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18 BEYOND AFRICA FARMERS & AGRI-TRADE ALLAN OYIER MILISA SAMODIEN KENYA SOUTH AFRICA NIGERIA GHANA ZAMBIA ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA MOZAMBIQUE USA ITALY GERMANY E-BOOK FARMERS NETWORKS APP PLC-V2SBD5

Change Farming into sustainable Agricultural Enterprises. Digitally manage your farm from the palm of your hand. “Farm Smart with Farmers Networks app” 19 A web based software platform created to help farmers access the latest information on agricultural practices and developments. To support with Agriculture Trade Solutions and keep up-to-date with their peers, national & global activities, best practice engagements training methods, social and e-commerce connecting tool.

20 Growing up in East Africa, Kenya, watching my Farmer dad provide as a Agripreneur, has always been an inspiring fundamental part of my life. As I ventured into other successful ambitions, I learned a lot about how various industries and business connections add value to the circle of life. I am honored to do the same.

21 Enterprise Management: Daily operations management. The Farmer can quickly assess the state of his business thanks to real-time updated dash boards that show his budget, expenses, and revenues. Workers can share admin rights with a Farmer who is off-site. The farmer can manage remotely thanks to this. Resource Mobilization: It connects farmers with service providers e.g. Microfinance Institutions, Training providers, consultant Agronomists, Veterinary services, Hardware & Agrovets, imports and exports etc. The Resource feature gives Farmer’s access to download materials like, catalogues for seeds, Trainings, Farm Records, Farming Guides, Spray Programs, Articles, Podcasts, Best practice etc. form Certified Vendors. The consult feature gives farmers access to Extension services and consultants listed on the App e.g. Veterinary, Agronomy, Logistics, Laboratory Testing, Business development, Marketing, Book Keeping etc. Development partners are also able to gain visibility on the farmers enterprise where they can track the progress of specific initiatives, they are applying to support farmers. Marketing. Provides farmers with Access to Markets both Local & International through Links with offtake partners: Retailers, Aggregators, food processors, Institutions etc. Offtake partners are also able to Track their production seasons from Farm to table. Certifications. Provides Farmers with requirements to meet criteria to Supply Offtake partners both locally & Internationally. Communities & Events : The social media platform on the App enables the farmer to interact with other farmer communities, get business leads, share best practice while also marketing their products. They can also see upcoming events and plan to participate. Weather: Farmer gets seasonal updates and plan proactively. WHY AN APPLICATION?

22 WHY NOT?

"Beyond Africa for Digital Solutions to our Farmers and Agriculture Trade". This was the first thought that came to mind when the founder Allan Oyier was stuck in a plagued world of COVID-19 in April 2020. While visiting his rural home in the Western part of Kenya during this period all local, regional, and international borders were closed down for travel as part of WHO protocols to contain the pandemic, rendering him stranded. His movement was crippled for 8 months and so was business. It was apparent that many other farmers alike would feel the same. Losing out on business opportunities was not an option. While at the farm he immediately decided to use that time wisely by developing a solution that could assist Agriculture and Farming enterprises. He conceived and implemented ideas that he had toyed with in the past, following his father’s footsteps. 23

However, he very soon realized that he was facing the same challenges his late father had. He could not believe that decades later things remained the same for a smallholder farmer while the world has evolved. The very same day-to-day activities working their farms to increase house hold incomes and food security, with very little education and reach to maximize profits. This was his opportunity to take initiative as a matter of priority and bring about some much needed change to avoid a legacy loop of hardship, failure and untapped potential. 24

25 Although increasingly vulnerable to the harsh impacts of climate change, the agriculture sector holds great potential for innovation and transformation. The goal is to identify new tools and methods for innovative agricultural initiatives. To provide tailored support for maximum effect with the potential to transform traditional initiatives in agriculture. Supporting climate-resilient solutions from agricultural entrepreneurs are essential to adapt to climate change, build resilient food systems, and enhance sustainable platforms, a versatile tool which supports progression.

26 An exciting and adventurous journey began…"While experiencing the life of a farmer for several months, he carefully observed and analyzed how most farmers in the region still used primitive tools, methods and marketing strategies. He had an incredible epiphany, to instinctively repair this injustice with sought localized solutions to address the industry challenges and opportunities with better options & outcomes. He moved his research beyond problems encountered in Africa to establish how modern day solutions could add value. This gave quick insight to the disproportion of literacy, resources, scope and lack of financial support, access to basic and variety extension services & options. So back to the drawing board, these solutions would need to be accommodating, easy to navigate, inclusive and affordable for all. Therefore it includes solving the gap in farmers’ access to information, learning & development, sales & marketing, funding, trusted labor, finance and service providers.

He explored various ways in which he could apply his experience to develop solutions that would adequately address farmers pain points and improve their productivity. 27 This was no easy task as he had to join field workers and the different processing divisions to understand their way of thinking, daily challenges, expectations, needs, etc . As expected, he experienced trials in getting Information, having the right reports for planning & decision making. Majority small holder farmers had no data or structure in their operations.

28 In fact due to the scarcity of funding, or ease of accessing financial resources it is understandable that farmers would lack modern or even the most basic equipment effective enough to advance their efforts. Instead they would tap into their creativity with make shift tools and techniques to get by. They use the nearest available labor and extension services some of these farmers are connected and would phone the other for advice from time to time, yet strangely they accept and settle with the very first proposal. The observation is that they are not exposed to the variety options with potential out there and would hardly consider comparisons or explore ways to gain access to trusted labor workers, the right service providers, extension services, procurement of farm inputs like Irrigation, updated tools & equipment, sales & marketing, and the list goes on.

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30 The industry within Africa needs guided structure. Although we have governance under the Ministry of Agriculture, there are very few tools to support Agritrade and a lack of approved vendors that complies with approved trading terms and conditions. When we set parameters, it provides structured data that can be used for planning, decision making, training and development, access to trusted service providers, access to approved funding groups, access to better GDP quota stats and governance.

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And so started the journey of creating a digital platform for farmers that would transform the smallholder farming to sustainable Agripreneurship. The entire project began self funded. The development of a Farmers Networks App to enable farmers with a tool to capture data, keep track of goals and accurate real-time records of their output & production yields. But also to include benefits for players in the industry so that they may reach Agriculture value chain, interact for advice, enjoy social support, learn & develop, improve & grow, access weather, find approved and honest vendors or trade partners & much more. 32

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35 The moment of enlightenment came when he was looking after cattle with his smart gadget in his hands. "That's it! He realized. The solution had been in the palm of his hand all along!

36 It became clear that he was to leverage Mobile App technology to provide digital solutions to change farmers’ lives and the primitive methods of Agriculture Trade. Since most farmers already owned mobile devices. This was exactly the missing piece required to create the perfect day in the life of a farmer.

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This platform would be a combination of: ecommerce, sales & marketing, finance invoicing and reporting tool, search engine for specific agriculture industry service providers and extension services, training tool, AGRI-Social Networking Tool, Weather forecast tool, Insight and regulatory governance compliance tool, Recruitment search engine for employees and employers, with possibility to evolve. "He noted some of the critical Success factors required for an Agripreneur. “What you cannot measure, you cannot manage” pushed him to peruse a developing system to overcome this hurdle and allow updating of reports on the go! The modern mobile farmer would require solutions to enable access to business dash boards for remote management when they travel offsite so that they remain actively involved while the manager updates portal with admin rights. 39

40 1. A system to prepare good Reports to help with good decision making and enterprise management, 2. e-commerce system to enhance sales, 3. Easy updatable invoicing tool to process billing, Reports, Finance, Production stats, access loans, 4. Search engine specific for agriculture industry goods & services. 5. Logistics exposure to reliable, trusted vendors for Sales and Purchases within reach, 6. Marketing traction, to gain awareness and real-time seasonal availability of goods, 7. Social Communication to remain up to speed with modern trends and interact, also to share initiatives and skills leveraging techniques for opportunities & optimization. 8. AGRI-Finance, invoicing and reporting tool, 9. AGRI-Training & development initiative tool, 10.AGRI-Social Networking Tool, 11.AGRI-Weather forecast tool, 12.AGRI-Insight and regulatory governance compliance tool, 13.Recruitment search engine for employees and employers, with possibility to evolve. OTHER FARM MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS INCLUDES

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We put together the right team, added a sprinkle of common sense and created an experience with the potential and power to transform lives. Farmers Networks Aps is a platform that connects farmers to networks, that share and learn from each other. Farmers can find farmers with similar interest and learn from their experience, ask questions and also interact on our online forum. 42 Farmers Networks Aps also provides information on new agricultural practices and devices, training and support for farming. Farmers Network was started to address these questions. Farmer Networks provides best business models, proven farm practices and access to financing to help farmers become more productive and sustainable. We also train them as they grow.

We want to start by recognizing the incredible strength and diversity of the agricultural communities. We are also inspired by the many farmers who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get involved in social change initiatives on their own farms, in their communities, or at a national level. 43 The Agricultural leadership shows their support for the initiative and explains why it is important to regulate the industry. They also show how they are committed to their national and community development by quantifying the real-time measures of economic contribution. This App will prove to be a great asset for agricultural leadership in the country as it will help regulate the industry and quantify the real-time measures of contribution to the GDP.

million users on iOS and Android. 44 It has everything a farmer needs to cultivate a sustainable life cycle - from information on equipment, to stories from other farmers and potential customers! We're a mobile app that connects farmers directly to consumers and enables them to sell their crops and products. Farmers can make sustainable agriculture a viable business by taking market risks, while consumers get fresh, local produce at discounted prices. Our app is already being used by thousands of farms and foodies, with excellent reviews.

He needed to have affordable Agricultural extension services available on demand. This was limited since the ratio of providers available were not adequate to serve every farmer. Farmers Networks Advisory Service (FNAS) provides technical and commercial agricultural support services for the benefit of farmers' network through a national network of accredited service providers , consulting services, agribusiness models, marketing strategies and business management in order to improve profitability. As an advisory service they help farmers receive advice on their farming business including pricing, product selection and supply chain management. For agricultural countries in Africa we need a way to make farming sustainable. This mobile App that helps farmers to find their local market and trade their produce for better prices. buy seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs for better yields. 45 ADVISORY SERVICE

With the average age of a farmer being 58, it's imperative to find ways to attract younger people to farming. The Farmers Network App provides one way for farmers to get their products in front of more people and make it notably clear what potential the industry has. Farming is an industry that has been around for centuries, but the market has changed. Farmers are working harder than ever, but they are not getting the same return on their investments. Farming is a crucial part of our economy and society. Yet, it's increasingly difficult to make a living from farming. The younger generation tends to be attracted to other more financially lucrative ventures and we would like to use this platform to inspire them and change the narrative. An innovative way to turn farming into sustainable ventures! 46 DIVERSITY & YOUTH

Knowing what's in the soil is the first step to sustainable farming biological chemistry. By testing the condition of Soil, water & nematodes to see if it is right for farming? Quick and easy access to qualified practitioners for collaboration with service providers including Laboratories for testing and sharing approved advise accordingly. Helping farmers understand the condition of their soil and how to improve it is a top priority for environmental groups, scientists, and policymakers. However, complicated scientific tests can be frustrating when you don't understand the process. That's why the app that makes it easier for farmers to connect with professionals to help monitor their soil quality. Later The app will aspire to use mobile devices to gather data about pH levels, organic matter, and more. Then, use AI-powered algorithms to provide a full assessment of the soil's fertility. Farmers Network connects farmers and helps them monitor the state of their soil, crops, and environment. The app is designed to be a onestop-shop for agriculture producers to access the latest research about soil health, as well as a network of peers to learn from. 47

SKILLED, DIVERSIFIED & AFFORDABLE LABOR FORCE Challenged with getting Skilled labor, consistent and reliable at an affordable cost. Finding best fit labor with suitable experience and know how could be a time consuming task. This platform would enable the farmer to negotiate and recruit desirable workers. Including training platforms and referrals to approved institutions that specialize in Agriculture development programs. 48 The Farmers Network is a mobile app that connects people in agriculture with those who need assistance. Whether you're an individual looking for work, or a business looking for qualified labor or extension services.

To improve business rhythm, he realized the key role motivation! Motivated workers provide more value to farmers. Some immediate needs for female workers at the farm were, Shelter, Kids Play area because when schools are closed mothers have to take children to work. He put up a Banda shelter. Provided free Wi-Fi & data for workers to use after a long days hard work. Not only did this benefit the workers but their kids could also do online research and work for school. He then realized the importance of providing affordable data to small holder farmers and labor developers of the industry. This would add value to the platform by providing affordable data and ease of accessing the app for ongoing business. Perhaps later low income Farmers and Agricultural industries could be offered reduced or subsidized data rates approved by government and privately owned mobile organizations. This could extend to donation of gadgets – to enhance the Digital footprint across low income farmers. 49 “HAPPY WORKERS YIELDS HAPPY CROP”

50 Harvest Losses: 40% Loss for bulk buyers for lack of purpose -built storage facilities post - harvest Low Access to Credit: Less than10% of farmers have access to credit &insurance. Risk profile systems exclude farmers from financial support. Market Access: Barriers to entry into lucrative markets Post Limited Farming support from providers & Tech: Low access to Agricultural value chain services providers and inadequate production technology

51 Poor Record Keeping: Poor & inadequate reports for planning & management. Are you a farmer looking for new ways to manage your crops and planning? Farmers Networks can help! Our app provides you with easy access to reports on many different fields of crop management, from current plant health & growth to fertilizer levels and water usage. Our reports can be generated in real-time or scheduled for updates weekly or monthly. With so much information at your fingertips, you will know exactly what to do on the farm next! Costly procurement of Inputs: 35% Input market belongs to local & spurious brands with transparency of price quality visibility for farmers Poor Production: Poor yield of Crops & Low Income

Farming Investment: How to approach this? What exactly to invest? What business model to adopt? How to select seed variety? How to source approved farm inputs? He was asked these questions many times. Making sure that he could answer all these questions right to add value to the FARMERS was critical for a successful project. He had to build capability to make investment decision and effectively execute plans. 52 Procurement. Sourcing farm inputs was challenging. At one point he had to Source uncommon farm Inputs, from far. This required proper planning & good coordination. He recognized the need for reliable service providers. An interactive communication platform for chatting with suppliers to negotiate and close orders as well as delivery. SMART INNOVATION

ENTERPRISE SUCCESS DEPENDS ON SOUND EXTENSION SERVICES With a built -in end to end Agricultural Enterprise Support digital platform to Access Approved Service Providers like: 53 Veterinary, Agronomy, Laboratory, Spraying, Tractor, Greenhouse, Aquaponics, Aquaculture, Logistics, Agro -dealers, Finance, Accounting, Business Development , Marketing, Branding, Value addition etc.

WEATHER CONDITIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS The harsh effects of weather on crops can cause destruction and cost an entire seasons yield. Hailstorms and heavy down pour are common concerns for vegetation and livestock. Planning with reliable weather forecast for rain fed agriculture is very important. See how his Onion nursery bed was destroyed by hailstorm and flooding. The platform that integrates weather forecasting, to remain updated and find solutions and alternative trade partners is ideal. 54

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57 WHO WE ARE We are an independent, truly integrated below the line agency focused on building experiences that are Human, Inventive and Inspirational. Vision: We are set to be the leading marketing firm in Africa and beyond. Mission: Spark Communication is an innovative marketing firm aimed at top quality and fine marketing solutions to our clientele.

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59 SKILLS SHARE ON FARMING TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE AFARMERS MEDIA RADIO & PODCAST CAMPAIGNS ON FOOD WASTE, CLIMATE CHANGE, SUSTAINABILITY TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURE

60 The Innovative Open Air Greenhouses with or without photovoltaic foils produce electricity and provide therefore Renewable Energy. The structure with a size of a hectare (10,000 m² ≈ 11,960 yard²) can be opened and closed in only twelve minutes, with an application. Extreme weather events such as heat, drought, continuous or heavy rain are nothing new. They have always occurred, but not as often as in recent years. Weather experts agree that this is due to Climate Change. In view of the positive effects of this technology, the eagle kurt system, to combat climate change on agriculture, Nelli Foumba Soumaoro, Chairmen & CEO of Komm Mit Afrika Holding, carried out an information trip in South Tyrol with various meetings with representatives from politics, business and farmers. The comprehensive range of the Adler system comprises 4 main points: A sustainable green weather protection system for agriculture Environmental and climate protection with CO2 reduction Digital agriculture / farming 5.0 Green hydrogen production Kurt Faffl, Zeno Christanell, Nelli Foumba Soumaoro, Andreas Heidegger “The overall objective of this partnership is to support agriculture so that farmers can feel a change. It is even more important to motivate farmers to achieve better production, higher yields and better food quality.”

61 END FOOD INSECURITITY He acquired a robust networking approach using a strategic social experimental interaction method where communities, Individuals and organizations use trade offs based on product for product trade or in some instance donations to avoid waste. "How to carry out conscious leadership?" Research proves More than twothirds of farmers and investors want to give back by investing their time, money and resources in various community projects to benefit someone, somehow

AGRI-SOCIAL NETWORKING As a valued leader and support structure in his community, the farmer Sponsored other Farming in the Region Economic Bloc to Leverage Support available. To improve resource mobilization & marketing of produce. He thought that this was a good strategy to build his enterprise. The survey was conducted in order to illustrate the many ways Agripreneurs are making a difference, despite having their own potential challenges to solve. 62 # FARMERS NETWORKS SOCIAL

63 # FARMERS NETWORKS APP IS COOL

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