To be able explore and bring out the best of the vast agricultural resources in Africa and bring together the expertise and investment of people from all over the world to be able to create a mutually beneficial online farm that serves both the poor and is an alternative place for savings and investment for those seeking innovative investment opportunities.

Problem

The region i live in nalubanda, in the central province of a southern african country called zambia, is probably endowed with some of the world best land and climate for agricultural activities. Unfortunatly even with vast resources the story is similar to many across africa, poverty, hunger, disease and suffering. Having grown up in a metropolitan city and enjoying a fairly good upbringing by african standards, when i recently moved here to explore the agricultural opportunitys i was greatly impressed. It also created a great feeling of sadness in me that the locals are sitting on a gold mine yet they are still suffering. I believe this should not be the case as the main agricultural crop grown here is maize and has a potential yeild of 10 to 13 metric tonnes per hectare. It is unfortunate to note that most of the farmers here are only able to attain a maximum yeild of 2 to 3 tonnes per hectare. This is due to bad farming practices( lack of education) and lack of inputs and tools(capital) to achieve optimum yeilds. In the case of livestock rearing the area has got abundant water and grazing land but the same problems that face maize growers also face livestock farmers. In the spirit of the great pioneers of old, their is a great need to help make this highly endowed regoin a success story among the povery and failure that africa has recorded over the years.

Solution

A need brings to light an opportunity and solution. I do wholeheartedly believe the solution is simple and is attainable though a two fold approach. 1. Education, this is the training of farmers on good farming practices to be able to attain opotimum yeilds and results. Without changing the ancient, normally environmentally unfriendly farming practices that rural african communitys has used for centuaries no progress can be made. This can be done through both theory and practical demonstation that will show that adopting upto date farming techniques can increase productivity and living standards many times over. 2. Captial and access to inputs. Good education need to be re-enforced wlth good upto date tools and inputs that will help achieve success. By creating a global platform for investors, technical advisors and supporters we can bring together the best of both worlds and through the power of synergy create global change. The online platform will connect funders to a particular farmer who they can adopt, and help pay for their training and capital for their agrulicultural tools and inputs. Progress reports and dividends to the investor will be part of the platform.

Example

A typical example is a farmer that plants 5 hectares of maize per year, his average yeild is 1.5 tonnes per hectare and at a local price of about 150 usd per tonne, this familys annual yeild would be 7.5 tonnes and an income of $1125. If this farmer is educated on good farming practices and has got access to inputs he increase his yeild and income significantly. With proper tools and inputs a farmer can produce approximately 10 tonnes per hectare, if he reduces the size of his field to 2 hectares he will get 20 tonnes and at $150 per hectare he will get an annual income of $3000. It should be noted that with a smaller field, the workload is reduced yet productivity is doubled.

Marketplace

As in any venture or project there are challenges. Most farmers rely on the rain and if their is a drought this could negativly impact the farmer, this brings forth the need to invorporate winter farming through irrigation.
Another challenge is some farmers may still hang on to the old way of doing things, but this should be overcome by the fruit of what those that will impliment the new methods will bear.
The fear and misconceptions about investing in africa can also prove to be a challenge but grdually as the project bears fruit it can be a shining light among the darkeness.
All in all i think the benefits will outwweigh the challenges.