NOTE: These answers are basically formulated answers to give applicants an idea of what is required of them. The reality is what we need!
General
Name: Ngwa Patrick
Age: 29
Nationality: Cameroonian
Your Business
How long has your Business been in existence?
0 to 1year 11months b. 2 to 3years 11months C. 4 to 5years 11 months. D 6years and above.
Where is your business located?
Mbangassina
What is your business all about (Max 150words)?
My business is an agricultural business that deals in the selling and distribution of Cassava tubers and Cassava fufu all over Cameroon. We started in Mbangassina in 2015 selling Cassava to Bamenda but now we sell to all 10 regions. Our business has grown over the years from one product to two hence our two 2 different segments namely Cassava Tubers and Cassava Fufu. Our Cassava tubers segment involves buying directly from farmers and selling to all 10 regions in Cameroon. With our Cassava fufu Segment, given that the prices are higher we focus on the economic capital and the capital of Cameroon that is Douala and Yaounde respectively. We have 2 administrative employees, one quality person and two sales personnel with me as the managing director
What problem is your business out to solve? (75 words)
My business is mainly trying to reimagine agriculture and food systems by growing responsibly. This can be measured by the impact we have on the people, (we are trying to redesign farming and food value chain so that all players profit fairly from their work) impact on communities (revitalize communities so the inhabitants can live well) and finally the impact on the environment ) restore balance between agric and eco systems in living landscapes)
Objectives for its existence
Achieve a sale growth of at least 50 % in year 7 and 75% in year 8.
Achieve a net profit margin of at least of 20 % every year,
Get a larger machinery plan in the next five years
What are the keys to the business’s success (what are those things the business cannot do without)?
For us to survive in business, we have identified our core competencies which give us a sustainable competitive advantage
Business specific skills in origination and logistics
Growth enabling skills like risk management capital raising
Privileged assets like sourcing network.
All of these are a leveraged bundle of skills that help us compete and stay afloat in the market.
What is your target market? (Max 50 words)
On the upstream end we target to source from the lowest level of aggregation possible as well as partake in the towns that are top 5 in that product. At the customer end we have agents all over ten regions in Cameroon to whom we send the products for distribution.
Who are your competitors? (Max 30 words)
We compete with the likes of AgroCa, (into processing Cassava tuber to fufu) Small Cassava agents (buy from farmers and sell in all ten regions in Cameroon.
What makes your business better than your competitors’? (Max 75 words)
My business has grown over the years due to the below.
We buy from the lowest level of aggregation and participate at every node in the value chain.
We give small loans to farmers during off pick periods and remain in touch with them
We take calculated risks in business by investing when others are divesting or divesting when they are investing
What do you want to achieve in the next 1years? (Max 50 words)
We want to our
Free cash flows positive
Return on equity above the base
Go closer to the farmer to understand their prospects
What do you want to achieve in the next 5years? (Max 50 words)
Drive digital disruption in the industry.
Become 100% sustainable.
Achieve operational excellence
Own a test farm for training farmers on good sustainable farming techniques.
We‘ll set clear levers and KPIs to help track our performance towards these goals in the next 5 years.
How much have you invested in the business so far (list at least 3 major spending you have made and the corresponding amounts)?
We have invested over 5million Francs CFA.
3 of our major investments will be
Description
FCFA
Processing machine
2,000,000
Factory/office rental
1,000,000
Warehouse Rental
1,000,000
How will 1million Francs CFA enhance your business? (50words)
We want to use our business to impact our community by training Cassava farmers on good farming techniques such as conservative agriculture, integrated plant nutrient management, etc. To do this we will try ourselves. This will preserve their soils, improve yield and reduce poverty. To do this we need land.
List out at most 3 items on which you intend to spend this 1million Francs CFA on should you win? (Max 50words)
Description
FCFA
Land
1000 000
You’re Management Style
How will you describe your leadership style? (Max 50words)
I use a democratic leadership style, a company as young as mine needs as much ideas from downline as possible. Given their closeness to farmers; they might have a better feel of some of the issues at their level hence I need their inputs to permit me conclude on decisions.
What are the implied or explicit policies surrounding the management of staff in your business? (Max 50words)
Full-time employees, their spouses and eligible dependent children are eligible for health benefits on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous employment
Employees are liable to 25days vacation every years and only 5days carried forward.
Employees are paid on the 1st and 15th of each month.
We have employees from both the French and English regions, open to any race with same policies applying to all.
Professional behavior; (Max 20words)
Our brand is our gold hence a self-awareness culture where the security person understands that his behavior can tamper this.
Integrity (Honesty). (Max 20words)
We use appropriate measuring scales, (verifiable) pay all our taxes as per tax laws. Our quality results are always authenticated.
How will doing business ethically be beneficial to your business? (Max 50words)
Ethics has helped built loyalty in the minds of our customers, they trust and rely on us. Our suppliers during pick period, while our competitors offer same prices, still prefer us. We give our employees what we promise hence only one staff has left the company for family reasons.
