AgriAlly

1. What is the problem that you are committed to solving? 

 Communication Barriers in the Farming Sector as Knowledge is Power.

2. What is the solution you are proposing? 

AgriAlly Intends to save time to enhance the productivity of Potential and existing Farm Holders by providing access to key resources (Information, Money, Manpower and so on) with the aid of an Online Network which caters to Specific Needs for a sustainable Farming Business. 

3. How could your solution positively change the lives of millions if it was scaled globally?

The AgriAlly Model is designed to improve economic prosperity in Nigeria by reducing the Poverty Level of about 112 Nigerians(According to NBS(National Bureau of Statistics),2016) and potential Farm investors worldwide.

Thank you.

It is easy to feel demotivated without the right Support System for Most Endeavors. The benefits of solving this problem are too significant to be Ignored. Though, there's been a surge in Agri-tech Start-ups since the Regime of the Current Government, due in Part to its economic diversification commitment, most of these Startups are geared towards crowd sourcing for funding from Investors to sponsor peasant farmers for which Profits are shared between Online Start-up,investors and farmers.This is good especially for the opportunity to earn a little side income online after a medium or long term period.  

 However, these models don't necessarily yield decent profit margins for the investor and farmer. For Instance,there is no room for direct ownership,limiting earnings especially after shared profit between parties listed above. Also, most of the current Agri-tech startups favor the wealthy in the country, since reasonable profits are earned if investing in more farms. This is currently not sustainable for the average income earner who lives by about $1.60 per day based on the current Minimum Wage of $50. 

Thank you.

My Innovation is geared towards the Nigerian Population of Africa.However, the networking capability of this Digital Platform knows no bound. It can be accessed by Prospective Investors world-wide. AgriAlly intends to contribute her quota in shaping the economic future of Nigeria using Agriculture which happens to be a core of the President's Mandate for Economy Diversification as well as opportunities for citizens to engage in community action.

Looking at the favorable climatic condition of Nigeria and her Land expanse, Agriculture is a very feasible business in Nigeria. However, a number of Nigerian farm Owners lack resources( Information or Technical know-how, Money,Time,Energy) for farming as discovered from findings on digital agricultural communities. 

This is a huge Problem which calls urgently for a solution.The proceeds from this partnership would ensure reduced hunger and enhance economic prosperity along with several ripple effects for the Country.

This is a digital Platform for Linking Potential and Existing Farm Owners to Existing Nigerian Farmlands, Farm Owners, seedlings, Farmers, Farm Advisors or Consultants Per Crop/Farm Type,Land Property Lawyers for agreement/accountability purposes and so on. 

This Platform would cater to these maladies one problem at a time with the aid of a suitable website and app where necessary to boost the Farming Ecosystem in Nigeria. A Search on the platform would provide recommendations based on a specific need and contact would be established between parties in Minutes.

According to a document titled,Jumia Mobile Report Nigeria 2018, Nigerian Mobile Penetration currently stands at 84%.Which is indeed impressive and reveals insights into Nigeria's Online Market. AgriLink also intends to leverage on the power of the telecommunications Media by reaching farmers via mainly Radio station since a large percentage of the rural farmers listen daily to the Radio as they can't afford the luxury of Television(TV) sets.

With AgriAlly, there is room for decent Profits, Free Advise Sessions with Experienced FarmLand Consultants, Available Information on Yields and Estimated Profits per farmland, Connection with Experienced Farmers per Location if Proximity is a Factor for a Potential Farmland-Owner. There is More Flexibility to work directly on Farms and Own Farms or Lease Farms out if need be. The goal is to streamline the Farming Procedure For Higher Profits by Enabling Access to Information and Reliable Digital Networking thereby reducing the Poverty Level of about 112 Nigerians(According to NBS(National Bureau of Statistics),2016)

What Makes my solution innovative is the new application of Digital Platforms such as Websites, Apps to cater to the salient and more often than not basic needs of Existing and Potential Farmers/Farming Practice.

In this Platform, Existing or Potential Farm Owners would be actively and directly involved with farming Practices with a Custom-Service approach per Farmer by means of a random search on the platform which would proffer solutions based on requisite data on the Platform.

The result is better yield,higher profitability,trust,security,collaboration, commitment and so on due to Strong Integral network and support systems for their pain problems.

The AgriAlly Model Differs from Existing Digital Agritech Platforms in Nigeria.

In this Platform, Existing or Potential Farm Owners would be actively and directly involved with farming Practices with a Custom-Service approach per Farmer by means of a random search on the platform which would proffer solutions based on requisite data on the Digital Platform.

I am optimistic the AgriAlly solution would make a difference because Nigerians are resilient, positive and entrepreneurial  people at heart who are vested in adopting new ways of doing things particular, if the potential to make a life changing-impact such as higher profit is visible. 

The AgriAlly Model, is a new way of earning income for Nigerians who are solely dependent on Farming as a Livelihood and Vice Versa. The differentiating factor of this Model is Response( as there would be swift solutions for farming needs with the aid of digital technology) while earning higher profit.

Although it depends heavily on the oil industry for its budgetary revenues, Nigeria is predominantly still an agricultural society. Approximately 70 percent of the population engages in agricultural production at a subsistence level. Agricultural holdings are generally small and scattered. Agriculture provided 41 percent of Nigeria's total gross domestic product (GDP) in 1999. This percentage represented a normal decrease of 24.7 percent from its contribution of 65.7 percent to the GDP in 1957. The decrease will continue because, as economic development occurs, the relative size of the agricultural sector usually decreases.

Nigeria's wide range of climate variations allows it to produce a variety of food and cash crops . The staple food crops include cassava, yams, corn, coco-yams, cow-peas, beans, sweet potatoes, millet, plantains, bananas, rice, sorghum, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. The leading cash crops are cocoa, citrus, cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), palm oil, palm kernel, benniseed, and rubber. They were also Nigeria's major exports in the 1960s and early 1970s until petroleum surpassed them in the 1970s. Chief among the export destinations for Nigerian agricultural exports are Britain, the United States, Canada, France, and Germany as illustrated on https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Nigeria-AGRICULTURE.html#ixzz5sQzoaWWM

Thank you.

Within the next year, AgriAlly intends to establish a Strong Customer Base.

Within the next five year, we aspire to have farmers who become so self-sufficient that they are able to export their farm produce overseas.

Which always results in more connection and more profits. 

A Win-Win.

Getting started with any new venture is not without its hitches.

There would initially be trust issues especially since this service would be operated mainly digitally within its Emerging Year.

However, the benefits far outweigh the risks and Team AgriAlly is optimistic that once the Model is adopted, the Prospects of applying this technology in an Innovative way would speak for itself.

I am already working on a website for this Prospect using wix.com.

Should I encounter hitches,I have a Team and Technical Support Network via Vanhack and MicroMentor, ALC(Andela Learning Community) where I am currently an LCA(Learning Community Assistant).

I also look to Technology MooCs like Udacity, Alison, Lybda.com, Edx, Coursera for which I was awarded the Google scholar Award 2018.

I need to do more work on Marketing for which I have Ebooks on Business consulting from the IAP Career College where I certified as a Business Consultant which entails steps for making your business more visible.

Some useful websites and links are listed below:

PROMOTING YOUR SITE

www.gybo.com                     http://business.foursquare.com

www.superpages.com           https://business.angieslist.com

www.google.com/adwords    https://support.google.com/web...

www.vistaprint.com 

We are still emerging as expected to grow in number soon. 

Currently, we are a team of three.

We are a team of Engineers and Technologists with relevant entrepreneurial. numerical, analytical skills to solve Problems.

None at the Moment.

Key Customers - 

                        i) Existing and Potential FarmLand Owners

                        ii) Seedling sellers

                        iii) Farmers

Key Beneficiaries - 

                        i) Existing and Potential FarmLand Owners

                        ii) Seedling sellers

                        iii) Farmers

Service -    Information Access to Sustainable Agric Practices and Conection                     to a network of Key Customers and Beneficiaries of business Model

The path to financial sustainability is would be mainly by deducting a reasonable percentage of 5% for every at the end of a profitable harvest period.

As enumerated on the question about barriers, the main challenge would be Getting started especially with Trust on the Service. However, trust can be gained with a couple of success stories enumerated on the Platform.

AgriAlly welcomes, any other suggestion or tips proffered by the MIT Solve Team.

AgriAlly would welcome any partnership with similar Models(If there are) that are likely global and established to serve as a springboard for the AgriAlly Start-up team.

Thank you.

If considered in this category, My team would make prudent use of the cash-prize to cater to current and Probably Future expenses required to Propel our Start-up.

Thank you.

If considered in this category, My team would make prudent use of the cash-prize to cater to current and Probably Future expenses required to Propel our Start-up.