Cloudinary

 -114299233363TABLE OF CONTENTS TOC \h \u \z Executive Summary PAGEREF _77qmb558mdvr \h 4Business Summary PAGEREF _4pz8sg1pafj8 \h 5Business Aims PAGEREF _ovgo8ywcnqng \h 5Business Model Canvas PAGEREF _uw7owci40db3 \h 6The Business Model PAGEREF _lf8xau5lq96r \h 7SWOT analysis PAGEREF _p5nxef8rdjep \h 8Ownership Structure PAGEREF _nkseddh9pm20 \h 9Ownership PAGEREF _uo41ctcm39ta \h 9Main Shareholder Profiles and Roles PAGEREF _a8q85l7g3e11 \h 9Project Everest - Jimmy Bayssari PAGEREF _t9wul6bt3mhw \h 9Lisa Paisley PAGEREF _ns22wcujbnc0 \h 10Zoe Paisley PAGEREF _robacim7lbus \h 10Products and Services PAGEREF _wdxzeb9yp91a \h 11Summary PAGEREF _z8c8yrk6mvzi \h 11Business to Consumer (B2C) PAGEREF _s0jebbk5767e \h 11Smartphone App PAGEREF _35deyj88w8wm \h 11Demonstration Farm PAGEREF _xp3b95cjb445 \h 13Original MVP - Consultancy Report PAGEREF _k7lde86s1n2y \h 16Application PAGEREF _obr0dtfse1ww \h 17Workshops PAGEREF _f10r3fgbvyff \h 17Drones and Big Data PAGEREF _jpwcni1kliq \h 17Blueprint Licensing PAGEREF _yojrlpuept0m \h 17Stages of Growth PAGEREF _dmkvquh0v8zp \h 17Market Segments at Growth Stages PAGEREF _l4ggoa3m6upq \h 18The Market PAGEREF _z7dow42uf1nx \h 19Customers PAGEREF _oa6qpsgb1mc8 \h 19Current Customer Profile PAGEREF _qty1m485c3on \h 19Psychographics/Behavioural PAGEREF _2r0t86ylugbc \h 20Demographics PAGEREF _8ov87eo04z7a \h 20Ideal Customer Profile PAGEREF _8yka439xbww \h 21Psychographics PAGEREF _rby1fzksf341 \h 21Demographics PAGEREF _vna7k2crlmxh \h 21Customer Relationships/Interaction PAGEREF _o41q1eo8v2qy \h 21Expectation for consumer interaction PAGEREF _7bxmpzi7yft6 \h 21Product/Services Sold and Predictions PAGEREF _qtkjn1qqjde7 \h 22Are people waiting to buy your goods/services? PAGEREF _ge3sqrik5jod \h 22Market Research PAGEREF _9rdwobdgc883 \h 24Primary Research PAGEREF _kfhd36pp64yq \h 24Relevant field research PAGEREF _yyim2gbdqne0 \h 25Secondary Research PAGEREF _o2u2ugkgcgxn \h 26Average Salary PAGEREF _156xuraadg80 \h 26Disaster PAGEREF _skj967i1h7hb \h 26Weather PAGEREF _a34p0o1o6z0t \h 26Lack of access to organic products PAGEREF _am0z7eurkujc \h 27Observations of Fijian Farmers PAGEREF _3cbhaciw69k4 \h 27Lack of record keeping PAGEREF _dxzh8pckw26w \h 27Empathy Map PAGEREF _c3iphmv3774b \h 28Pains PAGEREF _m088fglxccqu \h 28Gains PAGEREF _7ni9gvjjq17h \h 28To be done: PAGEREF _c6k7urqp29dy \h 28Defining Customers PAGEREF _8dr9ubmqtxv6 \h 29Core needs: PAGEREF _qrekt0sbz1vl \h 29Access to agricultural expertise and info PAGEREF _ixsyxzr22wsy \h 29Inclusion in an educational community PAGEREF _hb9tb99cswl1 \h 30Ability to achieve financial empowerment PAGEREF _k36b01nl62de \h 30Marketing Strategy PAGEREF _oogvg7g4p1ad \h 32Brand PAGEREF _nfrbn4it3dog \h 32Channels of communication PAGEREF _oicobizd8qw7 \h 32Workshops PAGEREF _tatn4fguubtm \h 33Sales Promotion PAGEREF _jcprxytg5qoj \h 33Direct & Interactive Marketing PAGEREF _vdmvcy15jr6 \h 33Word-of-Mouth (Snowball Effect) PAGEREF _p1jek1kvtu0m \h 33Face to face selling PAGEREF _k0jyfumy5cuo \h 33Mass Media PAGEREF _vaqfdlz42bbz \h 34Costs PAGEREF _dxob0ell1g9 \h 34Past, current and planned campaigns PAGEREF _gvl0gp62gmf6 \h 34Competitor Analysis PAGEREF _20crtygrc0p \h 35Government Competitor PAGEREF _xixbgbgcdmpw \h 35Unique value proposition PAGEREF _6izu1doawnz8 \h 36Operations and Logistics PAGEREF _dbiestppsl6b \h 37Means of production PAGEREF _oei2izb9okbq \h 37Software and Programs PAGEREF _bhnpezcfjzb9 \h 37Method of delivery of products and services PAGEREF _3a9peryr9dz6 \h 37Overheads PAGEREF _9jl35h56alrx \h 38Legal requirements PAGEREF _j3qu42xqjjvl \h 38Insurance requirements PAGEREF _gmse0j49z8f6 \h 38Employees PAGEREF _sxo6143o7uvu \h 38Organisational structure PAGEREF _nbe1htveyoc9 \h 38Costs and Pricing Strategy PAGEREF _hewrx1l93y2c \h 39Cost breakdown of each service PAGEREF _v7qi7vqf7km1 \h 39Pricing Strategy PAGEREF _a7xxerw7vti1 \h 39Workshops PAGEREF _pntxal69nqa6 \h 39Blueprints PAGEREF _e7spl8orhioc \h 39Smartphone App PAGEREF _ss3fm9m66ffq \h 40Contingency Planning PAGEREF _uwyzfswabvkg \h 42Major risks to the current model PAGEREF _h13syhfkcu63 \h 42Heavy reliance on existing Partnerships PAGEREF _w6lyfhev1bmk \h 43Weather PAGEREF _ilhzt3p21s8 \h 43Other Risks PAGEREF _fozmh5qsha2j \h 43Actions on these risks eventuating PAGEREF _abd8j8yw6ef2 \h 44Appendix PAGEREF _eqpi1vemacjc \h 45Potential Additional Services PAGEREF _jvelyy20miom \h 45Micro Financing PAGEREF _romysbetrewy \h 45Executive SummaryBusiness name: FarmEdAddress:Level 3, 1 Buckingham St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010Phone:+61 2 8188 4514Email:hello@farmed.ioBusiness SummaryFarmEd is a unique technology-based, consultancy service and permaculture farming design that brings agricultural expertise to smallholder farmers, to create a food supply chain that is smarter, more efficient and more profitable.Business AimsFarmEd aims to alleviate hunger and economically empower low income farmers across the developing world. Beginning in Fiji and moving into Cambodia, Malawi and Timor, we are moving towards sparking an economic and social revolution across the agricultural industry in the developing world. The goals of FarmEd are: Roll out a smart learning application which can train farmers on how to better manage their farms;Develop a licensing system for farmers to use a tried, tested and verifiable permaculture blueprint that can yield on average 80kg of crop per day for 300 days of the year;Develop and deliver a range of workshops that educate farmers on a range of agricultural practises, with a specific focus on permaculture techniques.Business Model CanvasThe Business ModelIn order to make the personalised blueprints scalable, they have been designed to be adaptable to an individual’s farm based on its size, structure and the personal needs of the farmer. Prior to and throughout implementation of the blueprint, we will work with the farmer to gather as much information on their farm as possible (e.g. pH of soil, topography and other factors), so that the blueprint can be made as specific as possible to each individual farmer. The blueprints will be primarily image and diagram based, making them easy to understand for farmers of any level of education. Blueprints are planned to be sold at different price points depending on the customer’s tier based on the size of their farm. Discounts can also be provided to farmers in a co-op such as a farmers group or village who purchase multiple blueprints at a time. Currently, blueprints are expected to be sold at a price point of $500 for an individual farmer.The workshops provide farmers with a more affordable alternative to the blueprint and they aim to be easily accessible to as many farmers as possible. This means it will be necessary to find multiple locations to hold the workshops. On top of Ranadi, the December FarmEd team has also been offered access to a plot in the Sigatoka area, which will make the workshops far more accessible for farmers in the Sigatoka Valley. The other advantage of the workshops, is that in a single day, at just one location, 20-50 farmers could be introduced to a range of concepts, including permaculture and companion cropping. This works towards the end goal of providing many farmers with knowledge on new farming techniques, while also bringing in revenue. When purchasing the blueprint, the farmers will gain access to specific workshops to aid in the implementation of the blueprint on their farm. These workshops would revolve around the key concepts embedded within the blueprints, such as permaculture, companion planting, continuous cropping and integrated pest management. The application is a long-term vision, to scale-out FarmEd. Currently, a freemium or subscription model is how the application would be rolled out. The cost of the application will be approximately $5 per month but in the long term will be free to all farmers. The application will link all the products and services together to ease sales, i.e. the market will promote the workshops FarmEd holds and the chatbot will recommend on-farm practices based on concepts embedded within the blueprint.SWOT analysisStrengthsStrong agricultural information backed by dataOne stop solutionSimple user-friendly formatMotivated & Innovative teamWeaknessesFuture dependence on software (app) that has not been developed or trialed.Currently there is a heavy reliance on manually producing blueprints and other material for customers.Susceptible to customer knowledgeOpportunitiesHuge potential market spanning the entire developing world Agricultural market is set to increase by 70% by 2050Establish partnerships with financial organisations to provide support to farmers who have unreliable incomeUse of exponential technology to scale business and provide tailored advice to farmers.ThreatsThere are little barriers for competitors to enter the same market.Several similar products and services on the market currently (workshops by the Ministry of Agriculture; farm management and planning applications etc).Difficulties establishing partnerships with supply chain members. Lack of grower associations established in Fiji (limits the B2B model).Ownership StructureOwnershipFarmEd is currently a subsidiary of Project Everest (XYZ For Good Pty Ltd T/A Project Everest) and is legally registered as Farmer Education Group Pty Ltd T/A FarmEd. The company is now in the process of finalising it’s incorporation in the Fiji Islands as FarmEd Pte Ltd. Ownership currently stands at 100% equity held by Project Everest, with a shareholders agreement being drafted to reflect the following:Main Shareholder Profiles and RolesProject Everest - Jimmy Bayssari3095625295275When FarmEd becomes its own entity Project Everest will retain at least 10% equity for their Intellectual Property (IP) and role in starting the enterprise. The person responsible for liaising with FarmEd currently, and likely in the future is Jimmy Bayssari. Within Project Everest, he heads the Training and Development, Country Operations Department.. He has worked with over 200 students on-the-ground and with over 450 students in training. With regards to FarmEd, he is responsible for strategy - meaning that he works to drive it to become a successful venture, specifically in terms of KPI’s. Lisa Paisley2880662438591Lisa Paisley is the Head of Partnerships for FarmEd. She holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) from the University of Sydney, and has multiple years of experience with Project Everest as a leader and consultant. Lisa’s responsibilities include establishing partnership agreements with growers associations (Goal = 4 partnerships in the year, getting 2000 farmers implementing our blueprints), and various other supply chain members. Her role makes her responsible for generating revenue for the business, establishing supply chains, and increasing farmer yields and income. Zoe Paisley 2880854461817Zoe Paisley is the Head of Operations for FarmEd. Similar to Lisa, she studied a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) at the University of Sydney, and has multiple years of experience with Project Everest as a leader and consultant. Zoe’s responsibilities span the blueprint, application, workshops, farm database, subsistence farmer production and diets, along with the resource pool. In terms of the blueprint, she is involved in its development and dissemination across countries and Fiji wide. Regarding the app, she is involved in its development, maintenance and improvement. Products and ServicesSummary FarmEd at its core sells information across multiple platforms in order to democratise the developing world and solve complex world issues. In order to do so, we have entered into both the B2B and B2C markets. In the B2C market, FarmEd has established three major sources of revenue; a smartphone application, workshops predominantly held at demonstration farms and personalised blueprints. Consultancy reports proved demand within Fiji for agricultural based consultancy services, yet have been discontinued. In the B2B market, revenue streams are being iterated upon, however there are multiple projected avenues; subscriptions to the application, onselling workshops, drone surveying and blueprint licensing. In the future, big data could be sold to businesses should there be a demand for this information.44243631417713Business to Consumer (B2C)Smartphone AppIn order to exponentially improve farmers’ access to real-time information, we have designed a smartphone application which brings an extensive range of critical information to the user’s fingertips. The app is divided into 4 different features which feeds into a database for the cognitive computing system to learn from. -815281931751Market - The market or ‘shop’ feature gives the user access to an online marketplace where they can purchase agricultural products, such as seeds, machinery, chemicals etc. There will also be the opportunity for farmers to identify the current market demand (exports, local, hotels etc.). Alternatively, suppliers could engage directly with the farmers to obtain a fair price for both parties.458152538100Pest and Disease Identifier - This feature would allow farmers to capture and upload images of their damaged crops. An Artificial Intelligence software would identify the pest or disease present. This information would feed into the chatbot which would recommend appropriate management practices directly to the farmer, hence creating tailored advice .-752474133350ChatBot - This feature allows the user to ask any questions related to agriculture and receive instantaneous replies. The question or query is interpreted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and an appropriate response is given.4495800685800Records - The record keeping feature allows farmers to immediately input data relating to on-farm practices. For example, when they apply a chemical or they harvest their crop. This information then feeds into the database, where alerts can be issued to ensure follow-up applications of chemicals (or sowing of plants) can be conducted. The information is then collated into relevant forms, in order for suppliers to easily identify if the farmer complies to their quality assurance standards. Demonstration Farm [summary of blueprints}The Ranadi demonstration farm currently in construction aims to demonstrate and educate best practices for farmers. FarmEd has acquired permaculture blueprints from India, with the intent of testing them in Fiji then licensing the blueprints to Fijian farmers. . Contingent on the success of the trial, FarmEd will be able to use the farms as a best-practice example to show farmers how they can improve their own farming methods and sell access to educational programs. At its core, the demonstration farm aims to illustrate to farmers how to optimise their land by squeezing as many crops into a small space of 1 acre. This plot is also utilized to test and provide evidence of the success of the permaculture blueprint which will be critical to gaining sales and ensuring the integrity of the blueprint. At Ranadi plantation, there are currently six beds with an assortment of crop combinations and soil types being tested. By altering these different variable, we aim to measure impact and compare the success of the new tested permaculture practices to traditional Fijian practices. Presently, there have been two test rounds; these being Test 1 in July 2017 and Test 2 commencing in Dec 2017 (on-going). Plans for future months is to extend the Ranadi plot to 1 acre incorporating the current blueprints whilst adapting and modifying them to ensure that it works at optimal efficiency and productivityJuly 2017Bed 1 acts as a control bed with no changes to soil composition applied, to highlight crop growth and yields without using added soil variables. The crops planted in this bed were garlic, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, capsicum, english cabbage, chinese cabbage, okra, carrot and passion fruit with long bean acting as creeper crops. Bed 2 had red soil and biochar added to the soil with the aims of improving crop yields, based on the India blueprints. The same crop combination was used as bed 1.Bed 3 contained only nitrogen fixing crops, these being legumes including pigeon pea, long pea and french bean with cowpea being the creeper crop. This cropping combination aims to improve soil health for consequent crops 1Bed 4 was a nitrogen fixing bed, red soil and biochar. Crops planted are same as bed 3Bed 5, was a nitrogen fixing bed as well with soil compositions added as the same as bed 4. Bed 6 has the same crops as control bed, soil compositions have compost and bio vital.December 2017Field Development December 2017 redesigned and replanted the existing beds built by July as the flooding would have degraded the soil in the beds to the extent that the benefits of the soil could be considered negligible. From Kie’s feedback (farmhand who maintain the blueprint between July and December), all crops were planted in rows for ease of maintenance, recording and harvesting. The corrections to the drainage system and raising the beds were also done based on Kie’s feedback.The blueprint design for the 6 beds has 3 permaculture layouts repeated within 2 beds each. For each layout and crop combination we took into consideration what was requested and already grown by farmers in Fiji, diversity between what was planted in previous beds and ensuring each layout had pest management benefits (natural repellents), all crops worked well collectively with each other and maximised the available space (companion cropping). Below are the crop layouts planted within the improved beds using the same naming layout as used by the July 2017 team.Crop combination 1 includes cucumber, okra, eggplant, chives and cabbage with chives being the natural repellent and the remaining plants being readily available to Fijian farmers and/or under high demand. Used by Control bed and bed 3.Crop combination 2 has capsicum, carrot, basil, tomato, beans as well as lettuce and coriander in beds 1 and 4 respectively. Basil, coriander and capsiucm are repellants and good companion crops for the remaining crops within this bed. Beans, carrot and tomato take up minimal space and work well with surrounding plants and lettuce grows well in the Fijian conditions .Bed 1 and 4 follows this with variations as a result of adapting plant spacing and width of each bed.Crop combination 3 has beans, pumpkin, parsley and radish with parsley being the natural repellent. Beans are again a good companion crop, whilst pumpkin was highly requested by Fijian farmers as Market Analysis and Proof of Concept identified. Radish was included to add diversity to the crops. Used by bed 2 and bed 5Marigold being a natural repellant is planted 30cm out form the drainage trenches and a 1m out from the trenches Cassava and Watermelon has been planted to act as a living fence surrounding the beds that can be harvested. For fencing around the beds 3 different methods are currently being trialled with the viability of each to be determined by future teamBelow summarises the above points of the crop combination and bed layout in a diagram.[FARM DESIGN]Original MVP - Consultancy ReportThe Consultancy Report was aimed at creating value for farmers through tailored and practical agricultural advice. An initial consultancy was undertaken with farmers, to identify the issues they faced, allowing for FarmEd to provide solutions to these issues in the form of a paper-based consultancy report. The common issues identified were; disaster management, crop recommendations and pests and disease management.The proposed solutions aimed to increase cash flow, profitability, yield and overall productivity. Included in the Report, was complimentary soil testing and results, and a follow up visit after six months and 12 months. These follow-up visits aim to identify the impact of the report for the farmer, as identified in the extent of the solutions that were applied on the farm since receiving the report.The value of this MVP was to give the farmer specific methods to increase crop yields and farm revenue. In doing so, this MVP proved that there is demand within Fiji for agricultural based consultancy services. Therefore, this product was discontinued, so the consultancy service can be iterated upon in order to scale it up (to gain broader reach) whilst reducing the inputs being required by FarmEd (time, resources etc.). In doing so, we are ensuring product-market fit.Predominantly the consultancy reports weren’t effectively applied on-farm due to mis-translation and the overwhelming amount of text. Therefore, the consultancy reports have been transformed into the workshops, tailored blueprints and the application (in the future). Business to Business (B2B)ApplicationThis is the same application that will be given to individual customers (farmers), yet the subscription will be adapted and reduced (see price points for details.WorkshopsEssentially, these will be the same workshops in which individual farmers will attend, yet they will be given at a discounted rate (see price points for details).However, the main difference would be a selected number of famers from the co-op will represent the group of farmers within the association. These representatives would then disseminate the information learnt at the workshops to other farmers within the co-op. Obviously, this approach requires testing and tweaking.Drones and Big DataDrones represent a major opportunity to collect data across numerous farm variables including; plant health, crop type and count, and topography. Over time, tracking this data will result in the identification of trends which is highly valuable. FarmEd intends to use this to sell big data patterns.Blueprint Licensing In addition to the blueprint being used for the demonstration farm, there will be a stream of revenue stemming from its licensing. By expanding into the field of organisations, we can take advantage of their wide network and deep penetration. To this effect there are two ways in which we can create a source of income; firstly, through selling the rights to use and distribute the blueprint which will come at a premium price, secondly, by licensing it out individual use. Stages of GrowthIn order to grow within the Fijian market, FarmEd has had various stages of its products aimed at maximising its ability to provide a quality service and reach the largest market. This began with the MVP which was the consultancy report, that aimed to provide tailored and practical agricultural solutions to wealthy farmers. The current stage is the blueprint and workshops which are designed at helping farmers improve their crop yields and quality. The third stage will be the smartphone application, which along with the blueprint and workshops, will be aimed at the entire Fijian farmer market. In the long run, FarmEd will be focusing on the entire range of B2B and B2C services elaborated on above, in order to improve the whole supply chain. FarmEd secures the supply chain by allowing farmers to maximise produce quality and quantity. This allows them to use new or existing streams to sell their produce such as exporting and selling to hotels, resort and restaurants. FarmEd expanding to other countries can solve complex issues in agriculture and potentially solve the issue of world hunger. To secure the supply chain completely FarmEd needs to consider all aspects including producing, transporting and selling the produce.Market Segments at Growth StagesAs a result of the standard four stages of growth that any business undergoes, FarmEd has made (and will continue to make) segmentation decisions that change between these stages. During ‘Introduction’, the target market are the early adopters, who in a Fijian context, are high socioeconomic farmers with access to a steady income. In the growth stage, the target market shifts to include middle-upper class and some lower class farmers. During ‘Maturity’, FarmEd will target all lower-end income farmers, serving the full spectrum of farmers as this is the ultimate aim of FarmEd.The MarketCustomersCurrently, FarmEd is targeting wealthier Fijian farmers who can afford our product and services are outlined above. However, the long-term vision is to target all smallholder farmers across the globe. Our current strategy for targeting customers aligns with Tesla’s approach, whereby an expensive minimum viable product is developed for wealthy, early adopters then progressively a cheaper end product is developed. Current Customer ProfileSTATUS (Change Colour Accordingly) - Red = top priority NameMosese RavouvouDate13/12/2017LocationKeiyasi VillagePhone9376274Who Was TherePOC: Blake Pearson (Team Leader)FD: Serafina Crapis (Trekker)MA: Sid Robertson (Trekker) What We DidEmpathised with Mosese at a Keiyasi village meeting, pitched the workshop and blueprint as well as collected data regarding his farm and agricultural practices. OutcomeInterested in workshop and paid $10 deposit. Key FindingsCrops grown and reason for growingLong bean, tomato, corn, pawpaw, cassava, watermelonFinancial situationDry season: Earn $5000 weekly Wet season: Earn $500 weeklyFertiliser: $100 annually Pesticide: $100 annually Follow UpPOC January team - contact once workshop dates (1st one TBC mid Jan) have been confirmed to confirm attendance and itinerary.Psychographics/BehaviouralIn terms of their psychological and behavioural profile including financial situation and farm status, the customer is of high socioeconomic status earning $2000 a month and owning more than 5 acres of land. The most common hobbies include sports, in particular rugby union, and watching movies. They are unlikely to be wealthy enough to have an extensive range of technology beyond a smartphone, and as a result they don’t consume much mass-media. By using our products, the blueprint, workshop and web-based application, farmers have access to a wealth of agricultural information, which complements their traditional methods of obtaining farming knowledge from elders. Initially, the customer may find it difficult learning the key benefits of their smartphone and understanding how to navigate the app however, the app is being designed with these concerns in mind. Development of a comprehensive user manual for the app is recommended to enable customers to obtain the greatest value from the app.To address the issue of Fijian farmers tending not to record timely data regarding yield and income, an MVP database including a comprehensive questionnaire for different FarmEd teams was developed. This is to ensure the right questions are being asked to obtain a more accurate understanding of their current status.DemographicsThe customer is a male farmer, between 30-50 years of age. They completed up to senior year of their local secondary school and live in the area surrounding Sigatoka, particularly in the Sigatoka Valley. They are married with children and have dogs as pets.. Their ethnic origin is Fijian and they drive an off-road capable four-wheel drive car. Ideal Customer ProfileIn the future, the ideal target market for FarmEd will be lower class farmers that have a small income. For this reason it is the vision of FarmEd that the basic service on the smartphone application comes at zero cost to the farmer. PsychographicsThe ideal customer in terms of their psychographics and wealth is on the poorer end of the farmer spectrum, earning $400 a month and owning small plots of land 1-3 acres in size. They have the same interest in rugby, but are less able to participate in events due to their lack of access to resources. DemographicsSimilar to the current customer, the ideal market segment are male farmers between the ages 30-50, although they often have been educated to a lower level than senior level of secondary school. They live in the Sigatoka area, in particular the Sigatoka Valley, and have a wife and children and dogs as pets. In contrast, their ethnic origin is often Indian/Fijian. Customer Relationships/InteractionExpectation for consumer interactionConsumers have a range of methods for interacting with our products and services. Presently, consumers interact with FarmEd either through face-to-face conversations and meetings, or over the phone to organise meetings. This is for all of FarmEd products, including the workshops. For the blueprints, we then undertake an on-farm assessment to analyse the land so the tailored-blueprint can be planned specifically for their farm. In the future, this will be automatically completed through farmer input within the application. To interact with the application, they will be able to search online through the Google play store and/or the Apple Itunes store. The consumer will then be prompted by the app to dictate how the consumer interacts with the this product. However, the app will also prompt the user to book a spot within a workshop (when applicable), hence creating another form in which the consumers interact with FarmEd. To learn from the demonstration farm or purchase a blueprint, consumers can contact FarmEd directly or through any future organisations or co-op;s, such as The Earth Care Agency (TECA) which we have a partnership with. They would choose our services for a few key reasons. Firstly, we provide workshops and related blueprints which are effectively designed for clarity and ease of understanding and implementation. Secondly, the expertise provided by the blueprint is tailored and personalised to their situation, so it is highly applicable,relevant and impactful. Thirdly, our app fits into an underutilized market, this being the use and accessibility of most farmers within Fiji to smartphones, providing a wealth of features that create a unique and innovative product. Product/Services Sold and PredictionsThe consultancy reports were the first product to be sold by FarmEd but are currently being phased out to be replaced with the blueprints and workshops. Deposits for the workshops and even a blueprint have now been taken (as of 19th December, 2017) and the workshops are set to begin in January, 2018. These sales were generally made by approaching farmers at their farms or at village meetings and building a strong personal relationship with the farmers to gain trust and rapport, prior to pitching the products and services. The steps to making a strong sales pitch are as follows:Build strong rapport with the customer through face to face communication.Ask questions to determine the appropriateness of the product or service to be sold, i.e. determine if the farmer can actually afford a blueprint, or is the workshop more affordable and therefore appropriate?Present the value proposition so that the farmer understands the significance of the product and the specific benefits to them if they purchase the product and/or service.If workshops are of interest, ask specific questions regarding the topic the farmer would like to learn about. This would be based on the main issues the farmer faces on-farm, e.g, pest management, crop diversification (companion cropping) etc. Ensure this is documented properly, with the farmer name and workshop topic being recorded. Assume the sale by explaining the fee structure.The app is still in the development stage but strong interest has been established by both the market analysis and proof of concept teams. Continue noting this interest, but ensure you set expectations that this is a long-term product.Demand and Interest for productsAlthough the smartphone application is yet to complete development, strong demand has been identified for it through the extensive farm visitations and interviews. By conducting these interviews, we have discovered the demand covers the need for access to market information, crop diseases and pests, fertilisers and pesticides, and weather data. Additionally the farm visitations have revealed a strong need for a simple yet effective method of record keeping for farmers. The result of this preliminary market research is the prediction can be made that the market for a farming smartphone application reaches into thousands of devices in Fiji alone.Regarding the blueprint, in December 2017 alone, there were two farmers from Keiyasi Village who had immediate expressions of interest to implement the blueprint on their farms. One farmer has paid a deposit of $100 and data was collected in preparation for the blueprint to be delivered in January 2018, while the second farmer agreed to pay the deposit in January 2018. Over the same timeframe, there were also numerous expression of interests regarding the workshops amongst the farmers and villages visited, nine farmers paid a $10 deposit for the $50 workshop, highlighting the demand for the workshops.Market ResearchPrimary ResearchSupermarkets rely heavily on importing fruit and vegetables that are not grown in Fiji, or due to the quality of local farming not being up to their standards. They import through middlemen such as Denison Growers, B.L Naidu and Turners and Growers. Importing produce from New Zealand and Australia - produce such as: CarrotsOnionsGarlic GingerAppleChilli Potatoes Banana Oranges Pears% = the percentage of farmers out of 60 that are growing the certain cropMOST COMMONLY GROWN CROP BY LOCAL FARMERSMOST INTEREST IN GROWING BY LOCAL FARMERSRESTAURANT/HOTELS INTEREST/WANT FROM LOCAL FARMERSCassava - 95% Carrots MangoesWatermelon - 45% Capsicums Avocado Corn - 41% Potatoes LimesEggplant - 33% Rice English cabbage Tomato - 30%Ginger Sweet CornLong Beans - 28% Lime Cucumber PawPaw - 26% OnionsPurple sugar cane Sweet potato - 21%Avocado Turmeric Relevant field researchWe have conducted extensive interviews with farmers in the Sigatoka region, and identified six major problems, illustrated in the diagram below, that should be the focus of our education services primarily being the workshops. 276225485775Secondary ResearchThe following shows the 3 major points (average salary, weather and disaster) and other points of secondary research, which has been gathered from news articles, government records and weather reports online. Average SalaryOfficial national monthly average salary in Fiji is 950 FJD. However, being a tourist friendly location, the cost of living in Fiji is relatively high. From the data gathered in the December team we have established an average income in terms of wet and dry seasons.DRY - season, which generally is where they produce a larger quantity of crops the average income ranged from $1000 to $3000. WET - found the average income of the WET season was much lower than $1000 - ranging from $200 to $500. DisasterWhen Category 5 Cyclone Winston hit Fiji on 20 February 2016, its winds flattened villages, uprooted crops and damaged infrastructure, while storm surges inundated coastal areas. Almost 350,000 people have been affected and in some of the worst-hit areas up to 100 per cent of the crops have been destroyed, threatening food security and livelihoods across the country. Acting secretary for agriculture Uraia Waibuta said preliminary assessments of the damage bill sat at $120.2 million, a figure that included crop and livestock but not sugar. "For some of the farmers, it has taken 10 or more years to establish their farms," he said. "But within three hours it was totally destroyed, so we need to be very understanding of the mental situation farmers are in right now.” Since the cyclone had hit in 2016, the farmers have been having a very tough time trying to rebuild their lives. WeatherMoreover, at the current period of time, there is a huge drought and no rain for more than 4 months straight from February of 2017 which is causing the farmers a lot of problems and infecting their crops with lots of diseases. During the wet seasons, constant rainfall occurs during the months of October on to February. Farmers pointed out the effect it as on their crops and the issue of not currently having a solution to protect their crops. Many farmers pointed out that the flooding isn’t exactly the problem when trying to protect their crops, it's within the time of rainfall when the crops are most affected. Lack of access to organic productsSpending time at Ranadi Plantations and speaking to employees, we realised how much there is a need for the farmers wanting to go organic but they have preconceptions about the industry and believe that it is too expensive to maintain. Additionally, organic seeds and other organic agricultural products, those which have not been treated with chemicals or other non-organic compounds, are not readily available throughout Fiji.Observations of Fijian FarmersBoth primary and secondary research shows that Fijian farmers are typically extremely open minded and willing to learn new farming techniques if they believe that they will increase their farming outputs. Strong interest has been shown in the Permaculture techniques by farmers around the Ranadi Plantation.The huge issue that we found was their lack of education in terms of how to grow a different variety of crops. Many farmers were interested in growing potatoes and carrots but did not have access to the resources to learn and produce new crop types. Lack of record keepingVery few Fijian farmers keep records of their farming activities most likely due to a couple of reasons:Lack of access to technology for record keepingLack of knowledge of how to keep records about their farmsLack of awareness of the uses of recordsRecords that are kept are paper based, which is time consuming to sort through and isn’t easily transferred from producers to middlemen and then onto suppliers. Empathy MapPainsThe farming landscape in Fiji is riddled with persistent agricultural problems that occur frequently as a result of inadequate resources, knowledge and variable weather conditions. The farmers use traditional methods to plant, harvest and maintain their crops which leads to poor yields and subsequently minimum income. Pests and diseases run rampant in their fields because they can’t identify them and their prevention methods are not effective. They have insufficient income to invest in equipment required to manage their farm, including tractors, livestock, workers and irrigation systems. Periodically they face severe weather (droughts and floods), but don’t have the ability to establish adequate system to prevent widespread damage, so after every disaster they have to restart everything. Farmers don't know much about the theory of crop combination, they just pick up the crops corresponding to their knowledge and availability of seeds Although farmers may want to increase yields or their knowledge of production practices and how to grow new crops, the access to available education services is limited. GainsBy becoming involved with FarmEd, farmers have the ability to mitigate the above pains, and benefit immensely. Access to our smartphone application will give them the information they need to maximise planting, harvesting and maintenance potential and increase yields whilst also minimising pests and disease. Purchasing the blueprint will give the ability to receive tailored and ongoing expertise to combat individually specific problems. Participation in our demonstration farm and workshops will give farmers the first hand experience of best-practice techniques, support and knowledge. To be done:At FarmEd we are able to develop an informative smartphone app and distribute at between zero and minimal cost. As a result of professional expertise, we are able to provide a professional consultancy service rooted in data and farming information. By implementing a proven blueprint, we can develop a best-practice demonstration farm. By establishing the workshop, we can complete the farm education for farmers and get a recurrent revenue stream. Further FarmEd is establishing itself as a pillar of support for farmers through empathising and physical advice.It is also essential that FarmEd secures links with members of the supply chain. This will be crucial if FarmEd succeeds in our goal of improving farming methods and increasing crop production which will increase pressure on some aspects of the supply chain while also flooding the market with additional supply of produce. If quality measures can be established and the partnerships established with supply chain members such as exporters, it could be possible to export produce from Fiji bringing money into the economy and preventing oversaturation in the market.Defining CustomersThe customers that FarmEd are targeting have a range of four basic needs/wants that have been distinguished: Income - Maximising earnings from their farm with only a small amount of additional effortAccess to personalised agricultural expertiseAccess to premium markets to obtain higher sales price for produce. Easier access to farming equipmentCore needs: As a business, FarmEd is aiming to achieve four core needs of satisfaction. They include: Firstly - access to agricultural information and expertiseSecondly - inclusion into an educational farming communityThirdly - ability to achieve financial empowermentFourth and finally - investigating and improving the agricultural supply chain, to maximise farmer income. We will use the following methods to directly/indirectly address the problems faced by the farmers.Access to agricultural expertise and infoBlueprintBy visiting each individual farm and using drone technology and soil testing a personalised blueprint can be produced for each farmer detailing the best way for them to grow crops and the best crops for them to grow Drone ConsultancyThe drone technology is used for the following purposes: Plant health: the map that is stitched together by the raw photos taken by the drones will help in determining how healthy the plants are, the parasite growth in the land space and the spread of other diseases by looking at the spread of the fungusPlant spacing: How sparse the plants are placed help to determine how efficient and effective the spread of the plants are and whether any improvements to the arrangement of the plant spacing can impact the revenue that the farmer gains from the plants that he grows on the fieldElevation: The effectiveness of the water drainage system and where each crop is planted according to how much water they would require for healthy growth can be determined by looking at the elevation map that can be presented by drone deploySize of farms: The size of a property, and plots on the property can be measured by drone. This can then be logged on our database, Google Map overlay, and used to assist in the creation of blueprints.Number of plantsB) Soil samples Determining the pH of the soil at different spots of the farm is helpful in giving the farmers an idea whether the soil that is being used is healthy and right for the type of crop that they are planning to plant in the particular area The type of soil (sandy, clay, loam) is particularly helpful in giving the farmer information about the water/nutrient retention rate in each soil so that the farmer can clearly plan out the orientation and arrangement of his crops in order to get the most revenue out of it The chatbot and the disease identifier By empathising with farmers and collating secondary research, FarmEd has a database about the key pests and diseases in the regions we work. From the application will provide farmers with an understanding of the pests and diseases present on their farm and how to manage these issues. WorkshopsBy first designing and building a demonstration farm at the Ranadi plantation and later at other locations around Sigatoka, workshops can be held there.By holding workshops farmers experience a practical demonstration showing the effectiveness of permaculture and how to implement these conceptsInclusion in an educational community1) Partnership with organic growers associations2) Demonstration Farms3) Financial education/microfinancing partnershipsAbility to achieve financial empowerment1) Improved knowledge for the farmers will translate into farming success2) Improved practices will cause larger crop yields and higher quality produceMarketing Strategy FarmEd’s current marketing strategy is centered around four major stages; Early adopter advocacy through the Sigatoka Valley which aims to reach and empathise with over 400 farmers by March 2018 Face to face referral system which has worked primarily through door to door knocking and village meetings to create rapport, collect relevant data, promote and sell project products. Potential digital onboarding through a smartphone app Strategic partnerships, consisting of; the Nadroga District Council of Social services, (DCOSS) The Earth Care Agency (TECA), and Ranadi Plantation. Recent engagement with two local magazines/newspapers one of which, The Fiji Times, has published an article on Project Everest improving trust within the community and spreading the business name and our aims. This has also led to potential partnerships after receiving emails from businesses like PHAMA who have similar aims of improving the Agriculture in Fiji.BrandFarmEd is passionate about empowering farmers to improve environmental and production sustainability. The central mission is to give farmers the ability to access critical agricultural information and improve farming capabilities, developing sustainable practices to support the growing agricultural economy. FarmEd believes in providing a professional agricultural expertise service across four fronts; firstly, industry leading customer relations, secondly, a high quality scalable product, and thirdly operating with a social conscience and lastly providing high quality agricultural advice. In terms of service, FarmEd has cultivated a professional brand image over the 2 years that we have worked in Fiji. This is essential for creating a strong brand image for FarmEd, forming solid relationships with all stakeholders and ultimately increasing market penetration and customer loyalty. In terms of the product, all three aspects (blueprints, workshops and smartphone application) strongly reflect a desirable image, and represent limitless possibility for scalability. In terms of a social conscience, it is imperative that all brand-related activities are fit within local cultural parameters and are geared towards solving global issues. Channels of communicationIn order to maximise communication effectiveness, FarmEd has chosen to use a mix of communications, focusing on non-mass mediums including; events, sales promotions, direct & interactive marketing, word-of-mouth, and particularly personal selling. We have chosen these strategies as the target market consists of subsistence farmers that don’t have access to popular media and subsequently can’t consume mass-market advertising. Although the use of social media would be greatly beneficial, this will change in each cultural context in relation to the given access to the marketing platform. In Fiji for example, we have found that media publications are an effective strategy to increase awareness about the business and what we are doing in Fiji. WorkshopsWorkshops present a huge opportunity on two levels. Firstly, we can bring new customers into the FarmEd community, and show them the benefits of our services. Secondly, we can use the demonstration farms to show the best-practice techniques we are teaching to further on-sell alternate products and services provided by FarmEd.Sales Promotion Initially to start the process, sales promotions will be used as a means of encouraging engagement with FarmEd. The key way FarmEd will promote its products is through grower corporations or suppliers. These businesses will engage and license out FarmEd’s products and services. To do this, a farmer in a grower group or selling produce to the given supplier will receive a discount on the products and services provided by FarmEd. Similarly, partnerships with suppliers will increase the accessibility of Fijian produces to new markets. Direct & Interactive Marketing The advice we are providing farmers not only needs to be accurate and accessible, it is also imperative that on some level the information and the process is personalised, up-to-date and interactive. To these ends, our communications are designed to fit the dynamic needs of the customer, using an ongoing dialogue. For example the application will onsell FarmEd’s workshops and blueprints or advise farmers to purchase goods from FarmEd’s partners. Word-of-Mouth (Snowball Effect)FarmEd has high confidence in the popularity and usability of the smartphone application, workshops and the the demonstration farms. For this reason, we believe that as more farmers are introduced to our products and services, they will indirectly become a source of advertising, and spread the word of what we offer to their own personal networks. Face to face selling At the core of FarmEd’s marketing strategy is personal interaction with farmers. As such, we have designed and implemented a system where teams have worked through the Sigatoka Valley introducing the brand to more than 120 farmers, forming a relationship, ascertaining their current situation and how they see our involvement as beneficial, and finally bringing them on board by selling. Mass MediaFarmEd team members have had interviews with both the Fiji Times and the Entrepreneur Magazine Fiji. The former, was published in December and enabled interested customers (businesses and potential farmers) to contact the team. Ultimately this led to contact and engagement with PHAMA. This was an easy way for the business to be promoted ot the local community. CostsThe main costs for marketing and promoting FarmEd revolves around communicating and engaging with relevant stakeholders. This includes the cost of communications, transport, time and resources associated with the given activity. Past, current and planned campaignsIn the past and at present, the only communications campaigns have been direct selling. In the near future with the addition of the smartphone application to our product line, some form of widespread advertising will be incorporated in the application, although there are no planned campaigns. Competitor AnalysisFarmEd is currently servicing a mostly untouched sector in the agricultural market, and as a result there are few competitors and no direct competitors. In the developing world agricultural sector, businesses cover consultancy expertise, financial support, market insights, farm analytics and distribution management. At present, competitors are services other regions of the world, including Cambodia, the United States and India, however FarmEd is alone in entering the Fijian market. This presents FarmEd with the unique opportunity to exponentially scale across the pacific region and in the long run enter other developing nations. CompanyProduct/Service for FarmersCompetitive AdvantageTarget MarketAgribuddymicro-financing, marketplace, data collectionExtensive partnership networklow income farmersCropInFarm Management Data + market data using smsAdvanced software and metricscommercial farmers in IndiaAgFarmFinancing, freight service, marketing programDoes financing and has market intelligence + ability to transport goodscommercial farmers in AusOnFarmCollect, manage and share farm infoLarge store of information thats seamlesscommercial farmers in developed areasFiji Crop and livestock CouncilEducating farmersComplete access to providing assistanceFijian farmersGovernment CompetitorIn terms of an entity which provides information, the Ministry of Agriculture provides free support, resources and workshops for middle to high farmers in the Sigatoka Region. This includes soil testing, access to essential agricultural machinery such as water pumps and engines, pests and disease diagnosis. However, they lack resources to bring these services to all farmers, therefore support is sporadic. For example, they previously provided soil testing to middle to high-end farmers. However the results were never given to farmers. Furthermore, they have previously provided water pumps for groups of farmers during the dry season to ease the damaging effects of no rain for 4 months, but reclaimed the equipment afterwards. In this way, there are some trust issues between producers and the government due to their poor reliability. Unique value propositionAccess to expertise for those who need it mostFarmEd’s value is indispensable for the farmers of the developing world. We provide access to an extensive, up-to-date database of information covering crop, pest and disease management as well as real time updates about weather and markets. This will be provided at an affordable price to the providers. All the products and services are tailored to the given market to provide situational, supply chain and market advice for people across the entire socio-political range. By utilising these products and services famers have the ability to reduce costs, increase production and create a more profitable and sustainable farming system. Operations and LogisticsMeans of productionInformation and data is gathered by Market Analysis and Proof of Concept Teams. It is then inputted into a country-wide database, which is used to measure the environment, our impact and generate leads. Data generated by the teams is then used to assist in the creation of tailored blueprints for farmers as well as the development of the application. Insights on our successes are also used to assist in the sales of the blueprints and educational workshops. Blueprints include a tailored plan of where and how to plant specific crops on an individual farm, to maximise farm efficiency. This is developed with the farmer’s personal goals in consideration, this being new crops they wish to grow or markets they wish to target. Generic blueprints will also be available for purchase by organisations who can then adapt it to their specific farm (with the aid of FarmEd staff).Workshops will be run by FarmEd’s permanent staff, and offer opportunities for farmers to learn more about effective farming methods, such as companion cropping and successful implementation of permaculture.In the long run, the mobile application will offer farmers a cheap and tailored tool to mitigate on-farm challenges and to secure supply chains for their produce. Once the initial setup is complete, the app should require little upkeep, aside from logging on-farm practices. Software and Programs For the smartphone application, there are various suppliers for hardware and software that we have relied on in order to provide our service. Most notably is the artificial intelligence and cognitive computing software which is yet to be determined. At present, we are investigating using LUIS as our chatbot service (Microsoft product). FarmEd has an account with Bizspark, a Microsoft initiative for start-up’s, which gives us access to most (if not all) of Microsoft programs.Method of delivery of products and servicesWorkshops: Interactive training lessons conducted by Zoe, Lisa and Junior (yet to be confirmed). These tailored workshops for farmers teach our clients how to implement better farming practices, both those of interest to farmers and the concepts embedded within the blueprints.Blueprints: Teams sell and deliver the blueprint to farmers in person. They are the main point of contact between the farmers and FarmEd. The blueprints will be licensed to both individual farmers and co-ops.App: The app will be delivered by availability on the Google Play store for android phones, and the Itunes Store for iPhones. OverheadsSalaries, food, accomodation, car rental, and other in-country expenses.Legal requirementsIntellectual Property, business setup and structure, insurance, partnership documents etc.Insurance requirementsThere are a range of insurances that are required for FarmEd to conduct business. Professional Liability Insurance covers against any claims of negligence. Property Insurance covers any properties that are either owned or leased. Workers Compensation Insurance covers any injury or death that may occur as a result of an employee being injured in work related activities. Vehicle Insurance covers damage to vehicles used for any business related purposes. EmployeesAlthough technically not employed, Lisa and Zoe are the owners and full-time staff of FarmEd. As FarmEd is a Project Everest venture, it utilises their resources While FarmEd currently has no employees, it uses the resources of Project Everest, such as:Staff Support: Jimmy Bayssari (December 2017)Group Leaders: Emma Ridley (December 2017)Team Leaders: Seth Coetzee, Blake Pearson, Danni Lockwood, Emma Rickert, Jack Whaley (December 2017)Consultants: Lisa Paisley, Zoe PaisleyTrekkersOrganisational structureFarmEd will be a separate entity to Project Everest, being a subsidiary of Project Everest. As such, it will have a separate organisational structure to that of Project Everest.As part of the team, there is Lisa Paisley acting as Head of Partnerships with Zoe Paisley acting as Head of Operations. This team is intended to extend to include a Head of Business and Head of IT, yet none of this is confirmed and there is no timeframe on this.At this point in time, to get FarmEd up and running, we are maintaining a close relationship with Project Everest, whereby trekkers will work on meeting specific goals that tie into FarmEd’s overall development. The trekkers will be organised into Project Everest’s organisational structure (trekkers, team leaders, second in charge and group leader). Lisa and Zoe will act as Business and Agriculture consultants to ensure FarmEd is progressing in the correct direction.Costs and Pricing Strategy Cost breakdown of each serviceApp and Data collectionDrone Deploy - $99/monthMicrosoft Azure -$55.80/monthField Development- Licensing Agreements for the blueprintsTransport to visit farm (including fuel)Time to access farm and empathise with farmer Time to develop blueprint Communication Cost 3) WorkshopsRent for locationTime taken to strategize workshopsWage to people running workshops (in the long run)Miscellaneous materials for workshopPricing StrategyWorkshopsThe Workshops will cost $50 per person but could be cheaper for a larger turnout of people. Add what the current % discounts would be for larger groups - Lisa has available.BlueprintsLicensing Agreements- Blueprints:Being the only supplier of the blueprints in Fiji for permaculture organic farming, we want to demonstrate that this concept works and is working in other developing countries, once we have all the licensing deals completed we can set a price depending on the farmers land size. Due to larger farms producing more crops and thus their income being higher, we will sell the blueprints at a higher price and the medium to small end farmers we will charge a price for one or a couple of the blueprints rather than giving access to all. From our research conducted, there is no business selling blueprints to farmers, so the prices we set are totally in our control. During December, 2017 we were aiming to sell the blueprints at $500. However, onse re-assessing this costs we decided to drop the price to $200 for our first sale. This is because we are currently testing the blueprints and how to communicate the farm plan to producers. As part of this deal, it was also decided that FarmED would collect 15% of on-farm revenue. This latter revenue stream is important to ensure continual cashflow for the business. Once the blueprints begin to sell to more producers, this percentage of revenue will drop to 9% per farmer. Over a three year period this percentage will drop and eventually be discontinued. There is also potential to discount blueprints at a village basis. If multiple farmers are interested in the blueprints at a single village, there is the opportunity to make a co-op within this village to ease the supply chain and distribution of the produce, hence resulting in a discount for the blueprints. However, interest in this must be validated.Smartphone AppThe vision for the smartphone application is for it to be available for free as a basic informational resource.or tailored advice would come at an additional cost to provide more accurately advice to the producers, therefore adding value to the service. For this reason, we have chosen freemium model, where say the pest and disease recognition is available for producers, however the chatbot can not be accessed until a fee of $3/month is paid. Data will be collected in numerous ways, to help teach the artificial intelligence software. Manual inputting will be undergone by the farmer e.g. daily activities on the farm. However, the majority of information will be sourced from the use of the chatbot, external and pre-existing databases and the image recognition feature. -95249523875Contingency PlanningMajor risks to the current modelRiskMitigationHeavy Reliance on PartnershipWe need to maintain a relationship with the partners including PE and Selita. Another way to mitigate this is to ensure we have enough resources to stand on our own in a case of partnerships failing.WeatherEnsure everyone has sufficient sunblock and is constantly drinking water. Educate everyone regarding potential cyclones and how to tackle it.Lack of Monetary resourcesBuild partnerships with governmental associations or micro finance companies and try to seek grants and loans.New competitorContinue working hard and learn from the competitors. If they are doing well, learn how they are did it. If they have a flaw learn from the flaw.Difficulty in farmers understanding permacultureExplain in workshops and check up on farmer’s multiple times to ensure they understand.Farmers not possessing a motivation to produce more yield than current outputRemind them of the rewards they would reap if they had more crop yieldFarmers not trusting Farmed or unwilling to invest in experimental plotsPitch Farmed and Project Everest well and explain what exactly we have done. Show them testimonials from other past customers.Farmers not willing to pay the recurrence transportation fee for the workshopProvide transportation if they live too far away. Recommend them for other future workshops in nearer areas to themInability to transfer Indian blueprint to Fijian climate and soilAdapt to the different climates and modify the blueprint according to what may work in Fijian soilOversupply of crops in market when blueprints and workshops have beenEstablish a direct supply chain between farmers and supply chain members such as hotels.AppendixPotential Additional ServicesMicro FinancingBeyond the lack of education resources available to farmers, there is still a major lack of equal access to the money. This stems from a deep problem currently inherent in developing world agriculture - the unreliability and inconsistency of crop yields, leading to greatly fluctuating income. One solution is microfinancing. Partners of FarmEd such as Selita Donu Saula may be in an ideal position to handle microfinancing.FarmEd won’t provide this micro-financing directly but work in collaboration with Selita to make the products affordable for farmers. Selita is the Main Project Officer of Nadrogu Navosa Provincial Office and provides micro-financing opportunities for farmers. FarmEd does not have the licensing and ability currently to provide micro-financing but Selita does. She can benefit from this greatly as farmers can take out small loans to purchase our products.. Selita has developed a massive network with connections to hundreds of villages which we can utilise to accelerate our research and development.Ranadi Plantation Plot LayoutJuly 2017Bed 1 acts as a control bed with no changes to soil composition applied, to highlight crop growth and yields without using added soil variables. The crops planted in this bed were garlic, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, capsicum, english cabbage, chinese cabbage, okra, carrot and passion fruit with long bean acting as creeper crops. Bed 2 had red soil and biochar added to the soil with the aims of improving crop yields, based on the India blueprints. The same crop combination was used as bed 1.Bed 3 contained only nitrogen fixing crops, these being legumes including pigeon pea, long pea and french bean with cowpea being the creeper crop. This cropping combination aims to improve soil health for consequent crops 1Bed 4 was a nitrogen fixing bed, red soil and biochar. Crops planted are same as bed 3Bed 5, was a nitrogen fixing bed as well with soil compositions added as the same as bed 4. Bed 6 has the same crops as control bed, soil compositions have compost and bio vital.December 2017Crop combination 1 includes cucumber, okra, eggplant, chives and cabbage with chives being the natural repellent and the remaining plants being readily available to Fijian farmers and/or under high demand. Used by Control bed and bed 3.Crop combination 2 has capsicum, carrot, basil, tomato, beans as well as lettuce and coriander in beds 1 and 4 respectively. Basil, coriander and capsiucm are repellants and good companion crops for the remaining crops within this bed. Beans, carrot and tomato take up minimal space and work well with surrounding plants and lettuce grows well in the Fijian conditions .Bed 1 and 4 follows this with variations as a result of adapting plant spacing and width of each bed.Crop combination 3 has beans, pumpkin, parsley and radish with parsley being the natural repellent. Beans are again a good companion crop, whilst pumpkin was highly requested by Fijian farmers as Market Analysis and Proof of Concept identified. Radish was included to add diversity to the crops. Used by bed 2 and bed 5Marigold being a natural repellant is planted 30cm out form the drainage trenches and a 1m out from the trenches Cassava and Watermelon has been planted to act as a living fence surrounding the beds that can be harvested. ................
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