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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.

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