Rodrick Amon
DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS:
I do buy maize from local farmers, and I resell them to my community members and surrounding areas.
Ammonites Farm has over 30 customers in my community. If I receive a grant, I will use it to cultivate 3 acres of my own maize. This would help my business earn more because I would not have to buy maize from local farmers anymore. As a result, my income would increase by over 100%.
YOUR NET INCOME
My revenue is $616, it keeps on increasing each month, my expenses are raw materials at $364, transportation at $10, rent at $8, advertising at $5, airtime at $1, and self-salary at $20. My profit is $136
BUSINESS MISSION STATEMENT: Delivering high-quality maize at affordable prices, to nourish our community and make hunger a thing of the past.
SERVICE OR PRODUCT DELIVERABLE:
We sell high-quality maize directly to our community at affordable prices. Our customers use it for cooking, baking, and feeding their animals, enjoying healthy, local food while supporting farming in the community. Before selling our maize, we carefully check and grade the maize to make sure it’s of the best quality.
DESCRIBE YOUR BEST CUSTOMER:
My customers are members of my community and surrounding areas, both men and women.
WHY CUSTOMERS DO BUSINESS WITH YOU RATHER THAN WITH YOUR COMPETITORS?
My customers keep coming back to buy maize from me because I sell high-quality maize at affordable prices, greet them with a smile, and treat them with respect and kindness.
LIST YOUR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS AND THEIR PRICES: The product that I sell is maize.
HOW DO CUSTOMERS KNOW THAT YOU EXIST?
My customers know about my maize business because I advertise on WhatsApp and personally call them when I have fresh stock available
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS BUSINESS:
I chose to start a maize business because maize is a staple food in Malawi, with over 90% of the population eating nsima (made from maize) twice a day, this made maize to be a high-value commodity.
LIST YOUR TOP WAYS TO FIND NEW CUSTOMERS:
1. Word-of-mouth referrals
2. Social media marketing (WhatsApp)
4. Networking with local farmers, traders, and businesses.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?
I have been in this business for 4 months now.
Insert pictures of your business activities here and give a brief explanation of each:
How will the loan be spent?
I will spend the loan as follows
1. Land clearing – removing unwanted bush. $20 (Land readily available)
2. Ridging- 75cms spacing at $45.
3. Seed: 30 kilograms for a hybrid variety, $85
4. Planting- 20-30 cm apart, 2 seeds per planting station- $50
5. Fertilizer (NPK: 23:21:0+4S and UREA), 6 bags thus $370, $60 each
6. Fertilizer 1st Application- 80kgs NPK (applied at planting or 5 days after planting. $50 labor. 7. Weeding using a hoe- removing all unwanted bushes. Done at 2-3 weeks at $40. 8. Fertilizer Application- 120kgs UREA after 21 days or when the crop is knee height- $40 labor. 9. Banking, – to be done after second fertilizer application. – $90.
• On-field harvesting Activities to be done by family at the farm to save costs • Slashing/cutting down dried maize stalks and bunching them-done by family • Storage sacks (200), some will be used for harvesting, others for packaging at half a dollar/ bag thus $50.
• Transportation shall include when procuring and delivering inputs, field visits (6), and transporting harvest to storage thus $160 over 5 months.
The total amount of the loan needed is $1000
Projected harvest: 195 bags of 50 kilograms but could be more.
Income statement:
Cash flow statement:
My family:
I am happily married to my wife Rosalia, whom I wed in 2021, and we are blessed with a beautiful son named Robin, who is now two years old. Above is a picture of us.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Phone number: +265 888 780 0807 Email: rodriamon@gmail.com Course Facilitator
Phone: +265993 387 214
Email: georgevict400@gmail.com