The BusinessDay CEO Magazine August 2017
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>BusinessDay</strong> <strong>CEO</strong>, Aug <strong>2017</strong> | 12<br />
THIS BILLION-NAIRA INDUSTRY IS<br />
PRETTY MUCH RUN TODAY AS IT<br />
WAS OVER 70 YEARS AGO. WHAT<br />
GROWCROPSONLINE.COM<br />
INTENDS TO DO IS TO PRACTICALLY<br />
ALLOW THESE FARMERS SEE HOW<br />
PROFITABLY IT IS TO CHANGE ITS<br />
APPROACH, INVESTMENT AND<br />
UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE<br />
CHAIN.<br />
<strong>The</strong> team has Dr Christopher Kolade OFR as the Chairman of their advisory board. His guidance<br />
and support has allowed the team focus on changing the lives and importantly, archaic farming<br />
practices that have existed for many years and passed down from generation to generation. This<br />
two-pronged target of helping vulnerable persons and local farmers has been a perfect fit.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fact is the agriculture sector in Nigeria is run primarily by uneducated but highly<br />
experienced farmers. Within the limits of their knowledge, they run a system that from farm to<br />
market involves little or no technological input or process. This billion-naira industry is pretty<br />
much run today as it was over 70 years ago. What growcropsonline.com intends to do is to<br />
practically allow these farmers see how profitably it is to change its approach, investment and<br />
understanding of the value chain thereby setting up systems which minimize post harvest losses<br />
whilst encouraging use of improved variety seeds and inputs. What most farmers want to see is<br />
someone try something new and profit from it. <strong>The</strong>re is very little progress where businessmen<br />
are asked to invest money in purchasing improved inputs when there is no confirmed benefit to<br />
the financial bottom line.<br />
Olawale Olajide says even though growcropsonline.com has made farming look easy, risk free<br />
and convenient, it really is not as easy, which is why they are insured. He recalls situations when<br />
clients are promptly paid proceeds of their farms, they often are excited that they are doing<br />
some form of farming and helping to improve lives. He reveals they would soon enter some<br />
partnerships, which would see them take their model to other African countries with the aim of<br />
supporting inclusion of vulnerable people in agriculture whist slowly disrupting the archaic<br />
farming practices that exist in those areas.