Solving the rice problem
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?
Founding Story
Habib
Abdur-Rahman
West Africa Milling Company
, LND, London
, N, Rokel
18-34
Male
Less than a year
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Operating for less than a year
Access to supply chains, Access to economic opportunity.
We have held open fora with rural communities, district and paramount chiefs to introduce them to our plan and win their support.
We have made an agreement with the Department of Agriculture of Njala University to deliver specialist technical assistance directly to smallholder farmers with our sponsorship.
We have held discussions on national radio in Freetown introducing our model, and making them aware that we are ready to make deals with urban shop holders and rural producers.
By the end of the first year, we aim to have penetrated one chiefdom with collection points, creating a network of farmers from whom we will regularly source paddy. We then aim to have established relationships with and sell to retailer networks within Freetown, the capital and most populated city.
By the end of the third year we aim to have increased the number of collection points in the key rice growing areas to cover an entire district, and sufficiently expanded our retail network in Freetown to distribute our increased supply. Furthermore, we aim to have put in place extension programmes in the chiefdoms we operate in and look to provide improved seed, fertiliser and ultimately machinery, to help communities farm better and increase their earning potential.
Complete warehouse and begin to penetrate one chiefdom with collection points.
Finalise contracts with smallholder farming communities
Design and build warehouse
Hire vehicles and recruit drivers
Finalise milling plant and distribute to retailers
Finalise contracts with small and medium sized retailers
Source machinery and build milling plant
Place advertising on national and local media
Rural farmers will require technical assistance and training to increase their yield per hectare of land. We have agreed to partner with the Agriculture Department of Njala University to help meet this goal. We will provide their students with 3-6 month projects in order to progressively introduce modern farming techniques to rural communities.
We are currently talking to a number of international development organisations and NGOs with a view to bringing international assistance to rural communities, including the Livelihood Solutions Fund.
For those looking to become involved in agriculture in developing countries, we can share the lessons we have learnt, the research we have conducted, and cost and pricing information.
We will require legal services, particularly drafting commercial contracts in accordance with Sierra Leonean law. We are also looking to hire experienced staff and investors experienced in similar businesses.