Background Information
My name is Agbelesola Dolapo, 30, from Ilesha in Osun state, Nigeria. I was born in Ilesha and the first in the family of five. I am an Agricultural Engineer by profession and an entrepreneur.
Project Description
DOTEB AGRICULTURAL COMPANY is a community based project that designs and fabricates good and efficient processing machinery for various post- harvest activities of agricultural crops from harvest to storage using solar/motor. We will also be providing training services for people on farming using the latest technology from DOTEB AGRICULTURAL COMPANY. Our business will provide the products to our customers by making use of our acquired skills, experience and expertise in fabricating the latest technology for agricultural use. Using different marketing strategies, we will be selling our products to farmers/companies based in the Northern region of Nigeria and also exporting it to other states/countries.
What Problems Are We Are Trying To Solve
The use of traditional method for processing crops is predominant here in Northern region of Nigeria. These methods do not support large-scale processing of crops, especially for commercial purposes. Presently in Nigeria, the region that is the highest producer of grains is the northern part of the country and it was observed that most processing of these crops was done by hand. This is time wasting, energy sapping, tedious, back straining and uneconomical. This method also introduces contaminant into the product which makes it unhygienic and wasteful.
Development of these machines records few success and this is why the manual method remains the only means of processing crops in this part. Farmers cannot afford the efficient but high cost of imported processing machinery which is not only costly but also requires a skilled technician to be able to operate it. All these problems are being addressed and will be solved by DOTEB AGRICULTURAL COMPANY.
Motivation and benefits for my community
Seeing how much stress farmers go through to process their crops, with the high cost of labour and charges, coupled with the increasing numbers of unemployed graduates roaming on the streets with their certificate actually influenced my decision to become an entrepreneur in my field of study
Benefit
- Help the farmers to process their crops without having to purchase expensive foreign machine
- Reduces post-harvest losses of agricultural crops
- Reduces high cost of labour, stress and saves time
- Provide job opportunities for people and also help build more entrepreneurs in our line of business
- Encourages farmers to plant more because they can buy and process their crops themselves
- Improves farmer’s standard of living.
How do we achieve our goals
- Effective and Efficient Distribution Network: The importance of such cannot be overemphasized in our line of business. We intend to establish an excellent distribution network that will enable us to rapidly respond to customers’ orders, and be available in remote areas our competitor has not yet exploited.
- Sales: Proper marketing with vigorous advertisement will ensure the product is made available to the target market and Good customer relationship
- Training our youths on fabricating good and efficient machinery for farmers
Progress so far
- We have carried out physical survey using a well-structured questionnaire to our target customers to know their challenges and how we can help solve it.
- We have tested the prototype of these machines for its efficiency on different crops
Measuring Our Success
Our success will be measured by:
- How many jobs our business has created
- How satisfied our customers are with our products, this will be done by carrying out customer opinion survey and market research to know if we are
- How well our business activities impacts the community
- Profitability
Budget
First Tranche (3 months)
Land: $1200
Permits: $100
Second Tranche (4 months)
Electrical Installation: $500
Machinery and tools: $2000
Third Tranche (3 months)
Structures: $1000
Work Uniforms: $200
Blogpost and picture submitted by Agbelesola Dolapo (Nigeria) – dolapoagbele[at]gmail.com
The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.
This post is published as proposal #277 of “YAP” – our “Youth Agripreneur Project”.
The first selection of the winners will be based on the number of comments, likes and views each proposal gets.
As a reader, you can support this speaker’s entry:
- Leave a comment (question, suggestion,..) on this project in the comment field at the bottom of this page
- Support the post by clicking the “Like” button below (only possible for those with a WordPress.com account)
- Spread this post via your social media channels, using the hashtag: #GCARD3
Have a look at the other “YAP” proposals too!
As a donor, support young agripreneurs and sponsor this unique project. Check out the side column for our current sponsors.
“YAP” is part of the #GCARD3 process, the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development.
A good concept from a young woman. Great deal to ease grain production. Kindly site your location?
This is a good concept. it will help solve the challenges farmers face with post harvest losses of crops
What a very nice support for Agricultural field sector in Nigeria especially the Northern part of our Country. This your effort will surely help famers that are discourage in producing much crops due to the expensive in processing it. But due to the Local machine available at your own extreme end,this will help famers to produce more crops and very soon food processing problems will be solve. I really commend your effort. Thank you.
@tosin, tanks for the comment. really inspiring
You are welcome Doteb
This is quite a lovely business idea, it’ll be a double-bottom opportunity of both community development and also profitable. I’m happy this kind of idea will boost sales for farmers and help them become more profitable.
Thanks Nathan. great comment
Great work.
Thanks kathryn
This will help reduce post harvest losses of crops. would love to work with you on this
@remmy, we will be glad to have you work with us provided it will benefit the company. Thanks
@Doteb, Of course it will. Glad to hear that. Thanks
You are most welcome
good. but where exactly is the location
I am a farmer and am happy to see an engineer think in this direction. we need more of our locally produced machinery.
@Emmanuel, are you into animal farming or crop farming??
@doteb, am into both. Thanks
@dolapo, am into both. Thanks
OK, good. It means you can patronise us.
Sure I will.
Yeah, this are minds that should be encourage and empowered. I love your idea
@Emmanuel, Thanks
You are welcome
lovely
brilliant idea
thanks kathryn
I
support your idea,Great!!!
Thanks greenland
Thanks janet
You are welcome.
Thanks Mr toba
Thanks Sis Adura
Thank you olaniyi
OK.
Thanks charles
Good idea.
Thanks taiwo
U are welcome
Would like to partner with you.
James. We would be glad to have you partner with us provided it will benefit our company.
Glad to hear that
This is great,am impressed you have a great idea that will help solve post harvest problems which is one of our major agricultural problems. But I have some questions for you.
would love to know the questions ademola. thanks
Thanks ademola
wao,this is an excellent concept. kudos
Thanks kenny
thanks@ kenny
Alright.
you are welcome, my question for you is how sure are you that these machinery will work efficiently
u are welcome, my question for you is how sure are you that these machinery will work efficiently
where is the location of your business.
Yes @Emmanuel, I agree with you. thanks
how do you think you can convince the farmers to try your product
@Brenda, the location is in Kaduna state.
OK.
@Greenland, the location is in Kaduna state. thanks
I wil like if you can subsize the price for the machines so that the local farmers can afford it?
Yes. The farmers will be given at a subsidized rate. Thanks
@charles, we have tested the prototypes and its working efficiently. Thanks
OK, good
OK, that’s great.
How would you source for your raw materials?
We have reliable supplier for our raw materials. Thanks
@ Emma, we have carried out a survey on out taget customers and the reult shows that these farmers look up to us for solutions. And once we are able to that, they will be ready to try our products and services. Thanks
Oh. That’s great. They will become your customers once they discover the uniqueness in your product.
Yes Emma. You are right. Thanks
A woman fabricator? what motivates you on this idea?
@premiere, agricultural engineering is not only meant for men, we have women who are agricultural engineers. I believe what a man can, a woman can do better. thanks
Does that means no agricultural company exist in Kaduna state?
I agree with greenland enterprise, theachines has to be subsidized otherwise. The gamers will not be able to afford it.
Great. Kudos
Thanks Janet, we have few fabricators here but the challenge is most of this machines are not efficient and causes more damages to agricultural crops.
OK.. Good
Thanks idowu.
You are welcome
Thanks Janet. Yes, our machines will be sold at an affordable rate especially to local farmers.
What types of processing machine will you be processing.
We will be fabricating all sorts of machinery that has to do with crop processing. I.e grains, legumes, roots and tubers e.t.c.
That good.
What types of processing machine will you be fabricating
We will be fabricating all sorts of machinery that has to do with crop processing. I.e grains, legumes, roots and tubers e.t.c.
What will your customers have to do to help make your business successful??
Thanks idowu,
The success of our business depends on how well we are able to satisfy our customers. what our customers will have to do for our business to be successful is to
1. Change their traditional way of processing and storing agricultural crops and embrace/use our products
2. Give feedback and rating for our products
Good response. I agree with you.
What category of people will you be training in your company??
Thanks Janet. We will be training youths and we will not be gender biased. Thanks
This huge relief for our farmers.
Yes Charles, I agree with you. Thanks
@DOTEB, how wil you sustain your business.
We will sustain our business by partnering farmers, companies, local government, and state government. Thanks babs
OK…. Am impressed
A right step in the right direction, to make the machineries for processing available and even closer to the farmers at affordable price is worth commendating, keep it up
Great comment. Thanks Mr femi.
What is your vision on this project??
Thanks Brenda, My vision is for my company to become preeminent in its chosen market.
What a great vision.keep it up
what are the types of crop you will be processing?
@taryour, As mentioned above, we will be fabricating machinery for all agricultural crops. Thanks
Alright my engineer, What makes your product different from your competitors ??
Our products are unique because the project is community based, our machinery are highly efficient and we will be using the 4p’s strategy which will definetly make make us stand out in our chosen market. Thanks
what re other impetus you need for the business idea to succeed?
do you need government support?
Yes Oba, we need government support because we will also be partnering with them. Thanks
Do you have female employers as fabricators too??
@thompson, Yes we do.as stated in one of my comment, we are not gender biased. This will also help promote gender equality. Thanks
Am highly impressed with your response.
Great concept. You have a strong courage. Keep it up.
Thanks ope.
You are highly welcome
Doteb, talking about the local farmers, will there be training on the technical know-how of these machines for the local farmers??
Ope, these machinery will come with simple design. But notwithstanding, we will put our customers through on to how operate and maintain these machinery.
I like that.
Thanks
U said you studied agricultural engineering, what option??
@remmy, I have a major in crop processing and storage. Thanks
I see.
kindly state your dream and vision in a long term for the agric idea?
My vision is to become the preeminent fabrication company in its chosen market. Thanks
if a woman decides to go in the way of a man then she should be encouraged? there very few women who studied agric engineering, with this u have my support.
Tayour, I do not believe agric engineering is only meant for men. I believe in what a man can do, a woman can do much better. All the same, thanks for your words of encouragement. I appreciate.
i want to see you thrive with this idea, having this local content will sure help our farmers.
You are right tosin. Thanks
@tosin. Yes it will. Thanks
great people with great and useful idea. continue to flourish in Jesus Name.
@King, Amen. Thanks so much sir
Questions well answered, I wish you the very best.
Thanks @remmy
Great
Great. Keep it up.
Thanks @charles
I agree with you on one of your comment about using 4p’s strategy. It shows you your business will be successful, no doubt.
Thanks Janet. I appreciate your comment
You are welcome Dolapo
Am encouraged your business will not only create jobs but also promote gender equality as stated I’m your response. Great.
Yes it will Brenda. Thanks
Good.
Stay focussed and keep it up.
I agree with Doteb. Agricultural Engineering is not only for men. I support you Doteb.
Thanks for the support ope. Highly grateful.
Good project. Would love to partner with you in the nearest future
We would be glad to have you partner with us provided it will benefit our business. Thanks
Glad to hear.thanks Doteb.
will you provide community service?
Definitely@ tosin.
is your business environment friendly?
@ta your, yes.
Nice concept. How will you reach your target customers in urban area
Steven, we will have sales outlets in urban areas to enable us reach or customers. Thanks
OK. And do you think that is enough?
Please, will love to know where your business is located
Fatima, our business is located in Kaduna State. Thanks
Kaduna State
Is your business for Kaduna residents only??
I will idowu. Thanks
No remmy, its not meant for Kaduna residents only but for all other States in Nigeria and Africa as a whole
No @remmy
@Doteb, yes. What a man can do, a woman can do much better.
Yes @ Brenda. Thanks
Why will your customers buy or use your products?
Steven, our customers will buy our products because they are unique.thanks
I have never seen a woman fabricator. Am proud of you
Fatima, thanks for your word of encouragement. I appreciate
What are your fears??
When will your project kick off??
As soon as funds are made available.
OK.
An agricultural engineer and entrepreneur. Nice combo
Thanks Steven.
BT I must commend you on this project. Good work. Kudos
Thanks fatima
Will your project help the government in any way??
Yes ope, we cannot expect the government to do all. This projecf will help promote entrepreneurs and create jobs which will definetely reduce unemployment .
You are right. We can’t rely on government for everything. Good work dear.
Beautiful idea.
Thanks atom
This will go a long way in solving problems associated with post harvest losses.
You are right atom. I agree with you. Thanks
You have a strong courage. I love courageous entrepreneurs.
Thanks atom. I appreciate your comment.
OK thanks
Wishing you the best Doteb.
Thank you Fatima.
Thanks Fatima
You are welcome
Yes I agree with you Doteb. I support locally made products. Keep it up.
I love that Steven. Thanks
Thanks Doteb
Good project. Thumbs up.
Thanks@impact
Am impressed. Keep the flag flying.
Thanks@ impact
You are welcome
All the best.
Am grateful charles.
Thanks charles
You are welcome@ Doteb
You are welcome. @Doteb
You are right @Doteb
Would love to visit your company in the nearest future
You are always welcome impact.
All the best Doteb.
Keep shinning. God will be with you.
Amen@ impact. Thanks
I have to stop here Doteb. Keep the fire burning.
Keep being focussed and God will surely be with you
Satisfied with all your response. Great.
Nice Project in view…
Good job and interested in some machines