INTRODUCTION TO FOUNDATIONAGRO
FOUNDATIONAGRO (Hope for tomorrow) is an initiative of REAP AFRICA INITIATIVE designed to instigate a mindset reorientation amongst children/youths in Africa by encouraging them to embrace farming/entrepreneurship as a way of life and as a direct or alternative means of livelihood. For Africa to attain the sustainable development goals, ensure food security and economic development, it has become necessary to look for innovative ways of driving an economic revolution from the roots.
FOUNDATIONAGRO is the KEY to achieve this feat. This initiative presents an opportunity to build a strong economic foundation by awakening an entrepreneurial spirit in children/youths through developing in them a positive mindset and giving them a chance to fulfil their potential.
Our motive is to pilot a new generation of agribusiness entrepreneurs by reaching out and educating them on the need, importance and benefits of being self reliant. It also highlights on why agriculture/entrepreneurship should be adopted as a noble means of livelihood despite any other chosen career or ambition in future.
RATIONALE FOR PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO.
Due to rise in insurgency in recent years, a lot of families have been displaced and left at the mercy of harsh and unfavourable conditions in various camps across the country. They rely on government and humanitarian assistance in order to survive, their dreams are cut short and they are somewhat hopeless. Those who are fortunate to get education go through higher institutions and end up roaming the streets after graduation in search for illusive jobs. A lot of them spend years searching to no avail. Frustration and desperation sets in which leads them to engage in vices such as criminality, fraud, armed robbery, kidnapping etc.
Meanwhile, Africa is blessed with vast lands fertile for various kinds of crop and livestock production, favourable weather conditions and a vibrant workforce for entrepreneurial development yet we are faced with all these vices, a high level of unemployment rate, poverty, hunger, food insecurity etc. These challenges can be largely attributed to positive mindset deficit. If children can develop a passion for entrepreneurship at a tender age, there is high tendency that they grow up to learn skills and become self reliant and independent.
Youths and women integration in economic activities can serve as an antidote to cub some of the challenges faced in the country today and bring massive socioeconomic development to Africa. They are innovative, energetic and daring. With an all-inclusive participation in agribusiness enterprises, Africa can; end poverty, empower youths, women and girls, ensure healthier products and nutrition, create employment, achieve the sustainable development goals, sustain economic growth and be self-sufficient in food production. It will also create income amongst households and increase foreign exchange.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO
- To drive a generational change and mind reorientation on entrepreneurship in Africa.
- To set the foundation for a new generation of Small and Medium Enterprise development in Africa.
- To promote the concept of backyard farming in Africa.
- To create self employment and self sufficiency amongst household in Africa.
- To rekindle the entrepreneurial spirit amongst youths and women in Africa.
- To enhance the growth rate of skill and agricultural development in Africa.
- To foster new and innovative ideas for economic growth in Africa.
- To promote youth/household participation and involvement in agribusiness enterprises.
- To create jobs and wealth for African youths.
- To foster economic development, industrialization and foreign exchange in Nigeria.
- To boost household food security and income generation.
- To drastically reduce poverty and unemployment.
- To encourage entrepreneurship and build sustainable skills amongst youths and households through agribusiness.
HIGHLIGHTS OF PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO.
- Simple mindset reorientation of children, youths and women inclined towards the importance and benefits of entrepreneurship.
- An enlightenment on the impact of investing in agribusiness enterprises.
- Knowledge on how agriculture can be embraced as a means of livelihood and income generation.
- Simple and practical teaching to drive a change of popular belief that farming is for peasants and seen as a dirty job to a noble profession.
- Mentorship packages to encourage entrepreneurship through skill development and agricultural production through backyard farming.
- Free branded shirts, caps, school bags, textbooks, writing pads and pens for participants.
- Free picture catalogues on different crops and animal produce and simple ways to start backyard farming.
- Animated illustration on the importance of farming.
- Simple techniques on how to market products and make money using social media.
- Coordinated training packages for startups and existing farmers.
- Funding opportunities for startups and existing farmers.
OUR APPROACH
Project FOUNDATIONAGRO will be divided into 2 segments.
SEGMENT A will drive an orientation for children in secondary schools and IDP camps with simple materials elaborating on the need and importance of embracing entrepreneurship in future despite ambition while SEGMENT B will focus on youths and women household with materials designed to educate and empower them on backyard farming, skill development and small business management.
This project will be piloted in six (6) states of the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria namely Ogun (south west), Kano (North-west), Maiduguri (North-East), Calabar (South-south), Kaduna (North-central) and Imo (south-east).
Permits and sponsors will be solicited from relevant bodies. Media campaign will follow using different platforms to introduce the public of our project before rollout commences. Incentives such as branded school bags, t-shirts, caps, writing materials, agricultural textbooks, gift boxes, snacks and drinks, farm inputs, equipment, soft loans and funding etc will be used to motivate participants.
PROJECT IMPACT/EXPECTED RESULTS
- A generational mind change from perception of farming as a peasant job for rural dwellers to a means of livelihood.
- Less reliance on white collar jobs by youths, undergraduates and graduates.
- An increased passion for SME development and farming.
- Massive youth investment in SME and agribusiness enterprises.
- Injection of new and innovative ideas.
- Creation of direct and indirect jobs across the country.
- A drastic increase in food production and security in Nigeria.
- A rejuvenated and industrialized economy powered by youthful innovations.
- Drastic reduction in social vices and unemployment.
- An increase in processed agricultural products for export and foreign exchange.
- An increase in household income.
INNOVATION IN PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO
PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO is one of a kind. We cannot drive change by doing the same thing over and again. Africa is yet to harness its potential and take advantage of its strength due to the negative perception and orientation. This initiative creates an opportunity to drive change from the foundation and make entrepreneurship/agriculture more appealing. It will present an opportunity to build passion from the roots and make agribusiness/entrepreneurship appealing to both urban and rural households.
Our orientation package is designed to use simple techniques made up of new trends and technological advancement that will create a solid foundation for an entrepreneurial revolution in Nigeria. Youths are drivers of the economy with capacity to breath a new life, inject innovations and transform any sector if a strong foundation is laid. They are our TARGET.
PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO is a game changer! It will create a ripple effect that will change and revive agriculture, entrepreneurship, industrialization, foreign exchange and economic development in Africa.
TARGET PARTICIPANTS IN PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO
- Public and private Secondary schools
- IDP camps nationwide.
- Children in communities
- Orphanage homes
- Youths
- Women household.
- Undergraduates and graduates.
OUR LEARNING MODEL
Our learning model is built with practical, simple but elaborate materials, pictorial and video illustrations, case studies, examples, group task and simple quiz on the importance and benefits of entrepreneurship/agriculture in Africa. It highlights on how to make a decent means of livelihood through entrepreneurship and backyard farming.
BUDGET FOR FOUNDATIONAGRO
foundationAgro aims to empower 50,000 beneficiaries annually with a total budget of N20,000 per beneficiary which will cover the fees for facilitators, media campaign, aggregates and handouts, logistics and miscellaneous expenses. Participants will also get equipment and machinery such a sewing machines, hair dressers, clippers, start up grants, farm implements etc to encourage production.
| S/N | DESCRIPTION | |||
| 1 | FACILITATORS | |||
| 2 | MEDIA CAMPAIGN | |||
| 2.1 | Television adverts/promotion | |||
| 2.2 | Social and print media promotion | |||
| 2.3 | Picture and video production for promotions | |||
| 2.4 | Banners and rollup stands (one for project and one for sponsor) | |||
| 3 | AGGREGATES/HANDOUTS | |||
| 3.1 | Branded T-shirts and caps | |||
| 3.2 | Branded school bags | |||
| 4 | Branded Materials, writing pads and pens | |||
| 5 | REFRESHMENTS (drinks and small chops) | |||
| 5.1 | Transportation | |||
| 5.2 | Accommodation (where necessary) | |||
| 5.3 | Security (IDP camps and volatile states) | |||
| 6 | Miscellaneous (projectors and screen, audio, generators) | |||
| Equipment and machinery (to encourage production) |
CONCLUSION
FOR AFRICA TO ATTAIN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP MUST BE EMBRACED AS A WAY OF LIFE. WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT, MECHANISATION AND NEW FARMING TECHNIQUES IN RECENT YEARS, IT IS NOW EASIER TO INVEST IN FARMING EITHER DIRECTLY OR REMOTELY.
FOUNDATIONAGRO PRESENTS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO BUILD A HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. YOU CAN BE A DOCTOR OR LAWYER OR STUDENT OR WHATEVER PROFESSION AND STILL HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS AS SUPPORT OR EVEN A SMALL SCALED FARM IN YOUR BACKYARD TO PRODUCE ANY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT AND BE FOOD SECURED!!! IMAGINE IF EVERY HOUSEHOLD IS INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION OF ONE COMMODITY OR ANOTHER, IT’S A WIN FOR AFRICA AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
DONATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR PROJECT FOUNDATIONAGRO CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY INTO OUR ACCOUNT (please note that you can sponsor as much children as possible for just N20,000 per child or a completed school or IDP camp of your choice).
Account name- Reap Africa Initiative
Bank name – Zenith Bank
Account number – 1017280009.
contact number – 08066019891.