The challenge is a key event during the Meet The Farmer’s Conference and will host young farmers, agripreneurs, Innovators and Enthusiasts in the Agric Value Chain compete for the grand Prize of 5,000USD, an all expense paid trip to Dubai for the Grand Finale, access to follow-on funding amongst other business opportunities.

Focusing on Agriculture and Technology, Crenov8 Consulting, a leading Management Consulting and Digital Firm in Dubai hosts the agribusiness gathering – Meet The Farmers’ Conference (MTFC), now in its third edition. The innovation competition is aimed at promoting innovative ideas for early stage Agric entrepreneurs from all sectors of the agriculture ecosystem who are applying creative and innovative methods to improve the agriculture value chain.

Interested entrepreneurs can apply via: https://mtfc.crenov8.com/innov8-agric.  The selection team made up of successful entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders across Africa will select the best ideas based on innovativeness, originality and viability of the idea/venture.

The programme is open for idea/early stage Agritech start-ups (ventures). Deadline for the application is 30th June.

This year, the pitch competition will hold in 12 African Countries and across 4 main regions viz;

• West Africa:  Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon.
• East Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda
• South Africa: South Africa, Angola, and Congo
• North Africa: Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia

The regional finale will hold during the regional events across multiple cities with the grand finale holding during the Conference in Dubai on 27^th & 28^th November 2019.

Selected businesses will have the opportunity to exhibit and participate in the regional media events.  Winners will emerge from each region and then go on an All-expense paid to Dubai to participate and exhibit in the MTFC grand finale and pitch for the top prize of 5000USD as well as follow-on funding and investment opportunities. They will also have access to a high worth pool of investors and potential customers at the conference.

Innov8 Agric Challenge is an initiative of the Agri Value Chain Development Conference, Meet The Farmers Conference (MTFC) which will hold across Africa and in Dubai, UAE with the focus on Creating a Sustainable Future.

Register to participate in the conference via https://mtfc.crenov8.com

The post MTFC announces 2nd edition of Innov8Agric Challenge to promote Innovation in Agric Entrepreneurship appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

In Africa, several government agencies including Bank Of Agriculture, the Commercial Agricultural Development Program, Africa Development Bank of Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperative Societies, World Bank and Cooperative Bodies provide grants and loans to small agro businesses.

The process of accessing grants is quite strenuous and involves a lot of processes such as opening accounts, submission of business plans and proposals and other documentations.  Hence, the need for business owners to explore other options to generate funds.

For any business to successfully thrive, funding is one of the most important factors. Farmers, and other agro-business owners can access agro-funds for businesses at different levels through leveraging on networks and opportunities in Africa and the GCC at the annual Meet The Farmers Conference.

The Meet The Farmers Conference is an avenue for agricultural businesses in Africa, Dubai and UAE to form partnership and network. This will strengthen the international trade ties that exist between Africa and the GCC and create opportunities for farmers and stakeholders to transact. African farmers can pitch their business ideas to world class agro-business juggernauts and acquire business opportunities available in Dubai and the other GCC countries.

The theme of 2019 Meet The Farmers Conference is “Creating A Sustainable Future for Food, Trade and Technology” which resonates the fact that funding is an important aspect for business sustainability. Farmers will find new ways to use technology for better farm practices and learn how to perform effective international trades.

More on MTFC:

• Gracia Farms Looks to Partner with Meet the Farmers Conference for Sustainable Agriculture
• Nigeria’s SmartFarm Wins MTFC Innov8Agric Challenge, Bags Home 5,000USD
• CTA Launches Initiative in Ethiopia to Help 20,000 Farmers Battle Climate Change Effects

The post Leveraging on Meet The Farmers Conference for Agricultural Business Funds appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Meet The Farmers Conference helps participants and off-takers in Africa and the GCC region meet with farmers, network with stakeholders, investors and establish key partnership with individuals at different points in the African agriculture value chain.

In 2018, Meet the Farmers Conference held in Rwanda, Dubai, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana and there, experts from different sectors gave keynote speeches, held panel discussions and participated in Q&A sessions to address issues of trade and investments in Agriculture. This year’s MTFC will hold on the 28th and 29th November in Dubai.

The collaboration is strategic in providing value and opportunity for farmers to leverage on the already established training facilities of Gracia Farms on hydroponics to African countries.

This partnership compliments the theme of Meet the Farmers Conference 2019: Creating a Sustainable Future. This theme places key focus on food security, trade and technology.

Hydroponics is noticeably better than conventional farming methods already being practiced in Africa. With this partnership in place, the agricultural sector in Africa will greatly improve.

Potential future collaborations and implementation of Hydroponics systems in several African countries were discussed.

More on Meet The Farmers Conference:

• Agribusiness Stakeholders experience The Future of Agribusiness at Meet the Farmers Conference Dubai 2018
• Nigeria’s SmartFarm Wins MTFC Innov8Agric Challenge, Bags Home 5,000USD
• The Need for Vertical Farming in Africa

The post Gracia Farms Looks to Partner with Meet the Farmers Conference for Sustainable Agriculture appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Qualitrace (Ghana), AgriQ & Automations (Kenya), Spiderbit (Rwanda) also pitched at the event with SmartFarm (Nigeria) emerging the winner. These four start-ups that pitched at the Grand Finale had all won the regional pitch competitions which was held in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Nigeria.

See Also: Smart Farms Wins Nigeria Innov8Agric Challenge, to Compete with Other Start-ups for $5,000

SmartFarm provides commercial farming hub where busy professionals and beginning farmers can get access to land, modern farming facilities, professional management and market so they generate income from a passive investment which does not distract them from their regular jobs. This start-up provides a ‘co-working space’ for farming where mechanization, ICT tools, Irrigation facilities are accessible and affordable to maximize productivity.

The Startup jury panel at the pitch comprised of Sanjay Sethi, Director of Sustainability, Phoenix Group DMCC; Khaleel Summers, Co-Founder & MD, TK Consulting; Prof. Mohamed A. Badawi, General Manager, Emirates Bio Fertilizer Factory and Par Soderlund, Founder and CEO of Peritius Farm DMCC drilled the audience and combined their wealth of knowledge and experience to select the winner.

SmartFarm will also get an opportunity to get funding, and investment opportunities from African and GCC investors. The start-up was picked based on its innovation, originality, social and the viability of its ideas which was vetted by the judges.

MTFC is an initiative of Crenov8, a leading conglomerate consulting & Digital Media firm in the Middle East, Dubai, and Africa. Last year, Crenov8 embarked on this mission to create a platform where the African agricultural producers will meet with off takers in the Middle East and beyond, to translate business deals and network, collaborate, and form potential business partnerships across borders, to promote food security in the Middle East and promote agribusiness in Africa.

The post Nigeria’s SmartFarm Wins MTFC Innov8Agric Challenge, Bags Home 5,000USD appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

The ‘Innov8Agric Challenge’ is a key initiative of the Meet The Farmers Conference (MTFC) set up to promote innovative ideas for Agritech start-ups from all sectors of the ecosystem using creative and modern methods to change the landscape of the agriculture value chain in Africa.

Ahead of the event, the organizer: Crenov8 Consulting called for applications from agric-tech start-ups looking to get funding opportunity, and investment opportunities from African and GCC investors.

Four start-ups: Qualitrace (Ghana), AgriQ & Automations (Kenya), Spiderbit (Rwanda) and Smart Farms (Nigeria) all won the regional pitch competitions and will over the next few days be pitching at the Grand Finale during the Meet the Farmers Conference in Dubai.

Here’s a run down of the StartUps and how they are solving key challenges in the agriculture value chain:

Qualitrace: is an Agri-Tech start-up that uses track and trace technology to authenticate agricultural product inputs and outputs. It also provides a clear simple means by which players in any given supply chain can trace products along the till the final consumer also independently verifies the source and quality of the product.

QualiTrace work together with major stakeholders in the Agriculture ecosystem to reduce the high influx of counterfeit agro-inputs like fertilizers, seeds and crop protection products.

AgriQ & Automations: it aims to reduce post-harvest losses in Africa which is estimated at 45% of the produce harvested. They tend to achieve this by providing affordable and efficient cold storage solution to smallholder farmers to extend the shelf-life of their horticultural produce thus improving food security in the continent and increasing the farmers income.

Spiderbit: is a technology firm that designs and builds custom software solutions specializing in different sectors of Agribusiness including:

1. a) Food market place, which enables the farmer to sell their produce using the platform and also providing flexibility to buyers to locate crops on market.
2. b) Bringing service providers (seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, vet services) closer to the farmers. The platform enables Farmers and countryside agro-dealers can order for inputs from main city, purchased and shipped to their area pickup points.

Smart Farms: They provide commercial farming hub where busy professionals and beginning farmers can get access to land, modern farming facilities, professional management and market so they generate income from a passive investment which does not distract them from their regular jobs. This start-up provides a co-working space for farming where mechanization, ICT tools, Irrigation facilities are accessible and affordable to maximize productivity.

Meet The Farmers Conference is an initiative of Crenov8, a leading conglomerate consulting & Digital Media firm in the Middle East, Dubai, and Africa.

See More:

• Spiderbit Wins Innov8Agric Challenge, Rwanda
• Smart Farms Wins Nigeria Innov8Agric Challenge, to Compete with Other Start-ups for $5,000
• Ghana Agric Start-up, Qualitrace Wins Ghana Innov8Agric Challenge
• Kenyan Agric-Tech Start-up, AgriQ & Automations Wins Kenya Innov8Agric Challenge
• Wefarm Hits Over 1 million Users Across Kenya and Uganda

The post Meet the 4 AgriTech Start-ups Pitching at the MTFC’s Innov8Agric Challenge in Dubai appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

The challenge is a part of Meet the Farmers Conference (MTFC), an agro conference organised by Crenov8 Consulting and it is targeted at connecting small and large scale agro commodity producers to buyers and investors in the Middle East.

Smart Farms provides a co-working space for farming where mechanization, ICT tools, Irrigation facilities are accessible and affordable to maximize productivity.

The start-up will now compete with other selected African agric-tech start-ups: Qualitrace (Ghana), AgriQ & Automations (Kenya), and Spiderbit (Rwanda) for a $5,000 grant price at the international Meet the Farmers Conference.

See Also: Spiderbit Wins Innov8Agric Challenge, Rwanda

This will hold In Dubai on the 4th – 5th November 2018. The start-up would receive an all-expense paid trip to Dubai to attend the two-day conference and the Grand Finale of the challenge. They will also get an opportunity to get funding, and investment opportunities from African and GCC investors.

The start-up was picked based on its innovation, originality, and the viability of its ideas which was vetted by top-notch entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders across Africa.

View this post on Instagram

Huge Congratulations to Smart Farms, Winner of the Nigerian Innova8Agric Challenge! We can’t wait to see you pitch at Dubai!

A post shared by Meet The Farmers Conference (@meetthefarmersconference) on Oct 10, 2018 at 12:37pm PDT

The ‘Innov8 challenge’ is a key event at the Meet The Farmers Conference and it’s meant to promote innovative ideas for agrictech start-ups from all sectors of the ecosystem using creative and modern methods to change the landscape of the agriculture value chain in Africa. AgroMerchant, Crop2Cash, and FoodHubs also participated in the pitch.

MTFC is an initiative of Crenov8, a leading conglomerate consulting & Digital Media firm in the Middle East, Dubai, and Africa.

The post Smart Farms Wins Nigeria Innov8Agric Challenge, to Compete with Other Start-ups for $5,000 appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

The challenge is scheduled to hold during MTFC Kenya, Nairobi where they would compete for a chance to win the $5,000 grant prize at the maiden edition of the Agric Innovation Contest.

Qualitrace, a Ghana-based traceability and anti-counterfeiting startup that uses track and trace technology to authenticate product farm inputs and outputs won the Ghana edition of Innov8Agric Challenge.

The challenge is aimed at promoting ground-breaking ideas for early stage Agric entrepreneurs from all sectors in the agricultural ecosystem, using creative and innovative methods to change the landscape of its value chain in Africa. The competition will guide Agri-tech entrepreneurs around their way in the industry and will open them up to funding and investment opportunities in Africa and the GCC region.

The winner from Kenya will get an all-expense paid trip to Dubai for the Grand Finale of the challenge, a $5000 grant, as well as investment opportunities from African and GCC investors, opportunities for business expansion and access to experts and mentors in agribusiness.

The Kenyan edition of the Innov8Agric will bring together innovative ideas across East Africa during the Meet the Farmers Conference, holding at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya on 21st September 2018.

The chosen start-ups are;

Agrifor

Agrifor is a social enterprise committed to empowerment and poverty eradication one farm at a time by bridging the existing gaps in supply of high quality seed and seedlings. They provide affordable integrated solution of high value dryland seed, seedlings and crops such as mukau (Melia volkensii), and legumes for smallholder farmers.

Dophia

They aim to train farmers on sustainable methods through climate-smart techniques. The Dophia idea involves setting up of a productive and integrated demo farm where farmers are trained.

Agronomy Plus

It is a web-app, USSD based platform that provides; on demand extension service (agronomists) to small holder farmers closest to them at half the cost and provide traceability report for off-takers.

Vinis

Their idea is centred around a Plant-derived bio-pesticide by the name Molepse Bio resource that will help curb post-harvest losses of maize and other grains. The product is not only a repellent, it is also toxic to all major post-harvest pests.

AgriQ & Automations

An automated solar-powered evaporative cooler that offers a convenient, yet affordable and efficient way of extending the shelf-life of perishable farm produce in off-grid areas. The design details the replacement of charcoal with briquettes in the traditional cooler to make the cooler greener and more effective.

One winner from the shortlisted candidates will go on to pitch before a global audience at the MTFC Grand Finale which will hold on 4th & 5th November 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The five start-ups were selected based on the innovation, originality, and viability of their ideas and were vetted by top-notch entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders across Africa.

The post MTFC Announces Innov8Agric Kenya’s Shortlisted Startups To Pitch at #MTFCKenya2018 appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

The Media Launch is expected to expose the public, farmers, and agribusiness owners on the objectives and benefits of the Agric Export Conference. Holding at the prestigious Radisson Blu Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda this October, the conference is expected to attract a large number of farmers, Agribusiness stakeholders, large scale exporters of agro-produce, government agencies and Industry enthusiasts.

Meet The Farmers’ Conference is an Agro stakeholders’ conference that aims to connect large scale agro commodity producers to buyers from the Middle East. Key Stakeholders from Africa and GCC will come together during a one-day event to network, collaborate, and form potential business partnerships across borders to ensure food security in the Middle East and promote agribusiness in Africa. The larger purpose of the event is to establish and strengthen the international trade ties that exist between Africa and the GCC through agriculture utilizing the unique positioning of Dubai as a hub.

This year’s theme is centred on the Future of Agribusiness whereby we wish to collate all partakers on the Agribusiness value chain; integrating them in a manner that would source insight into the collaboration of all these factors to promote Agribusiness in Africa as a whole.

See Also: All You Need to Know about MTFC Innov8Agric Challenge

The Press Briefing will allow the media understand the mission and vision of Crenov8 as an organization and the birth of the Agribusiness project. This is a precursor to the major MTFC Rwanda conference which will hold on October 5th. The media launch will communicate the vision of the Meet the Farmers Conference and how it would assist the industrialization of Agriculture based businesses in intra and extra African trade. It will also disseminate information about the conference goals; helping to promote trade of agricultural products of Rwanda within Africa & across continents.

Expected at the Press Conference are key executives from partners and sponsors of the conference in Rwanda. Some of which are CEO of National Agricultural Export Development Board; Amb. George William Kayonga, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock; H. E. Gérardine Mukeshimana, CEO of Private Sector Federation; Stephen Ruzibiza, CEO of Rwanda Agro Processors; Jane Natukunda N, Representative from Rwanda Air Emirates, and Representatives from NAEB, PSF, MFK, and Export Growth Fund. AgriTech startups amongst several other technical partners would be present at the media launch.

To register for the Meet The Farmers Conference, Kigali, click here now!

The post Media Launch for Meet The Farmers Conference set to hold in Kigali, Rwanda appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

However, this sector is a gold mine yet to be fully explored, and this is an issue that demands discussion. The Agric sector has been a matter of serious concern to the federal government of Nigeria. There is a dire need to boost the country’s GDP through agriculture, raise exports, reduce importation and promote self-sufficiency.

The question of whether or not to farm is not a big deal, farming is a given. The catch however, is financing the initiative until it booms. How to secure a loan and what it takes to secure Agric loans in Nigeria. These are big questions that need to be answered urgently.

The main obstacle entrepreneurs encounter when they intend to venture into agribusiness is no longer whether it is worth investing in but the problem of fund.

For the sake of this piece, we have compiled a list of some government grants and loans available for Nigerian farmers to keep their business booming.

1. Bank of Agriculture

The Bank of Agriculture of Nigeria is the main channel that the government uses to provide loans and grants to the public. The bank is owned by the federal government, with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Finance incorporated as shareholders.

The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) was established to help farmers develop their fields to any extent possible by giving low interest loans to qualified applicants.

The process of borrowing from BOA is not too strict compared to other loan rendering banks. BOA operates at a level of direct lending, collaboration, and credit monitoring.

However, Agric loan is not exclusive to BOA, other commercial Banks have also been partnering with the FG to assist Farmers.

2. CBN agricultural loans

Still piggybacking off the above, this loan scheme was set up by the federal government to provide low-interest loans to farmers in Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently approved the disbursement of about 75billion naira as loans to farmers and cooperative societies in all 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This loan can be accessed directly through the Bank of Agriculture.

3. Agricultural co-operative societies

Another way for farmers to secure agricultural loans is through cooperative societies. Credits given to these communities come as grants. As a rule, the cooperative societies could be provided with the grants by the banks who will then distribute it to each member on the basis of contributory payments. As a farmer, some of the most important agricultural cooperatives you can join are:

All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Youth Empowerment in the Agricultural Program (YEAP), and FADAMA.

4. Attend Agro Conferences

After securing fund for your agribusiness, then what comes to your mind as a farmer when you harvest your farm produce? This is when attending conferences comes to place. Agropreneurs can get loads of insights and advantage from attending Agro-conferences.

Some of the things you can benefit from attending conferences is networking, meeting high net-worth individuals who are major stakeholders in the Agric sector and the general education attached.

One of the influential agro conference you can attend is the coming Meet The Farmers Conference (MTFC).

Meet The Farmers’ Conference is an agro stakeholders’ conference that aims to connect small and large scale agro commodity producers to buyers from the Middle East. Key Stakeholders from Africa and GCC will come together during a one-day event to network, collaborate, and form potential business partnerships across borders to ensure food security in the Middle East and promote agribusiness in Africa by tapping into the $100b GCC market.

More importantly; African farmers, participants, exhibitors and delegates at this event will be able to leverage on the business opportunities available to them in Dubai and other GCC countries.

Register here for the upcoming Meet The Farmers Conference in Lagos.

The first thing that comes to most farmers’ minds is to sell their Agric produce at the market after they have harvested. This is a great way to change that mindset.

In conclusion, Agribusiness in Nigeria has taken a dramatic turn to a better direction recently, creating jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurs who taken the bull by the horns and have invested into the farming business. Millionaires are being made every year through agribusiness and the figures are only expected to rise.

The post How to Finance Agribusiness in Nigeria appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Meet The Farmers’ Conference is an agro stakeholders’ conference that aims to connect large scale agro commodity producers to buyers from the Middle East. Key Stakeholders from Africa and GCC will come together during a one-day event to network, collaborate, and form potential business partnerships across borders to ensure food security in the Middle East and promote agribusiness in Africa. More importantly; African farmers, participants, exhibitors and delegates at this event will be able to leverage on the business opportunities available to them in Dubai and other GCC countries.

Crenov8 embarked on this mission in 2017 to create a platform where the African agricultural producers will meet with the off takers in the Middle East and beyond to effectively translate business deals; holding the first edition in Dubai last year.

Meet The Farmers Conference held its first African Conference edition in Ghana on July 4, 2018, at Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Accra and the Nigerian edition of the Africa conference is scheduled to hold on the 10th of October 2018 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria.

The main purpose of this event is to establish and strengthen the international trade ties that exist between Africa and the GCC through agriculture utilizing the unique positioning of Dubai as a hub. The focus for this year’s conference is ‘’The Future of Agribusiness.’’

According to Bola Oyedele of Crenov8 Consulting, “Meet The Farmers Conference is targeted at both large and small small-scale farmers to tap into the $100billion market in Dubai- that’s why we are partnering with relevant stakeholders across both government with Bank of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture as well as the private sector with the likes of Farmcrowdy and AFEX to help us aggregate farmers to export Agric produce to the UAE.”

Onyeka Akumah, CEO/ Co-founder at Farmcrowdy, speaking at the MTFC Nigeria Press Conference

“Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda have benefitted immensely from the first conference we held in Dubai in 2017 and we have set up warehouses and business links for many agribusinesses in the UAE.” She said.

On his part, the Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management – Bank of Agriculture; Prince Niyi Akenzua said that MTFC is a good initiative that must be sustained until it achieves its stated aims in linking Nigerian Agribusiness owners with the UAE market.

President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce; Babatunde Ruwase further stressed that the Meet the Farmers Conference will further encourage more stakeholders to invest in Agriculture and help build trade ties with the UAE especially Dubai.

Major partners of the conference, Farmcrowdy CEO; Onyeka Akumah praised the MTFC initiative, saying that the conference will go a long way in bringing Agric stakeholders in Africa together to link every step of the agricultural value chain under one umbrella where all sectors can discuss the crucial issues in Agriculture, find innovative solutions to them and most importantly benefit from each other.

Lauding the initiative, Country Manager, AFEX Commodities Exchange, Ayodeji Balogun, said AFEX is pleased to partner with the MTFC project as it will unlock the potential market of agribusiness across the value chain in Nigeria and the Middle East.

The Meet the Farmers Conference is supported by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lagos State’s Ministry of Agriculture, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Nigeria Export-Import Bank, FADAMA and AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited; all of whom were well represented at the Press briefing.

Also present at the media launch were Stanbic IBTC Bank, representatives from Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and stakeholders from the agricultural sector, farmers, export authorities, banks, and suppliers of agricultural machineries, Agric start-ups amongst several other technical partners.

Interested participants can register for Meet the Farmers Conference Nigeria via here

The post Agro-Export Event, Meet The Farmers Conference set to hold in Lagos this October appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.