SETTING UP A SMALL HOLDER FARM 2

One of the major challenges to maize cultivation is the infestation of pests such as grasshoppers and rodents. The use of pesticides could help keep these pests at bay. There are several working pesticides as there are also adulterated. It's best to ask around from farmers which have worked for them.

I advice when planting your crops create enough space in rows and column. This will help you to have easy harvesting at maturity. It is important to understand that it's a business from the onset and should be treated as such. I have seen so many farmers plant their crops in a long row and column without considering walk ways and minivan path. The process of weeding and harvesting should be factored in from the beginning. The spacing also helps you carry out easy fumigation against pest and diseases when the need arises.

One of the challenges with farming as it were is keeping appropriate records of materials and daily activities. It is imperative that your business has a form of record, preferable called a farm diary. No matter how small the maize farm looks. Keep your records.
It helps you see the big picture and more reveals the true position of your figures. I remember a friend asking me why should I keep record of the cost of maize seed I bought as well as herbicides and seed treatment materials. At some point when the business/farm needs expansion, the reality of these costs will dawn on you and if you had not factored them in, this will be a potential problem.

My encounter with small holder maize farmers in my region is that they do not factor in the cost of purchasing their maize seed as well as the amount of time spent in the farm. All this is very simple and crucial. have a daily work/ weekly schedule. Something very simple for you to understand.
I have a very demanding day job, most times I visit my small farm only on Saturdays and Sundays. Yet I make a conscious effort to take inventory of the plant growth , colour of leaves, any visible signs of infestation and most importantly number of hours spent on the farm and the activity carried out.

Have it in mind that someday when the farm venture begin to expand, you will have a first hand idea of what activities needs to be done on the farm per time per period.


I up the above post has helped, please feel free to communicate with me on your challenges faced in your farm and other related agri-businesses. We would be glad to help.

SETTING UP A SMALL HOLDER FARM 1

There has been this national drive to diversify the Nigerian economy from oil and one of the targets is agriculture. A major challenge to achieving this feat is the lack of a comprehensive data base of clusters of small holder farms. In my domain situate at Obafemi owode local government in Ogun state, there are well over 13 small crop and animal farms ranging from 3 plots(about1900sqmt) to 5 acres cultivated by individuals.

One of the ways to really have a home run on consciously reviving the agricultural sector is to encourage clustered small farms and have a comprehensive data of their produce and activities. I strongly advice entrepreneurs who have not tried their hands on green collar(farming) to start small. Ranging from 1plot to 3acres for easy management, irrespective of the type of farming activity(Animal husbandry or crop cultivation).

As earlier mentioned in my post some years back, it is imperative that you have a well details business proposal on the farming structure/venture being chosen. Lets pick on Maize cultivation for this discuss.
Zea mays  popularly called corn is a crop abundantly available during the beginning of the rainy season till the end of the season. Yet it can be cultivated all year round with the appropriate weather condition.

The cost and experience given below is based on my own venture on a small sized 1acre farm land within my locality. It could vary for different areas.

Setting up a small maize farm.

Size of farm land    3plots
Seedlings     1kg     = N400( local breed).
Clearing of stumps/making of heaps = N15,000
Herbicides/ Altrazine = N2,900.

Most local farmers within my area argued that its best to just clear the farm land and then cultivate at the appropriate spacing at 3 seeds per hole. As a business considering the rudiments and practice of cost optimisation I prefer making heaps/ ridges as this will help to reduce the emergence of weed and make mechanical as well as manual weeding easy after 1 month.

I strongly recommend making heaps or ridges has it aligns the farm land and makes it easy to manage and take stock during gestation period and at harvesting.


Planting space.

60cm by 120cm is prefered, that's the size of 2 table rulers. This spacing helps the leaf to broaden out and have better aeration. 3 to 4 seeds per hole is ideal. Any tool can be used for plating, trowels, cutlass, pole etec. However there is an invented planting wheel by a young lad in Ibadan and is sold for N90,000. Its best used on ridges and makes planting very easy and fast.

Seed Preparation
I had a very terrible experience with my maize seedlings as I noticed after 5days they didn't grow only a few. I looked close and notice foot prints of grass cutter around the ridges. They had dug up the seedlings and calmly eat them up. They had the guts(annoying) to uproot the seeds that had grown ate up the roots and left the leaves on the spot(painful).

I was advised by an older native friend who has had this several experience back in the village to ensure when the seeds are planted I should give the seed a had pressed closing it up rather than leaving it fairly closed for aeration. He advised I also soak the seed in water for 2 hours using seed treatment chemicals( i preferred using antibiotics at 1 capsule per kg of soaked seed) and dry up in the sun for some hours before planting the following. It worked and still working till date( cannot rule out native knowledge).

Cultivation/ Gestation

It's best to ensure immediately the land is cleared and prepared to use herbicides to hold off any emergent weed that may arise after the rains(depending on the weather condition). From experience the rains could begin immediately or during clearing activities. If you use a good android device with the weather app you could detect the rain fall pattern in your area(it works technology cannot be ruled out).

Ones you notice the seeds start germinating after 4- 6 days at most ensure you monitor the rain patterns closely. During a heavy or light down pour of a  minimum of 1 hours the soil can remain moist all day long in as much as sunlight is not above 32 degrees for a long period. All these you can monitor from the comfort of your home using your android phone.

Each time I cultivate and noticed that rainfall has not been prevalent for 3 days on, I ensure  the crops is wet deeply by artificial irrigation(water hose) or use of watering can. It is important that your maize get the right amount of water(moisture in the first 2 weeks of germination.

Predators/pests

The common predator I have encountered is my neighbours goats and grasshoppers. Its not really cost effective barricading the farm if the resources for such was not factored in more so goats are excellent climbers too. I often times have to physically chase them away as the leaf of maize is very juicy and a favourite for ruminants such as goats.
However I noticed that this same goats do not tamper with their owners leaves. She smiled and showed me what she did. She just swept all the goat excrete, soak it into water made a large bowl of it and used it to wet the entire maize crop she had. Till she harvested they never made any attempt to east up the leaves nor did she have much issues with grasshopper(another native biological knowledge)...... to be continued

THE BENEFITS OF SMALL FARMING

One peculiar notion quite a number of people have about agriculture is that it still can be the main stay of any economy especially ours in Nigeria, which obviously is still agrarian. This fact has always made series of governments in the time past have agriculture as top in its agenda when it relates to diversifying the economy.

small scale maize farm

The political will to follow through this cause may not have being too conspicuous but this doesn't negate the fact that it is a thriving venture both small and in large scale.

Starting a small scale farm involves as much planning as starting a commercial farm. At some point, the need for expansion would definitely arise and you need to have all that well planned out. Every farming venture however small has got its own challenges that are common to all and also divergent from farm to farm, depending on the mode of operation as well as location.

For instance in crop farming, it varies based on the soil type available in the area you may have chosen to have your crops grown. Bear in mind that no land is barren. With the appropriate soil mix and fertilizer organic or inorganic, the soil contents can be improved to support the growth of your crop.

A small scale holder farm could range from 1 plot to 3 acres, which invariable could give you some reasonable source of income. the weather conditions hear in Nigeria supports crop growth all year round, coupled with indigenous knowledge and ingenuity applied to your farm process.

It is adviceable from the onset of setting up your small holder farm, have it in mind that expansion should be part of your goals and you need to put the appropriate measures in place for such to happen when the time comes. For instance, it is not just enough to cultivate a plot of maize farm and leave the growth to nature to have its course. This has always being the bane in Nigerian farming system and at the end, yield would be rather small and huge losses experienced always at harvest and post harvest periods.

From the seed type to the day it is planted as well as pre-planting and post -planting activities, all should be well documented. Keep records of periods when weeds were sighted and cleared out in your small holder farm. These records will come in handy when you choose to expand. It would give you a clear guide on the expenses you are likely to incur on a larger scale at some time in the planting process.

Starting small, I have had a lot of hard knocks and could accommodate every mistake made even if some thousands of Naira were invested. It's worth the loss, knowledge and experience on a small scale. This has given me a broader perspective and better route to starting the process again better and cheaper. Guess worth, farming, however big or small is not about the capital but management process.

We would be looking at setting up a small holder farm sometime later. Now is the best of times to invest in your small holder piece of farmland.

THE POWER OF MECHANISED FARMING

One of the challenges faced with agriculture in a Nation like this, is the attitude to which the activity is being carried out. Most of our farming methods are still crude and old. Recently I was faced with developing over 11 acres of prime plot I was given for agricultural purpose and the reality began to dawn on me the need for making agriculture a real business and not a means of survival.

Right from the onset to invest in agriculture, you will need to envisage the point where you would have to choose between reality and mediocrity. It takes a whole lot of business model and strategy to make any agricultural venture really viable. The era of hoe and cutlass is long gone. To make it a source of regular income however little, then it has to be done the appropriate way as a business model.

As much as there has been so much euphoria in the agricultural sector, until it is being handled as a true business model, it still could be a far cry from real income generation. The policies are actually getting its ground and been implemented and also creating a huge awareness, yet it needs to translate into direct income first and trickle down to its value chain.

Oh yes it still could be done manually, but then it would cost a whole lot more, even if the labour is cheap. As cheap as the labour may seem, time in any business is of essence. A good look at turnover in business in relation to time, you get to understand why agricultural mechanism is still the best of options.
It costs us close to $402 (N80,000) to get just 3 acres and 2 plots cleared in about 2 weeks, which would invariable had cost me $40 for diesel and $15 for driver(labourer) if we had the mini-walking tractor to use in just 2 days. The cultivated crop on the piece of farm land is maize. A close look at our project seed plant and harvest without considering bad harvest, then profitability is already on the slide even before growth or harvest is achieved. These are the realities of going into big time farming, mechanised at that.

Most definitely there still would be some gains when manual labour is applied, a cheap one at that but then how do you account for time spent in doing laborious work that should have been done by a tractor. I encourage everyone in  diaspora and investors alike to have a medium range and long range view on agri-business in this economy. It's profitability far outweighs its disadvantages, I would be more than glad to assist you in your agricultural venture.

LET THE FIGURES TALK AND NOT THE CROP

Until farming is seeing as a viable business model and actually carried out same way, it may still be a far cry from profitability. It is important to understand that just like any other business, farming can also be involved in form of venture funding or forming of partnership and co-operatives.

It is sad however that the form of co-operative that operates is just for the sake of getting financial lease and other materials and some extension services and that's all.The need for in-debt financial cash flow and holistic modules of operation for various planting and harvesting season is lack and this is one of the causes of the lack of viability in the sector.

I encourage you to do a complete budget and forecast for your farming venture and see every thing in black and white. Make the figures talk, this would give you a true picture of a possible outcome of the venture after the first and second plant and harvesting seasons.
A few of us some months back came together and decided to set up a joint farming venture as a complete business model and for sustainability, income generation and profitability. This is the bedrock of our starting the farming business. We are yet to plant the first crop let alone clear the entire hectares of land, but we have put every paper work in place. This has clearly given us a practical true picture of where we are going and how to get there.

The beauty about feasibility and cash flow patterns is that, it clearly revealed to us the losses we would incur in the first harvesting period and still sustain the business from the income. We could clearly see how long it would take us to pay back our initial capital and live on the rest to sustain the farm activities.

I was more concerned on the cost overhead and production cost, as profit is all about increasing sales and cutting cost yet not compromising quality. Even though on paper this could be achieved, circumstances could warrant a deviation as the farming practice goes on, but at least there was a road map which would help to make decisions easy as we ago along.

Understanding the Business Model of Farming.

It is rather unfortunate that most people see farming in this part of the world as an occupation for the illiterates and school drop out. Some see it as an occupation meant for aged people in the rural community. The benefits of farming is far beyond who is involved in it but rather, how can it become a business that brings about sales and profit generation. This is not to say that there are no challenges involved, because there are but as an investor seeking out ways to reduce these challenges should be one of your concerns.

1. What are the numbers involved? You need to know the production quality and quantity of produce or animal husbandry you want to get involved in. Its not all about planting vegetables or rearing catfish, because someone says its a good business. It finally comes down to number and how much you were able to turnaround. A business may look good and still not have prospect for growth or profitability. That's one of the hiccups in agriculture, it is  a business of volume and numbers. It would be very challenging to break even just cultivating one plot of land as compared to another investor who cultivates over 1  hectare of land using same crop.
2. Crude Implements and Modern equipments: The use of hoe and cutlass is still a common method of farming here in this part of the world. There is a limit to the number of plots the hoe and cutlass can be used, even in the clearing of weeds. This primitive method, not only wastes time, it delays the planting period of crops and also results to a waste of productive man hours. When compared to the use of small mechanised equipments like the mini tractor for tilling the soil, the results gotten are different. In considering agriculture as a business model, then the thoughts of using hoe and cutlass is not welcomed at all.

3. Forecast as a business man not as a farmer: A farmer says he would wait for the planting season before he starts to cultivate the land or after the first rain. A business man would rather create irrigation systems and go ahead to plant Again you need to look at the numbers and turnover ratio. If you are considering planting in March for example because its the rainy season, then you may likely not have a sustainable business model. It is no longer new that climate change is altering so many things. The idea of native knowledge in terms of dry season and rainy season no longer works. There are some times when a glut would be experienced in the market and there are times of scarcity, you need to take advantage of both situations. In times of scarcity, the produce may be small in supply but a business man can still have much more demand and meet supply same way it was done during the glut period, this would help to keep the income steady and not nose diving.

Agriculture is a serious business and a source of regular income if properly done and treated as such.

CAN EVERY NIGERIAN BE A FARMER ?

It takes a lot of commitment to be involved in the process of farming as a business. The Government is trying its best to ensure the enabling environment is created for Agro-preneurs to thrive. The BIG QUESTION still remains is agriculture a viable business? Can anyone make a living from agriculture and still have enough to invest? Can it grow to become a conglomerate and a "blue chip" company. This and many more are questions asked by young individuals who are advised to pick up farming as a means of entrepreneurship and self employment.

1. Its not a means to an end: The notion created is that if you cannot get a job then go into farming. This is out rightly a wrong reason to go into farming because when  challenges comes, it could be difficult to stand firm. You need to make a clear decision that you want to invest in farming, either full time or part- time, that's when you get to reap the benefits and also stay put to overcome the challenges.
2. It is a steady stream of income:There is no guarantee that you would make a whole lot of money in your first propagation, but you can be rest assured the income would flow in trickles and make a huge stream of income overtime. The idea of a quick and fat flow of income is a mirage with agriculture, as it is a venture that entails continuity. You do not just plant crops and go to bed and expect to make profit when they are harvested and then that's all. You have to ensure you guard against all possible risks such as weeds, pest, pilfering, poor irrigation etc. Once you can guard against all these you are definitely going to make income.
3. The challenges can be mitigated against: One of the major challenge in the present day economy is not improved variety of seedlings, but rather the availability of regular supply of organic and inorganic manure. Also the necessary availability and usage of basic farm implements for commercial farming. As most of the farming practises are in small scale and usually cant stand the test of time. Weeds, pilfering, pest control, etc all these can be guarded against, but the lack of mini tractors like ploughs, harrows, planters, ridgers are the major challenges.

I encourage like minds to come together and invest as a group in farming, this way the real essence of farming been a commercial venture with positive growth to the economy can be achieved.

FARMING THE GREEN GOLD 2

3 Reasons why you need to be  Farmer.....

There are some things that are just as basic needs as survival and one of those needs is everyone on the planet needs food to survive. The quest for increase in come and revenue may have led to the rise in other substantial businesses and investment. At the end of the day, everyone come down to the dinning table for sumptuous meal. You need to be the one providing that meal.
Farming is a whopping income investment that everyone wanting to live on the bright side of life should invest in for the following reasons.

1. Population growth: there would always be a population growth in every economy irrespective of the pace. With this growth comes the challenge for basic amenities like shelter and food. One of which is very paramount and that is food. Taking position in this area gives you a higher leverage and an unending income flow. Some people may have preferences when it comes to type of food, but at one point or the other every body eats. Taking a cue that as population increases, so also the demand for food. This would give you a good reason to take position and invest in agriculture.

2. Steady flow of income: It becomes necessary at some point to have a flow of income to meet other of your needs. Agriculture is season based, having crops available at different times of the year. This gives you an edge to cultivating various crops at different times of the year and making some cash in. You could decide to cultivate maize at one season, yam, water melon and the others season it could be a different crop entirely. You have the possibility of having various crops at different times bringing in cash for you.

3.  Food on the table: This is so important as you are helping a lot of people get what they earnestly desire 'FOOD'. You can be rest assured you definitely would be paid for that. Its all about getting the consumers what they need and they in turn pay you for doing so. Irrespective of the population size, the demand for food is always on the increase and would continue to be.

You definitely will always smile to the bank as a farmer because babies are born daily, families are springing up everyday, population is increasing, so also the demand for food. Being positioned as a farmer gives you that edge and advantage.

Have being wondering how and when, the time is now.

AGRICULTURE; FARMING THE GREEN GOLD 1

There have been quite a number of concerning interests in the agricultural value chain and the wealth it seems to offer. The benefits this sector holds is a huge goldmine that is yet to be tapped and processed into unending wealth production. With the current state of interest by every stakeholder in the Nigerian economy, no doubt this sector is set for wealth creation.

Three Things you should consider in farming the green gold.
1. Do you home work: As profiting as the agribusiness is, you still need to do a lot of realistic assessment in comparison to facts available. In as much as various sector tends to appear profitable, be well abreast with the feasibility survey of the sector(poultry, arable crops, animal husbandry, piggery, apiculture etc) you intend venturing into. First is to see the policies available in that sector, as well as the governments interest in same. Also set out to know your immediate target market (agents, middle men, wholesalers and final consumers), this will help you to have a broad view of the prospects, in terms of long term profitability and short term losses. Have an idea of the entire value chain of that sector. Take for instance poultry; products available are the eggs, the birds sold live as fresh meat and frozen meat. Having in mind the necessary tools needed to profit from each value chain.
2. Set out on the Proposal alignment: Quite a lot of people may hide under the guise that its their project so they do not need any proposal, as what they intend to achieve is in there head. As this may be right, but you still need to put it down in black and white. This would give you a clearer perspective of the venture when compared with the reality on ground. It is easy to say that aquaculture is profitable and gives about 30% profit markup. The reality is that there are competition to face also and this you need to identify and have a strategy to break into the market and get known, as it is a free entry and free exit market.
3. Don't dive in, put in your right foot: It is obvious that the banks and loan facilitator may not be interested whether you use all the funds at your disposal or not, as their repayment plan must be adhered to. Yet stick to a common business rule, test the market. Go slow on step at a time. Yes volume is key in business, this may be true in the service business, but in agriculture, sustainability is key and it translates to profit. Once you can sustain your produce, volume will take care of itself. Take for instance, if you proposed budget is for 10,000 birds, I STRONGLY ADVICE you start off with one quarter (2,500 birds). See how the process goes for 3 months, then you increase in doubles or at percentages over the year. Once you can successfully manage 25% of the initial produce, then you can work out modalities for increase. This may not be applicable to existing agropreneurs as I assume you may have understood your process.

Every business has got its thick and thin side, so also agriculture is not spared. If not properly done would nose dive, so also it could be a great harvest. Its not a constant line graph sloping upwards like other businesses. As the factors that are impeding profitability and growth are enormous. Apart from the human factor of power, personel and policies, there is the force- majeure (act of nature) which you may have little or no control over. Such a s thunder storms, rain storms, drought, flooding, air/water borne diseases etc.

You need to also have a clear picture of the factors you can control and mange, as well as those you cannot control, but reduce their destructive impact.  
Remember, profit is key to any business, even if you love agriculture from the marrows of your bone, without profit there would be no continuity.
I encourage everyone to look and invest www.agricshow.com in the Nigerian agriculture economy, its a green gold mine field yet to be tapped.

BENEFITING FROM THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY

As much there are other forms of investment you could get involved in. One that is always and will continually stand the test of time is Agriculture.

There have been quite a lot of of direct efforts by the government of the day to revamp the agricultural sector and this has been yielding a lot of positivity. The sector accounted for the second  highest GDP non oil sector earnings, proving it to be a viable industry. The days of cutlass and hoe farming is beginning to dwindle away. The sector should be looked at like any other business with rich financial prospects for investors.

3 Ways to cash in from the Agricultural sector

1. Get a viable product: it is imperative to know which sector of the agricultural value chain is viable. Currently almost all produce are in huge demand in the nation at the moment. This can be connected to the high population density and a need of man's basic need of food to be met. There are some industry in the sector that are a instant financial success, such as Poultry farming, cassava propagation, plantain farming, water melon, pineapple, cucumber, aquaculture etc. This are some of the sectors you could go into and I would be glad to get you up and running.

2. Acquire the Prime lands: every government within the states would be more than glad to always at every point in time  open its corridors to agriculture. Look out for such areas with viability, they are spread all over the geopolitical zones. There are so many prime plots in the western states that have no form of agricultural plantation and have rich soil texture and structure that supports farming. These lands are easily acquired and sold for less than $9,000 per acre http://www.4321.co.il/property/ad706477.aspx. You could also get a lot less if you are purchasing a huge expanse, just like the one we just acquired for plantain farming.

3.  Get your business plans together: it is important that you have your comprehensive business plan together, as this would guide you in proper business management. It could also come in handy in acquiring a financial lease from the banks. It is important to note that a good business plan must clearly show your cash flow pattern in the short term and medium term, as well as long term. Do not be tempted to writing a very short term agribusiness proposal showing only a 12 months profit margin period. This pattern would not fly as agric venture needs a medium term business approach to profitability and break even point. Just as I have just concluded one for a client, you need to show how funds would be directly invested in the entire value chain of the chosen agricultural business. Ensure you exploit all the value chain, this is one of the ways the financial institution are harnessing all possibilities in their sector.

One of the major challenges of agric entrepreneur / investors, getting the right business plan that holistically supports their agricultural venture and this is our core strength.
There is no other time to invest in the nations agric sector and make huge profits than now. Make that life changing decision as we step into 2014.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS IN AGRICULTURE 2 …………………………..pathways to farming success………………..

Every intending farmer wants to ensure his produce is of high quality and quantity to meet the demands of their clients. It’s not debatable that agriculture is not profitable, yet some few small holder farms are barely struggling to survive. In as much as they are putting in much effort to farm their produce, the corresponding output in relation to profit is on the decline.

Here are three(3) steps every farmer should take to enhance steady income generation.

1.  Know the product/produce: it is important to have a foundational knowledge of the product you want to cultivate or rear. It’s not just about cultivating maize for instance and making sales. Having an understanding of the climatic condition and the diseases associated with the crop is very essential. Armed with this knowledge will help you as a farmer to reduce the unforeseen risks to the barest minimum. One of the major challenges to any agricultural venture is the risk involved, which is often disease control and theft. You need to know the common disease and take safety steps to combat such, should it occur during the farming period.

2.  Draw up a feasibility survey: as important as this is, a lot of farmers have intentionally omitted this aspect of farming and they are paying dearly for it in the long run. A feasibility survey helps to bring into the open, risks and steps that could be avoided or combated during the growing period. It clearly shows you the stage you are in and what to do at such stage. A lot of farmers usually get stocked during the growth phase of their produce; they do not have the knowledge capacity to prepare for the next cycle without losing ample time. Usually, some farmers wait until they have completely harvested all their stocks before planning or preparing for another cycle. Adopting such a process could make you loose a lot of propagation time, especially if you are propagating/rearing an all year produce.www.4321.co.il/property/ad692704.aspx

3.  Draw up a comprehensive Cash flow analysis: this is a big challenge for farmers, especially when they are not educated in such. I have often times come across farmers groups and they hardly do such in their record that is if they have any.

To become a successful farmer and trailing your profit margin, you need to understand the three models explained above. Especially drawing up your cash flow analysis, this is the map to farming profit and break even points. Irrespective of the model, fish farming, poultry farming, crop propagation, processing etc you need to have a cash flow.

In the quest to ensuring farmers and would be entrepreneurs take advantage and harness the opportunities of farming in Nigeria, we are holding a seminar tagged: ‘FINANCIAL BENEFITS IN AGRICULTURE’ in September, in Lagos Nigeria.

We encourage every intending agric entrepreneur home and abroad to make a date with us to attend this revealing seminar, as we would be harnessing the opportunities in three agric ventures; POULTRY FARMING, CATFISH FARMING, CASSAVA PROPAGATION.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS IN AGRICULTURE (1).

…….. 3 things you need to know……………………………

Having highlighted the reasons why banks shy aware from some agricultural venture, it is important to note that agriculture in any form is a very lucrative and rewarding venture. There is a known fact that every living creature needs food to survive. The potential clientele in the sector cuts across every living being.

In harnessing the benefits accrued in the sector it is necessary you have in the following information at your disposal.

1.   The kind of venture you want to exploit; as mentioned earlier in my posts, agriculture is majorly divided into two; plant cultivation and animal husbandry. For plants is further divided into food crops and cash crops. Irrespective of the type, it is highly profitable. You need to decide your cultivation preference, either crops or animal husbandry. This needs to be accompanied by the desired knowledge about that chosen venture, plants or animal. Get some basic knowledge about the fundamentals to the propagation of the crops, as well as the animal husbandry chosen. The processes involved in the rearing stage, that is the life span and the possible challenges that are often encountered in the process. Every agric business has got its peculiar challenges.

2.  Get the desired land; this we have in abundance in Nigeria getting one isn’t much of a challenge. The topography and soil structure must be such that should support your preferred agricultural venture. There is no point getting a huge limestone deposit site and intend to use it for agricultural purposes its dead on arrival. There are huge expanses of land in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria that are very suitable for farming. These prime plots are less than N2million naira ($20,000) for one to two acres of land. With such size or even less, you could considerable make good income for yourself in your chosen agribusiness. Putting into consideration your cost and revenue ratios, making profit will be a mile stone away.

3.   Get knowledge; this will help you to create a pedestal to which you can lunch out. Do not get tempted to starting too big, test the waters and then sail along. Just as we advise clients it is important you know more of the risks involved and how to avert or better reduce the risk to the minimum. It is only when risk is reduced revenue rise above cost that profit is brought about. Agriculture involves some level of financial planning and intelligence and not just the cultivation or rearing aspect alone. To this end we are planning to hold a comprehensive training session, looking at three (3) agricultural models that anyone can venture into. We would be holding the seminar in Lagos, Nigeria in September. The precise date would be communicated to you in this blog.

Anyone can be an agric investor irrespective of the profession, lawyer, engineer, and clergy, whatever. It is a venture that encompasses any discipline. It’s basically about feeding the populace, the market is well over 130million people to feed, why not take the plunge.