Agriculture should be seen more as a business venture that has a lot of opportunities. Agriculture is widespread and many people might take to this sector with a modern, business mind. We have to see how to invest and make more money in agriculture. Agriculture is not for poor people, not for uneducated people, it is for the new generation educated people, with interests in villages, rural areas and in exploiting the full potential of the land resources, deploys new business techniques, to identify markets and produce things which have assured market.
PROFITABLITIES OF AGRO INPUT SHOP
It is a profitable business venture to venture because of high demand of agro input by farmers, without farm input there will be no output. This is a business one can start with little capital base but it will turn out to be a big venture in a short while. This is because of demand for high yield agro inputs and services etc. Most agro input company prefers middle men (shops) to deal with rather than farmers who are the direct consumers of their products.
Agro input shop makes it possible for availability, accessibility and affordability of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, agro-chemicals, quality seeds, livestock feeds, veterinary drugs, tractor hiring, primary processing and extension services. They are available for farmers to purchase both in the rural areas and in cities. It is a growing business opportunities that federal Government and international agencies are interested in by establishing and commissioning of One-Stop-Shop Agro-inputs Centre to promote food security programs, Feed the Future Nigeria Agro-Inputs Project aims to attain a private sector-led agricultural input market supporting farmers to access quality and affordable agricultural inputs. The project is funded by Feed the Future Initiative/USAID. Project partners include ECOWAS, FMARD, AGTHO, FEPSAN, Interproducts Link, Maslaha Seeds, MBS Fertilizers, NAIDA, NABG, Notore and The Stallion Group which is the major focus of the Federal Government in pursuance of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of Mr. President.
OPPORTUINTIES
Agrochemical (or agrichemical), is a term for the various chemical products used in agriculture. In most cases, agrichemical refers to the broad range of pesticides, such as the herbicides (weed killers), animal food additives, veterinary drugs, and related compounds, which have become absolutely integral to the production of large-scale agriculture. There are wild reneges of them one can deal on and make good retune on investment on.
Seed: Seeds are one of the least expensive but most important factors influencing yield potential. Crop seeds contain all the genetic information to determine yield potential, adaptation to environmental conditions, these days we have hybrid seeds that are resistance to insect pests and diseasesuch as maize, soya bean, cucumber seeds, Tomato seed, lettuce, cabbage seeds, onion sees, hot pepper seeds, okro seeds, ewedu seeds, efo seeds, watermelon seeds, pepper seeds etc.
Seedlings: A seedling is a young plant sporophyte developing out of a plant embryo from a seed. Seedling development starts with germination of the seed. Some plant are better planted with hybrid high yield seedling such as cashew seedlings, cocoa seedlings, coconut seedlings, oil palm seedling( dwarf tenera), suckers like plantain and banana suckers that will start fruiting from 10 months, pineapple sucker (smooth cayenne) that will start producing from 18months.
Fertilizer: This plant nutrients, Nutrients existing naturally in the soil, atmosphere, and in animal manure. However, naturally occurring nutrients are not always available in the quantities needed. So we add to them by applying fertilizer, to make plants grow to their maximum potential.Fertilisers can be classified into two categories: organic or inorganic. Liquid and Powder.
Equipment Hiring: Such as tractors, harvesters, spraying drone planters, and other agro related equipment.
Farm Extension services: Agricultural extension officers are intermediaries between research and farmers. They operate as facilitators and communicators, helping farmers in their decision-making and ensuring that appropriate knowledge is implemented to obtain the best results.ie Agribusiness consultants. For example on natural resources, animals, crops, on how best to utilize the farmland, how to construct proper irrigation schemes, economic use and storage of water, how to combat animal disease, and save on the cost of farming equipment and procedures, marketing.
Animal feeds and additives: Animal feed is food given to domestic animals in the course of animal husbandry. There are two basic types, fodder and forage. And additives are used to promote and improve in livestocks.
Finally we have to do things without government help; we have to organize our agricultural activity as a business activity for profitability and food security. With today’s reforms and information communication technology we can do a whole lot in agricultural business and make profit. There is now latest information; latest agribusiness activities are available through business consultancy services. NAIDA (Nigeria Agro-Input Dealers Association) is a body you can join for easy access to products, information etc. Contact for more information on this business venture if you are interested.
Agbaji Chinedu writes from Kaduna:08035004617
