ADEBSO&TVA AGGRO-DIGITAL PROMOTION

In many cases farmers in developing countries are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and face an

impossible situation: they don’t have financial means, proper agronomic know-how and post-harvest facilities. Consequently, they apply low-tech and low-input farming, their productivity is low and they have no bargaining power. As a result, they face large post-harvest loss and sell their aggro produce at low price. This situation preserves the poverty and backwardness of the rural population.

 The Solution Center  comes to break this vicious circle and strengthen the rural population. This goal is achieved  by improved agricultural capabilities and increased productivity which generate higher income.

The Solution Center  puts the farmers in the center and its goal is to serve  as investment by the Sponsors  in strengthening  the rural population. Payoff will be realized in the long run by the expected regional increase of  agricultural production and improved regional economic status.

The problem of poverty alleviation for grassroots by the Solution Center which comes to break this vicious circle and strengthen the rural population. This goal is achieved  by improved agricultural capabilities and increased productivity which generate higher income.

The Solution Center  puts the farmers in the center and its goal is to serve it. It is not designed to be a

commercial company or profit center. Rather, this is an investment by the Sponsors  in strengthening  the rural population. Payoff will be realized in the long run by the expected regional increase of  agricultural production and improved regional economic status.

However, at the operational stage the scheme should be economically balanced to avoid endless

Sponsors  investment, as such case may lead to gradual deterioration and abandonment of the

Solution Center . For that reason, the Solution Center has two income sources: farmers payment for services and input and a commercial division. The gross revenue should generate operational profit high enough to sustain  the whole Solution Center.

Solution Center  structure and area

The Solution Center  comprises 4 major components:

✓ Agricultural Training Center (ATC)

✓ Applied agricultural R&D

✓ Agro-input and service supply (ISS)

✓ Commercial division (CD)

In many developing countries the major problems farmers face are: inadequate know-how, lack of resources and remoteness from market. Once farmers have better know-how, are trained in better aggro-technology, receive appropriate input supply and an access to market – their agricultural and economic performance will dramatically increase.

There is no need to “run to jump too high”: advancement in agricultural practices and aggro-technology should be gradual. Aggro-technology should not be copied from one place to another as is. Rather, aggro-technology should be adopted slowly and must be adjusted to local conditions and the capabilities and mentality of the local farmers.

Gradual adoption, development and assimilation of improved aggro-technology, agricultural practices and agronomic know-how allow a steady progress of farmers and continuous improvement of their

livelihood. In many cases farmers in developing countries are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and face an impossible situation: they don’t have financial means, proper agronomic know-how and post-harvest facilities. Consequently, they apply low-tech and low-input farming, their productivity is low and they have no bargaining power. As a result, they face large post-harvest loss and sell their aggro produce at low price. This situation preserves the poverty and backwardness of the rural population.

Most local farmers apply traditional agricultural practice and low-input farming. They apply minimal agricultural input like improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Mechanical cultivation is not

common and gravity irrigation is not practiced,  at all.

There are 2 major reasons for that:

a) Farmers do not have the necessary financial resources

b) They don’t know and understand the importance of advanced aggro-technology and improved input such as new varieties, fertilizers, chemical and proper application of all these Application of high-quality seeds as well as chemicals and fertilizers is a must for better agricultural performance and improved productivity.

Once the farmers would be trained, have better agronomic know-how, and become familiar with advanced aggro-technology they would be eager to apply it in their own farm.

The Solution center will supply the farmers with high quality aggro-input such as improved seeds, seedlings, aggro chemicals, fertilizers, animal feed, vaccination and technical supply. It will also provide important

services to support the farmers:

Cultivation and harvest service

Manual and oxen cultivation is a major obstacle for farmers as the capacity is low and the agricultural production is limited. Mechanical cultivation allows cultivation of larger fields at  shorter time. Another advantage of mechanized cultivation is quality: mechanical cultivation is better and more uniform than manual cultivation, thus crop develop better and the

production is higher.

Mechanized cultivation may lead to a significant increase of agricultural production at the farmer and the regional level. 

The cultivation service center will be equipped with tractors, cultivation implements and

harvest machines. Farmers will be able to hire the necessary cultivation and harvest services.

Agricultural laboratory service

Agricultural lab. service is very important for

modern agriculture. Various agricultural

laboratories should be constructed to serve

the farmers, the demonstration farm and the

applied R&D. Three types of laboratories may

be required:

- Soil, water and plant lab.

- Veterinary lab.8

- Plant protection lab.

The type of laboratory to be established at each FSC should be decided on by the existing

agricultural sectors and farmers most important and common necessities.

Micro-finance service

Lack of financial means doesn’t allow farmers to apply better aggro-technology. Once farmers capabilities would be improved and they will have access to finance they will be able to apply higher aggro-technology and improved agronomic practices which will result higher productivity.

A micro-finance mechanism will be developed to assist the farmers to overcome this financial obstacle. This mechanism should be a simple and based on 3 cornerstones:

a) Farmers will purchase input and hire services at the Solution Center by credit and pay after harvest

b) The basis of loan shall be sharing of risks and profit no interest and  will be fair and reasonable, since the Solution Center is not a commercial entity and is not supposed to make profit from the farmers

c) Credit will be given for 1 season

The micro-finance mechanism will allow farmers to apply mechanical cultivation, improved

seeds, chemicals and fertilizers, to cultivate larger fields and to produce much more than to date. This way farmers’ income will be dramatically increased and their livelihood will be improved.

However, at the operational stage the scheme should be economically balanced to avoid endless

Sponsors  investment, as such case may lead to gradual deterioration and abandonment of the

Solution Center. For that reason, the Solution Center has two income sources: farmers payment for services and input and a  commercial division. The gross revenue should generate operational profit high enough to sustain the whole Solution Center.

The major objective of the ATC is to improve farmers’ know-how and agricultural capabilities by:

✓ Introduction of advanced agro-technology

✓ Basic agricultural and managerial studies

✓ Train farmers in advanced agricultural practices

✓ Provision of continuous guidance and extension

This goal is achieved by combining demonstration with training.

➢ Demonstration farm

Advanced agro-technology, livestock production technology and agricultural practices are

demonstrated at a designated farm. Both vegetative agriculture and livestock production

may be demonstrated. Agro-technology to be demonstrated may include: mechanization,

cultivation, irrigation, chemical application, fertilization, crop varieties, livestock production,

post-harvest and more.

A specific farm section is designed for practical training of farmers in new agro-technology.

Here farmers can experience the application and operation of the demonstrated agro[1]

technology.

➢ Training

Various training methods are applied

 Field days

Farmers are invited to the demonstration

farm, from time to time, to observe and

experience the demonstrated technology to practice.

The Digital Solution is Innovative for, it Impact  the Participant to the action for development. For example a farmer in  village could inform the Network on availability of products needed in others communities, the farmer could be paid  online and be asked to remit the products to a courier service that deliver the goods to the destination ,the communication process shall reduces the transaction cost to the farmer impacting favorably his activities and living condition.Microfinance shall develop application that enhance transaction with communities dwellers at the rear rural areas using the phone application that enabled them to contact the micro finance and conduct transaction online with out leaving their homes . Facilities such as Fertilizers  Entrant for farming could be purchased by the Microfinance and distributed to farmer on loan through the network to improve their productivity and keep monitoring the activities through the Network till repayment of the loan after harvest and sale of the production.Information and training shall be shared to targeted group through the Network to empower and build the capacities of the communities members so as to carry out efficiently development action.he main objective of the program being achieving many of the millennium goals  objectives and enhancing sustainable development in the targeted communities for the benefit of the less privileged population.The Financial Inclusion through Digital Microfinance process shall impulse novelty by introducing risks sharing system the farmers shall not be expected to provide guarantees.The loan shall be accorded on profit sharing basis after harvested production sales

Presently our solution designed to serve two thousand people farmers directly , in five years it would serves more than ten thousand people Solution Center development and operation create many direct and indirect jobs. Numerous various positions will be opened at  Solution Center divisions: management, administration, extension, demonstration farm, services provision and input supply. 30-50 direct jobs will be created by a Solution Center  excluding the commercial division. Number of jobs to be required at the commercial division depends on its nature and size. In addition, many direct and indirect jobs will be generated at farmers place and in surrounding industries and services. According to the FAO one hectare cultivated by traditional practices creates 5 jobs. Mechanically cultivated land requires less workers: 2-3. Cultivated land expansion is expected to create many additional jobs. It is expected that Solution Center serving 500 households will create additional 500-1,000 direct jobs and similar no. of indirect jobs

Manual and oxen cultivation is a major obstacle for farmers as the capacity is low and the agricultural production is limited. Mechanical cultivation allows cultivation of larger fields at shorter time. Another advantage of mechanized cultivation is quality: mechanical cultivation is better and more uniform than manual cultivation, thus production is higher. Mechanized cultivation may lead to a significant increase of agricultural production at the farmer and the regional level. The cultivation service centre will be equipped with tractors, cultivation implements and harvest machines. Farmers will be able to hire the necessary cultivation and harvest services.

The Evaluation of impact shall be measure through the solutions provided to challenged faced by farmers in targeted communities as shown in following description.

Most local farmers apply traditional agricultural practice and low-input farming. They apply minimal Agricultural input like improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Mechanical cultivation is not Common  and gravity irrigation is  not practiced, at all.

There are 2 major reasons for that:

a) Farmers do not have the necessary financial resources

b) They don’t know and understand the importance of advanced ago-technology and improved input such as new varieties, fertilizers, biological manure and proper application of all these  Application of high-quality seeds as well as biological manure and fertilizers is a must for better agricultural  performance and improved productivity.

Once the farmers would be trained, have better agronomic know-how, and become familiar with advanced ago-technology they would be eager to apply it in their own farm. 

Manual and oxen cultivation is a major obstacle for farmers as the capacity is low and the agricultural production is limited. Mechanical cultivation allows cultivation of larger fields at shorter time. Another advantage of mechanized cultivation is quality: mechanical cultivation is better and more uniform than manual cultivation, thus crop develop better and the production is higher. Mechanized cultivation may lead to a significant increase of agricultural production at the  farmer and the regional level.

The cultivation service center will be equipped with tractors, cultivation implements and harvest machines. Farmers will be able to hire the necessary cultivation and harvest services.

We are 13 in our Team. Many are in Services Department Somme are Technicians Others are Communicators. We Have Also female Members in our Team. They participate fully in decision making. We are empowering communities and giving equal opportunities to all in targeted group. our aim is to alleviate poverty.

We are in Partnership with TVA   which is a seasoned Israeli agro-development company holding a long and credible track record world[1]wide. During the last years TVA is engaged in several rural development schemes in Africa and  Central America and in many agricultural development schemes worldwide.

TVA  specialize in:

✓ Rural development: Improving rural-population livelihood, maximizing economic growth,

promoting ecological sustainability, human welfare and social development, and  empowering local leadership to bolster sustainability development.

✓ Agronomy: Planting and harvesting with maximum effectiveness, optimizing utilization

of resources, assessing potential initiatives with applied research and development.

✓ Agribusiness: Generating profit by leveraging local resources and conditions and  applying efficient production methods, cutting- edge technologies and self[1]sufficient operations. Implementation of economically viable solutions combining agronomic production with market oriented value-added processing.

TVA provides the following services:

✓ Feasibility studies and business plans development

✓ Master plans

✓ Agronomic and livestock production guidance and supervision

✓ Adoption and development of advanced technology

✓ Project construction and implementation

✓ Ongoing management and supervision

✓ Training and hand-over

✓ Applied agricultural R&D

✓ GIS, mapping and spatial analysis

✓ Environment protection

Established Global Presence3

TVA Agro-Development Philosophy

We deeply believe that farmers know why and what they are doing.

In many developing countries the major problems farmers face are: inadequate know-how, lack of

resources and remoteness from market. Once farmers have better know-how, are trained in better

agro-technology, receive appropriate input supply and an access to market – their agricultural and

economic performance will dramatically increase.

The involvement of the private sector along the entire value chain enables the development of demand-driven innovative solutions not only in the areas of mechanization, renewable energies and digitalization  but also beyond. By involving the private sector in Solution’s innovation processes, technological know-how and competencies are disseminated to relevant stakeholders and jobs as well as income opportunities are created and secured. The involvement of companies that transform innovative ideas into products increases the quality of an innovation and ensures  long-term effectiveness and sustainability . Private sector actors are partners for the solution to further develop, test and disseminate innovations; this includes innovators themselves who generate innovations for their businesses  looking for Cameroonians as well as international small and medium-sized enterprises and foundations whose innovative ideas can contribute to the development of the aggri-food sector through the appropriate development  of innovations to the requirements of the partner communities. At the same time, the Sponsor Organization is also looking for companies in Solve partner countries that seek to solve global challenges in the agricultural sector with their innovative local ideas. The  Sponsor  offers these private companies the opportunity to partner with relevant stakeholders to advance their innovations.Needs of collaborative partners are considered by the Initiator in the joint planning, financing and implementation of projects. Development partnerships with business and strategic partners  including multi-actor partnerships, are encouraged  to broadly embedded innovation approaches in the local context. Special focus is placed on women-owned businesses, young people, and businesses whose innovation primarily benefits vulnerable groups

Solve can helps  Empower communities and improve their livelihood.

 The major objective of the Solution Center  is to improve farmers’ know-how and agricultural capabilities by:

✓ Introduction of advanced agro-technology

✓ Basic agricultural and managerial studies

✓ Train farmers in advanced agricultural practices

✓ Provision of continuous guidance and extension

This goal is achieved by combining demonstration with training.

➢ Demonstration farm

Advanced agro-technology, livestock production technology and agricultural practices are

demonstrated at a designated farm. Both vegetative agriculture and livestock production

may be demonstrated. Agro-technology to be demonstrated may include: mechanization,

cultivation, irrigation, Biological manure application, carbon  fertilization, crop varieties, livestock production,

post-harvest and more.

A specific farm section is designed for practical training of farmers in new agro-technology.

Here farmers can experience the application and operation of the demonstrated agro[1]

technology.

➢ Training

Various training methods are applied

On  Field days

Farmers are invited to the demonstration farm, from time to time, to observe and

experience the demonstrated technology and  get relevant explanations and training.

on Seminars and courses

Professional seminars and courses are given in the ATC from time to time and

farmers are invited to join it. The seminars come to enrich the agronomic and

managerial know-how of farmers. Seminars subjects are related to practical and

theoretical agriculture, agronomy, farm economy, post-harvest and marketing

aspects. (e.g. livestock feeding, crop rotation, irrigation, budget management etc.).

on Extension service:

Skilled and trained extension officers visit farmers, in their fields, to guide them how to improve their agricultural production.

The Solution for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture promotes gender-sensitive innovations for a sustainable agri-food sector. Through innovation partnerships, we initiate ,develop, implement and  identify , support user-centered innovations that , will lead to broad, positive impacts in the area of food security through increases in efficiency and productivity. We initiate innovations that promote and secure employment and income opportunities and contribute to climate resilience and natural resource protection. Examples include innovative digital, technical, organizational, administrative, and/or financial products, processes, services, and/or business models. The Solution supports diverse partnerships beyond the one size fits all approach; we are not restricted to a specific region’s community, technology or value chain in our search for cutting-edge innovations. Supported innovations are designed to benefit communities’s target group: smallholder farms and associations as well as processing and production companies in the agri-food sector in Solve’s development cooperation partner countries. In particular, the Solution promotes innovations in the topical focus areas of agricultural research and extension, digitalization, renewable energies and mechanization. Partnerships with the private sector are considered an essential component for the promotion of sustainable innovation across all focus areas. Eligible for Solution implementation are innovations that have the potential for regional or global implementation beyond national borders, to reach the broadest possible target group and have an impact in at least two of the three areas: food security, employment and income generation, climate resilience and natural resource protection. Companies, research institutes and non-profit organizations are eligible to be partners with their innovations.

 The involvement of the private sector along the entire value chain that enables the development of demand-driven innovative solutions not only in the areas of mechanization, renewable energies and digitalization, but beyond. By involving the private sector in Solution’s innovation processes, technological know-how and competencies are disseminated to relevant stakeholders and jobs as well as income opportunities are created and secured. The involvement of companies that transform innovative ideas into products increases the quality of an innovation and ensures its long-term effectiveness and sustainability. Private sector actors are partners for the solution to further develop, test and disseminate innovations; this includes innovators themselves who generate innovations for their businesses.  looking for Cameroonians as well as international small and medium-sized enterprises and foundations whose innovative ideas can contribute to the development of the agri-food sector through the appropriate development and adaptation of innovations to the requirements of communities. At the same time, the Sponsor Organization is also looking for companies in Solve partner countries that seek to solve global challenges in the agricultural sector with their innovative local ideas. The  Sponsor  offers  the opportunity to partner with relevant stakeholders to advance  innovations.  Needs of collaborative partners are considered by the Initiator Sponsor in the joint planning, financing and implementation of projects. Development partnerships with business and strategic partners, including multi-actor partnerships, are encouraged where possible to broadly embed innovation approaches in the local context(s).Special focus is placed on women-owned businesses, young people, and businesses whose innovation primarily benefits vulnerable groups

We are in Partnership with many strategic partners whom are experts each on his field and the combination of all these competences shall enabled us achieve our objective just to describe one of our main partners and his field of action we  might present Terra Verde Agriculture:

TerraVerde Agriculture Ltd. (TVA)

TVA is a seasoned Israeli aggro-development company holding a long and credible track record world wide. During the last years TVA is engaged in several rural development schemes in Africa and Central America and in many agricultural development schemes worldwide.

We specialize in:

✓ Rural development: Improving rural-population livelihood, maximizing economic growth,

promoting ecological sustainability, human welfare and social development, and empowering local leadership to bolster sustainability development.

✓ Agronomy: Planting and harvesting with maximum effectiveness, optimizing utilization of resources, assessing potential initiatives with applied research and development.

✓ Agribusiness: Generating profit by leveraging local resources and conditions and applying efficient production methods, cutting-

edge technologies and self sufficient operations. Implementation of economically viable solutions combining agronomic production with market oriented value-added processing.

TVA provides the following services:

✓ Feasibility studies and business plans development

✓ Master plans

✓ Agronomic and livestock production guidance and supervision

✓ Adoption and development of advanced technology

✓ Project construction and implementation

✓ Ongoing management and supervision

✓ Training and hand-over

✓ Applied agricultural R&D

✓ GIS, mapping and spatial analysis

✓ Environment protection

We are  enabled by our partners and making  use of their innovative solution  no reason for us  to fail.