Visiting A Farmer Training Centre -THE SONGHAI EXPERIENCE

 On the 23rd March earlier this year I was informed I would be joining the rest of the Youth Agro Entrepreneurs research on a farm visit. Below are excerpts of my report detailing my experience at Songhai farm in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.

The main objective of Songhai is to train young agricultural entrepreneurs who, once established, become pillars of community - capable of commanding respect and attracting the surrounding populations to the new kind of agriculture practiced on Songhai farm. This training does not stop with the acquisition and mastery of techniques of agricultural production. Songhai continuously follows up with its trained students from the pre-establishment stage through to the establishment of their farms and beyond. All the various departmental activities of Songhai converge directly or indirectly to these established farmers. At the second level of training, there is a team of workers charged solely with the follow-up/accompaniment of the farmers. This is the reason the farmers are situated at the center of Songhai's organizational chart - all the different sectors contribute to the development of the farmers.

Challenges Of Songhai

The Songhai Centre faces a few salient challenges operating under the present model as gathered from the visit.   Training program needs to incorporate Information Technology (IT) skills into the current syllabus to prepare the trainees for dealing with the present reality of entrepreneurship programs globally. The intriguing aspect to this issue is that, there is an Internet café present on the premises but only used for commercial purposes to cater to demands of visitors/tourists. Interviews with Personnel and Trainees indicate a wish to see this aspect of training introduced on the program.



The impact of the activities been carried out at the Centre, on the personnel and the immediate community can easily be noticed. Strategically located a few hundred metres away from Porto Novo's central market, it serves a useful source of obtaining foodstuffs and farm produce for retail purposes without incurring steep transportstion fees. Motivation was generally high amongst staff and all adhered to strict time managed regimes. The circular approcah to production adopted by the Integrated Farming model also extends to personnel. Staff rotation between various departments and sections of the farm created a high level of team spirit and commraderie. Individual staff all seemed to have sufficient information to be able to perform the duties of various department thus creating a very robust staff  pool. The challenges faced by the present operating model of the Centre need to be addressed in expansion or replicating of a similar enterprise. Information technology is ubiquitous to every sector of global economy. Developing agro entreprenuers that would go on to be successful and impact on their immediate societies, need to be IT savvy to a certain rudimentary level. Motivation amongst students and job security can be increased by deploying a model that allows the trainees to earn in the process of learning. Trainees with astute entrepreneural skills gain thus stand a chance of saving a kickstarter for their proposal, no matter how small it might be. The integrated farming model operated at Songhai Centre Porto Novo is a feasible approach to boosting the productivity of small to medium scale farming and developing a sustainable agricutural enterprises for the youths. Its a model that is gaining popularity fast and is evident in the profileration of its branches across neighbouring Nigeria and other West african countries. The future of integrated farming looks bright and I would recommend a visit to the nearest site to anyone interested in venturing into agro-entrepreneurship.

TIPS FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISES

This article deals with some basic principles and approaches required in building sustainable enterprises. A quick survey of Nigerian youths would show a high push towards entrepreneurship. Varying theories and reasons have been put forward to explain this trend, while it still remains unclear if these push towards building enterprises are as a result of lack of readily available jobs or an innate character of the average Nigerian youth, the need to create sustainable enterprises cannot be over emphasized in lieu of the current global economic conditions. 

A Youth Agro-entrepreneur must incorporate the model of sustainability into their personal life – thoughts, beliefs and motivation for it to be successfully reflected in their enterprise. 

Below are some basic bullet points from a lecture with a sustainable farming expert Father Godfrey Nzamujo attended by members of the Youth Agro Entrepreneurs at the Songhai Farm Porto Novo site, Benin Republic.

• An enterprise is all about “People who make things happen” – people who are capable of mobilising, inventing and creating.

1. Enterprises are created, grow or die because of people. 
2. An entrepreneur is a person who wants to make money or fame by harnessing the opportunity sets around him/her to satisfy the needs and desires of different social groups.

An enterprise is driven forward by its human resources, the technology it chooses to employ to fulfill the Needs and Desires of its Clients through the Products and Services it offers.

Entrepreneur – Leader – Manager

Who Is An Entrepreneur?

• A person who has a reasonable understanding of his future clients (customers) or their present needs and desires – also their latent needs and desires
• A person who has a reasonable knowledge of how to procure any sets of goods and services corresponding to the needs of a set of a social group.
• He/she has an unyielding drive to bring those goods and services to his clients the fastest way possible
• at the cheapest price possible
• of the best possible quality
• in a sufficient quantity and
• on demand.

A key to building great enterprises lies in the Leader and Manager level personnel as well as a dedicated and happy work force.

Sustainability cannot be imposed on a an enterprise, but instead should be built into the culture of the enterprise from the very on-set.

Young Agro-Entrepreneurs need to strive in attaining Level 5 Manager/Leader qualities to drive and inspire your team.

The concept of level 5 managers/leadership traits are

Level I :

Highly capable individual makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits

Level II :

Contributing team manager would typically be able to contribute individual capabilities to the achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group setting.

Level III :

Competent manager organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.

Level IV :

Effective leader level traits are those who can catalyze commitment to the project and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision stimulating higher performance standards.

Level V :

The Executive Leader builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. The Level 5 leaders channel their ego away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It’s not that level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves.

In a nutshell,

Humility + will = Level 5

Level 5 leaders are a study in duality: modest and willful, humble and fearless.