Hi welcome to GREEN COLLAR. My name is Ghomorai Williams. E I am a farm consultant and the Project Director for EGRESS consulting. In the next few weeks I would be showing you how and where to invest in the agric sector, and making a steady stream of income for yourself.
There are various sub sectors in agric business that you can conveniently venture into once your home work of feasibility report has been done.
Of a few agricultural ventures are crop and animal husbandry. Such as vegetable farming, maize commercialization, cassava, plantain, ewedu, pumpkin, lettuce, water melon etc. Also in the animal sector are Poultry farming, Fish farming (aquaculture), pig rearing, goat rearing, snail farming, ostrich rearing, crocodile culture etc.
As I take a few weeks to explain practically some of the venture business, it is my earnest desire to see that interested investors in the farming business get the bests of information to set them on the pedestal for wealth and job creation for the unemployed.
For an economy to thrive there has to be a vibrant agricultural program that ensures there is enough food on the table. The challenge with the Nigerian economy is not the issue of spoilage as some quarters have reported, but it is the political will to revive the sector that counts. From an investment point of view, any sector that needs revamping is a potential sector for wealth creation, and this is what I tell people who want to go into green collar jobs (agric business). This sector is too large for government to handle, let alone monopolize it. What ever policies that are too be made, you can be rest assured it will be in the interest of the farmer and the population. This means more frequent visit to the bank isn’t it.
Ok enough talk lets get to it.
How interested are you in investing in agriculture. Or do you plan to remain in that Just Over Broke (JOB) all your life. Let me present to you a wonderful, lucrative, and medicinal agricultural businesses that would give you peace of mind and a control of your financial future.
Below are important things you need to know before embarking on any farm project.
5 important things to know before setting up a farming project.
1. GET A PLAN: it is very imperative that you get a laid down plan of the kind of venture you intend to go into. Every agric business is not the same. Vegetable farming cannot be compared to animal husbandry. Your investment is all about choices in you preferred investment and why. Like I tell some prospective clients, have a long view of what you want to do and achieve in the venture. Do a comprehensive run down of the proposed farm activities in black and white. This helps to bring the project into clearer perspective.
2. DO A MINI RESEARCH: I am of the pinion that you go and check out other farms within the area you want to site your project, or ask friends and acquaintances for references. It is better to get a first hand testimonial experience on the aspect of agriculture you want to venture into. It would be a wrong assumption to conclude that maize farming is not as profitable as poultry or fish farming, If you are convinced that you are right, then a second thought, why is every one not into the other products other than maize?
3. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE: I remember vividly, during my early days in school, a client once needed my services as a consultant for his catfish farm. While into the contract, I advised him of the challenges he would face in the water chemistry, of the farm water source, he said the Holy Spirit will not let such happen. Well I backed out of the contract, because he (Pastor) was unyielding. Four days after he stocked his fingerlings, the fishes all died of high acid content as a result of share carelessness. At that point there was nothing I could do, other than to put before the client his errors, and he really had to lick wounds. In any business, Professional advice can not be thrown into the air. So seek one.
4. HOLISTIC FEASIBILTY REPORT: As part of the plan, to your preferred business, you need to hire the services of a good consultant to carry out a comprehensive feasibility survey on the project type, either vegetable, or animal husbandry. This report goes beyond cost analysis of income. It must be such that shows you in black and white the construction preferences and the cash flow pattern of the venture. Unlike a proposal, it reveals the areas of possible expansion and other alternatives. So many a clients would often ask me to prepare only a proposal, and would often neglect the feasibility report, only to inquire of a way forward few months into the project, which the feasibility survey report, would have given a clear path to the entire project. A case of penny wise pound foolish often times. Please try to avoid such; it is a sure way to fail on the long run.
5. HAVE A GOAL (VISION): in one of my conservation with a potential client, I inquired of his plan for his integrated farm, he said he needed something that would bring in income for him at least money coming in. I was polite to make him understand that it takes more than that, what if the venture crashes or doesn’t meet the earlier expectations? He paused for a while and said God will not allow that. This was my response, God allow certain things to happen to prove our naivety in not taking some certain precautions that we over looked.
In business, either agriculture or otherwise, income is not the ultimate. Income is not a guarantee for profit. Income could also be attributed to losses. Thriving in this line of business (agriculture and sub-sectors), it is beyond income. You need to look at reducing losses and preventing them from taking a toll on the farm. Even when they do occur, you are prepared to combat such.
Agriculture is a promising and lucrative venture to do especially in Nigeria. The population will always increase, as more people are justly for white collar jobs, don’t forget they will have to feed their families, and that is where you come in to offer your products. The Gap in the agric sector is too wide for government alone to bridge. Be a part of this over N150Billion industry.
In subsequent posts, I would be discussing on possible agric venture you can go into.
I would appreciate a feed back or questions from you. You can reach me through my mail gebimo@facebook.com or call, +2348023563354
