Loan for fertilizer and transportation of farm produce

Entrepreneur

About Me

I am Joshua Odhiambo Adika, a young agribusiness-man, aged 29 years and a 4th year finalist studying Bachelor of Agribusiness Management at Egerton University. I will be graduating this December. I live in my rural village in Kambija sub-location, Rongo constituency, Migori County, Kenya with my parents and siblings. Growing up, financial constraints have persisted. Coupled with the exposure I was getting in economics, I decided to do agribusiness as part of the solution to this challenge. I had a passion in farming. I ventured in horticulture farming as the main activity after analyzing the current trends of growing urbanization in my locality and associated accruing benefits from the growing food demand. Moreover, demand of fresh produce from the farm. Farming was also most desirable venture because of availability of land and water in my locality, favorable climate, and labor availability as it is highly populated. The income generated goes towards paying for my school fees, assisting my small sister who recently joined college financially, pocket money, supporting my parents, build some savings, and expansion of my portfolio. In my free time I like engaging in outdoor activities and making new friends.

My Business

My Business
In my portfolio I grow tomatoes, cabbages and kales. There being a high population in my locality the demand for vegetables is inevitable. Kambija is also centrally located within Migori County which borders Homa bay County. Other towns providing ready market are Kisii, and Nyamira. I sell my farm products in Migori and Homa Bay Towns highly demanded by the Asian community living around there. I sell cabbage and Kale to the local community. Customers have a great preference for fresh produce from the farm and thus of these products I sell within my locality. I harvest them on order. There has always been a constant flow of loyal customers on daily basis with little surplus that I take to Ombugu market, in my neighborhood, twice a week. I grow my crops under irrigation in open field, for cabbages and kales, and shade-net house, for pepper, so am able to take advantage of the dry season. The main risk to my business is pest and disease which I avert by routine sprays. If they are not observed there is a risk of losing the whole crop. However, there is a new pest in our region called Tuta absoluta that has become a menace to tomato crop wiping the whole field in just a few weeks. Firms dealing with crop protection are in research to come up with a safe formula to control it. I have been using cultural methods to manage this challenge and seeking information from my partners in agronomic support, Sygenta East Africa, on how to control and prevent the spread and damage to the crop.
TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES:
DESCRIPTION Insecticides and fungicides-$110 Transport -$100
Electricity -$ 20 Labor- -$120
Capacity building -$ 50 Crop support twines -$100
TOTAL COST -$ 290

Loan Proposal

If granted this loan, I intend to use it as follows:- $50 I will use to buy fertilizer and the remaining $30 be used in transportation of farm products.
The remaining will be used to pay for transport and labor.
This will increase my profit margin with approximately 25% and enable me to employ 2 people who will be earning a living from it.
Thank you in advance.

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