Technical Education Access in Sierra Leone

BACKGROUND

There are only a few technical Institutions in Sierra Leone and they are in urban communities. The entire Western Rural Area is without any strong tertiary institution with a strong bias to technical and skills training. The location where DIDAMS is located that is Limba Corner and surrounding communities including Rokel, John Thorpe, Hastings, Waterloo and Newton are the most deprived. Hence, students who wish to attend tertiary institutions have to travel to Freetown. Consequently, large number of young people in the Western Rural Area in general, and Limba Corner/Rokel Villages in particular, are unable to access technical institutes. Thus, compounding the problem, they are untrained and unemployable in formal occupations. Therefore, the problem of economic survival is acute. Local young people cannot adequately afford a reasonable lifestyle either for themselves or later for their children or members of their traditional extended African families. In addition, by the look of things, the situation will continue to escalate if remedial action is not taken.

OBJECTIVES.

Through the development of this land, the college wishes to achieve the following objectives.

To generate net income that can be used to provide scholarships for students;

To establish a centre of excellence that will provide both experience and opportunity for young people;

To create platform for local employment;

To establish the capacity to add value to raw materials both produced on the farm and purchased from farmers in the locality.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES.

The farm will be managed as far as possible on the principles of working with, and nurturing, nature within a closed loop system rather than through reliance on external inputs and artificial chemicals. The underlying principles will be those of the organic movement, of permaculture and of no-till. The starting point for both the planning and operation of the farm will be the soil and the life that is within it, the symbiotic relationships that it has with the plants that are raised within it, and with the animals that feed the soil through their dung. This requires the farm to be ran with a rotation of root, cereal and pulse crops together with a period under pasture grazed by cows and goats.

RESPONDING TO THE CLIMATE.

As can be seen from Table 1, rainfall in Sierra Leone is both high and seasonal. Rain falls heavily for 6 months followed by the dry season. The rainfall around Freetown is nearly 3,000 mm (120 inches per year - compared with 600 mm [24 inches] in London and it falls mainly in the six months from May to October. Flooding is a serious problem during the rainy season, whilst in the dry season people are dependent upon wells.

Hence, the importance of keeping the soil covered so that it does not wash away, of seeking to establish a second crop during the rainy season that will mature on the residual moisture and of having a cover crop during the dry season to prevent the soil drying out. A well is also essential for such land as it is planted for the production of vegetables and fruits.

PROPOSED ENTERPRISES.

Cassava Farming.

Cassava is one of the main sources of carbohydrate in West Africa – both as a fresh root (boiled or fried) or after being processed into Gari (or Attieke in Francophone West Africa). Being a dried product, it is popular for people who are travelling or away at school or college or as a source of food security during the hungry season. The production of gari requires that the cassava roots are peeled (the peel containing cyanide) and grated before being compressed, fermented and fried. Having the ability to do this will allow the garri producers from surrounding farms and add value to them, whilst providing an accessible market for local farmers – without which the farmers would need to take their roots to Freetown or sell them cheaply to local traders. This kind of activity helps to build relationships with the local community and offers the opportunity to provide local farmers with both expertise and improved planting material.

Cereals Farming.

Options for cereals include both upland rice and maize – with the maize ideally maturing in the early part of the dry season to avoid the development of Aflatoxin.

Pulses Farming

Despite being normally grown in drier climes (such as Senegal), groundnuts have been a vital crop and source of protein in Sierra Leone’s rural economy for decades. As with maize, groundnuts are liable to accumulate Aflatoxin if not adequately dried after harvesting – hence the importance of the crop maturing in the early part of the dry season.

Alternative Crops.

Other annual crops include a range of vegetables as well as ginger. There is scope for a small area of fruit trees (primarily mangoes and oranges) which will be planted using the Arbor Loo (which in brief allows a tree to be planted into the contents of a low cost mobile, shallow pit toilet. The Arbor Loo approach is beneficial to both community as source of food and environment as trees as planted on what would be regarded as human waste and environmental pollutants.

Livestock.

Livestock will be essential for the maintenance of the soil’s fertility. The mature provided by a small herd of cows and flock of goats will be disposed unto the farm. Both cows and goats will produce milk and dung. Whilst cows are generally too expensive for most rural people, goats have a lower capital cost and are less demanding in terms of their feeding requirements and more prolific in terms of producing offspring. Goats can play a pivotal role in helping people who have experienced the trauma of war or lifting them out of poverty. The farm intends to focus on breeding high quality goats, adapted to local conditions and which can be made available to the local community – paid for by cash, credit or by local charitable organisations.

Access to Land

The college currently owns 4 acres of land – which is quite small to achieve its objectives - but it has the option to purchase another 6 acres at an indicative cost of £2,250 per acre. Lacking the funds to purchase this land, one option is to rent the land for an agreed period (whilst conscious that the rental might not be renewed at the end of the period) or to secure funds to purchase some of the land and rent the balance. Any rental agreement would need to recognise the resulting benefits from the improvement of the soil.

Access to Machinery and Equipment

Given that the farm will be ran on no-till principles, it is not anticipated that there will be a requirement for powerful cultivation equipment. Although there may be a requirement for a small, second-hand tractor for transporting people and produce around the farm and around the locality. Should there be a need for any heavy equipment then it will be hired.

IMPARTING SKILLS

As a centre of excellence and innovation, the farm will be able to provide practical experience and skills to a number of groups partly through workshops, for example. those studying agriculture at DIDAMS or local farmers, and partly through offering opportunities for young people to work on the farm for a year to receive both classroom and practical training.

OPERATING THE FARM

The farm will be managed by a farm manager reporting to a Board representing the interests of the college as well as the local farming community. Given the lack of machinery, there will be a significant requirement for labour. It is anticipated that part of this will be unskilled labour employed from the local community and part of this will be young persons employed specifically so that they can gain skills.

OUTCOMES

The following outcomes are anticipated.

A working farm, generating revenue (for scholarships) and employment.

Significant improvement to the soil, its fertility and biodiversity

The development of new ways of farming the land in tune with nature that can be shared with the local community

The acquisition of skills for students and local people

Employment for local people

A market for local farmers that adds value to their produce

A source of high quality goats

REQUIREMENTS

In order for this to become a reality, DIDAMS requires funds for:

A secure building to house processing equipment, seeds, harvested produce etc

Equipment for producing gari

Fencing around the property

The purchase of 5 cows

Gravel for the construction of all weather access (vital during the heavy rain)

A second hand tractor and trailer

A range of hand tools (Spade, fork, shovel, and grape hoe)

IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS

Management

Dura Foundation, which is the Local CBO running DIDAMS, will have a leading role in the implementation of the project, in concert with the Board of Directors and Administration of DIDAMS to ensure the project achieve its objectives by setting up the following working committees:

Monitoring and Supervision:

A committee of seven members will be set up and led by a coordinator to monitor and supervise the project with the following responsibilities:

To see that the materials and finances, are judiciously utilized.

To ensure monthly and or yearly reports are prepared and sent to the funding body.

To ensure policies of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and NCTVA are followed

Evaluation and Audit

A five member committee consisting of a skills training expert, an auditor, and committed community stakeholders will be set up to evaluate the project, audit the department and present monthly technical reports to Dura Foundation, DIDAMS and the Funding/Donor Agency body or embassy or company. For post-project activities, a special committee will be set up after 3–5 years to do post project activities and this would contribute to assessing the holistic impact of the project for future interventions and sustainability. An independent-minded personality with a body of three people would be charged with this responsibility.

Strength

The location at Mamamah and along the Freetown Masiaka Highway is one of the major strengths as they are close to Freetown and the provinces, which are thriving markets, as well as other important states. There are Garri processing companies, most in the provinces. The farm will be closest to Freetown while also not far from the provinces. In addition to the farm products, training will be offered to the students and consultancy services for small-scale start-ups. Other strengths lie in the fact that the college have employed competent and develop a visionary team who not only understand the garri business perfectly but also understand college’s vision and working towards it as well.

Weakness

The proposed farm perceived weakness stems from the fact that the college only own four acres of land to operate from and that may seriously limit the product output level.

Opportunities

The farm will be the first garri processing businesses near Freetown, and as such, expectation is a huge inflow, which will help boost our revenue base.

Threat

Our threats are not that significant, as there are really no government policies or economic downturn to worry about, but like every business, we take all threats seriously, and intend to act proactively to reduce or eliminate the threat. The threat facing our business will be from having high demand and with less land to farm from. There is an additional 10 acre which we would, ideally, like to own.

Generating Funding

Any entrepreneur who does not have the capital necessary to start a business might see his business idea remaining just a dream and not becoming a reality.

The areas which we intend to source for start-up capital for our business includes;

DIDAMS College

Dorothy Peace Centre

SHEEPDROVE TRUST

N.B: Having been able to generate GBP11,000 from the in country income generation projects, we were able to buy a 4 acres land and started small scale farming.

Sales Forecast

While garri is a staple food taken by almost everyone, the farm understands that raw materials for producing garri cannot buy from one source. These businesses have certain factors going for them, chief of which is location. We therefore after having carried out various feasibility studies, have seen that our location is favourably suited to increase our sales. Another factor that the farm can take advantage of is the fact that most garri processing businesses processes only white garri that limits them to just certain segments of the market. The sales forecast is based on information gathered from other already established businesses and start-ups, both in the garri processing industry in Sierra Leone.

Based on location, the sales projection Quality Garri Processing Ventures is stated below:

First Fiscal Year-:

Second Fiscal Year:

Third Fiscal Year-:

Key:

N.B: The above sales projection in line with what is obtainable in the industry. The projections are also because all factors that were considered during the analysis remain constant – such as the economy, lack of strong substitutes, and the arrival of no major competitors. In addition, it is worthy to note that at any given point in time, the above projections might be higher or lower.

Garri Processing Business Plan – Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Due to the fact that almost everyone takes garri, there have sprung up many garri processing businesses all striving to get a share of the market. The farm will supply the existing garri processing plants. Even though we believe that our products and services are uniquely different from that of our competitors, we still believe that we would need an intense publicity to ensure increased customer awareness and to increase our earnings, therefore solidifying our spot amongst the leading brands in this industry. Therefore, most of the farm’s publicity and advertising strategies would first be focused on Ogun State where we not only intend to increase awareness about our products and services to existing and potential customers but also ensure that our activities leave our business etched in the mind of the public.

Some of the platforms we intend to use in publicizing and advertising our farm produce, garri raw material, include;

Using our van in road shows to tell people in targeted areas about our products and services

Placing adverts in local newspapers and on radio stations

Distributing fliers and legally posting same in strategic points

Sponsoring school and community relevant activities

Creating a website and using the platform to increase awareness of our existence

Using social media platforms such as Facebook to promote our products and services as well as engage our audience

Use recognized holidays to organize socially relevant programs

Ensure that all our staff wear customized tee shirts that will allow customers know of our business

Create a unique logo and slogan that can be easily remembered by existing and even potential clients

Our Pricing Strategy

Setting the right price for a product is very important as this can either draw more customers to one’s business or make them go to over to competition instead. Garri is priced depending on the quantity that is bought by the customer. Therefore, using similar approach, the raw materials will be priced as such. We intend to have different pricing options for our bulk buyers and our normal buyers. The pricing garri raw materials will also be done in such a way that– overhead and running expenses – are adequately covered, so that we do not run at a loss. We would however consider selling a bit lower than current market price in our first few months of operation, to attract more customers to our business. As such, key factors for considerations in pricing strategy include perceived value of products and services offered (training), distances to the market, cost of producing the products, and willingness of consumers to pay for the products. For the prices of the products to be attractive to consumers and profitable for the organisations, producing the product in high quantities as well as making production process efficient and effective is paramount. Competition in the market will be key in driving down the cost for production and production tools, and ultimately the products prices. Another key factor is purchasing power of the community. Generally, the people around the farm are low-income earners and generally considerably poor. Therefore, the product pricing have to reflect the purchasing power and behaviour of the community.

Quality and Quality Control

Agricultural products are essentially perishable goods that need good care. The grain produce have to be harvested in time and stored in dry and cool area to prevent from spoiling or being affected by aflatoxin. Insects such as weevils reduce quality of grains such as Maize and rice hence control of the insects will be critical to quality control. Additionally, such products as milk, meat, and vegetables are highly perishable goods that need to reach to the market fast. Without refrigeration system, there is a threat of products spoiling before reaching the market. The farm need to ensure the products reaches the consumer while they are fresh. From time the products are harvested to consumer purchasing, the farm need to ensure the process is seamless for quality purpose.

Volume of Sales

The farm will produce garri, training and coaching, and dairy products. Within addition of 6-acre land to existing 4 acres, the farm will has 10 acres of land under agriculture. Assuming that 6 acres is placed under garri farming and the production rate for Garri being 30 tonnes/acre. The sales per acre is forecasted as follows

Garri production rate = 26 tonnes/ acre

Farm size = 6 acres

Total garri produced = 26 * 20 * 6 = 3120 bags

Animal farming

With five cows each producing 8 litres per day, the farm will have milk production capacity of (8*5) 40 litres per day. Goat can be sold for meat as well as producing milk. Assuming that out of 10 goats, 6 produce milk for sale while each produce average of 2 litres per day. The total milk from goats will be (6*2) 12 litres per day.

Payment Options

The payment options that we intend to make available to our customers include;

Payment via Cash

Payment via Bank Transfer

Start – Up Expenditure (Budget)

Setting a budget before a business becomes operational is very vital. The budget allows an entrepreneur know what exactly would be required for the business to become successful and where to allocate resources to. While it might be in one’s favour to find out what the general start-up budget is for this kind of businesses, it is also pertinent to note that our own budget might eventually be lower or higher depending on several factors such as location, existing government policies and economic conditions. Some of the requirements we would need to fulfil in order to successfully start our garri processing business are in appendix 1;

Personnel Plan

The personnel needed are the following:

Manager

Facility staff

Stores

Cleaning staff

Maintenance staff

Based on this estimate, we would require at least £29,150.29 in order to successfully start and run a standard garri processing plant. The amount accounts for all expenses for at least three months to a year, which includes student compensation and other operating expenses.

Capital Expenditure

In this assumption, the college will provide a pick up track (valued at £6,000) and a driver for product and material distribution. The farm will have to take a loan to finance the business start-up. Appendix 2 lists all the tools of production, equipment, and variables need to start the farm business. According to the cashflow forecast in appendix 2, the farm need £29,150.29 loan to ensure sufficient funding for positive income by the end of year 1. In term of interest rate, the term set by the financing body will determine time for repayment and amount to be paid per year.

Garri Processing Business Plan – Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Every established business’ aim is to make enough profit that will sustain the company and also ensure that growth and expansion takes place. However, before we can make this profit, we know that certain factors need to be in place to ensure that we have a chance at sustainability.

The reason why most businesses exist is because of their customers, as without having any customers, one’s business might not only remain stagnant but fail in the end, because customers inject money into the business that will keep it running. Due to this fact, we intend to ensure that we treat our customers right, by ensuring we promptly attend to their requests, orders and complaints. We also intend to ensure that our loyal customers and people who recommend us to others are given discounts on certain quantities of garri they buy from us. Having customers is not enough, but hiring the right people into the right positions is also paramount to us. Our employees will not only be professionals with vast experience, we also intend to ensure that they have the best welfare package necessary to improve their productivity, and also the best training to enhance their skills and make them better than their peers in the same industry. Aside from having the required start-up capital necessary to start the business, we know that if the above factors are correctly done, we will be successful at not only sustaining the business but also expanding the business in the long run as well. After initial investment, the land value is assumed to increase yearly while the cows and goat reduce after third year because of old age. The output of the land as well as animal need to be considered but assumed that it will reduce after the third year. Therefore, basing on this assumption, the Net Present Value (NPV), calculating present cashflow is forecasted to remain relative same for first three years. From the forecast of sale of garri and milk, the assumption is the payback period for the loan debt will be shorter than 6 years.

PROJECT BUDGET

EQUIPMENT LIST