further addressing identified finance challenges with the aim of meeting small scale farmer’s financial needs through investors who are possibly looking for them and their products.
- After a careful study of different group at the state and National level , our management team can now provide a comprehensive report of farmers activities using a suitable template or business plan to intending and proposed angel investors, government agencies, financial institutions.
- Upon acceptance of our proposals farmers gets support from different openings available and a linkage is reached.
- Our chain of distribution will be from stakeholders to SMAP network and directly to farmers to cut cost and avoid deviation
- Our teams conduct periodic post advance and monitoring assessment to see if there are deviations from set standard and recommend for a change to beneficiaries (farmers).
- Where satisfactorily,we will recommend for a better opportunity in the future to enable farmers grow from small scale to large scale
- As soon as harvest is done and based on the initial contract agreement reached with investors and offtakers to either repurchase the harvest or we create a market in a highly demanded locations, we can also go ahead to implement our other market option and farmer fill happier.
HOW BEST WE THINK FARMERS SHOULD GUARANTEE OUR PROPOSE ANGEL INVESTORS INCLUDES
- Farmers must have at least 10% of any financial resources needed as equity.
- Must have a physical asset in their respective communities.
- Small scale farmer must be identified/ referenced by a community leader as appointed in their locations.
- Must have been with us for up to three months and considered as one with a positive mind set and with a good character.
- Must meet specific sponsors terms and conditions.
- Must undertake not to divert or relocate until after an agreed term comes to an end.
- Must provide guarantor and next of king in an event of a breach of contract agreement or frustration.
- Farms must be genuinely insured where applicable to an insurance company.
- Must have an account with a commercial bank or community bank in their locations.
- Must be able to apportion more of its financial resources to operational cost than fixed asset cost of his intended or existing farm. (30% is to 70%) respectively.
- (11) Members in a cooperative society and duly registered can a better relieve to our team, provided they have one agenda.
Using the 5c model we are optimistic the SMAP FARMERS NETWORK will go a long way in meeting the needs our proposed and intending sponsors, angel investors etc.
WHY WE THINK OUR NETWORK WILL BENEFIT INTENDING STAKEHOLDERS?
Going by the recent economic challenged face by developing Countries like Nigeria with a fall in crude oil price at the international market which has sustained the government and serve as a means correcting balance of payment through trading of crude oil at the international market, Nigerian government through different channels focuses on agricultural sector which was the major sector of the economy some years back. Today the country now import even tooth picks, food that the country was known for. With different calls for an improved farming system and finance considered to be the limitation, we are optimistic of using our idea the right way to mobilized angel investors, or collaborate with international development agencies in curbing constrained element among small scale farmers in Nigeria. getting the right crop seed and harvesting equipment have been identified by existing community experts in agriculture.
Using the 5c model we are optimistic the SMAP FARMERS NETWORK will go a long way in meeting the needs of our proposed and intending sponsors, angel investors and most especially the family members of small scale farmers who account for up to 42% waste and spoilage.
WHAT 5C MEANS TO OUT TEAM
(1) Character of users MUST be above 70%.
(2) Terms and conditions of using the platform by users must be met 100%
(3) Capacity of Users must meet 70% Based on our rating.
(4) Capital of users (farmer 10%) while investors unlimited.
(5) collateral of user small scale farmers based on grouping or guarantors.
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CommentOkoye David