FarmKonnect to Return as Leading Agri-business to Farm, Earn

FarmKonnect, an Agri-business venture founded by retired Navy Lieutenant Commander Azeez Oluwole has promised to return as one of the leading agribusinesses for people to farm and earn across the country.

FarmKonnect was built extensively to create profitable investments by ordinary people through agri-inspired savings, shared farming and cultivation practices, smart farming orchestrated via cutting-edge technology, and so much more.

Though this agric-tech company has done well in the few years it has been operational, recently it has been fraught with many not-so-amazing news stories.

The founder expressed commitment via his X handle, AzeezOluwoleS, that the agri-tech firm will indeed come back full stream as a veritable investment instrument for new and former investors to farm and earn.

His tweet read: “FarmKonnect to return Soon! We have been working resiliently to ensure we get back on track regarding our vision for FarmKonnect.

“Despite encountering severe setbacks, I and FarmKonnect remain determined and committed to our vision and our partners!”

According to Oluwole, this news should be celebrated by those in the Agri-tech and business spaces, specifically as more of these types of agro-based businesses become defunct after a few years of incorporation.

He shared more insights on the FarmKonnect ecosystem, its programmes, plausible suggestions for improving the entire platform through implementable solutions, result-oriented ideations, and, simple agricultural investments that would empower more people and, in the process, bring them out of multidimensional poverty.

“Agriculture as previously practised by preceding generations has been relegated to the background by today’s youths owing to the poor farm yields and the minuscule amount gotten from sales of agricultural products in the market realised from subsistence farming.

“FarmKonnect, through its many programmes like FAGEX, Wave City Project, AFIDE, and others, was created to make Agriculture, not just profitable but admirable.”

Owing to these findings, Oluwole has resolved to discuss some of the programmes, their merits and demerits, and suggestions on how to improve upon each model.

In the first quarter of 2023, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), reported that N279.64 billion was realised from agricultural exports, with Crop production dominating the sector for about 87.6 per cent of the sector’s total output, making it the largest, while other sectors like Livestock stood at 8.1 per cent, Fishing took 3.2 per cent of total output, and Forestry ended the run with just 1.1 per cent.

“This is where the Wave City Project tried to tap into robust agricultural exports by creating an initiative centred around cultivating fruits and leafy vegetables for export, with a large portion cultivated for Nigerians for their nutritional needs. I mean they deserve great nutrition provided by eating a healthy and sizable vegetable ration,” he explained.

The project, whose primary objective was to establish a one million square meter agricultural infrastructure solely dedicated to growing vegetables, constructed controlled farming systems that include greenhouses, net-houses, and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems.

The project has been temporarily suspended as a result of the huge financial challenges required to make the project a success.

“We believe that if the Bank of Agriculture can tap into the project it will not only create employment opportunities but will also help stimulate the economy in a time where the country requires more exports to help stabilise our currency through homegrown FDI inflows,” he pointed out.

In nations where food security is taken quite seriously, Oluwole said having the requisite data through Agricultural statistics will help farmers in planning, monitoring, and evaluation purposes as well as research and development. FAGEX was created for that purpose.

He emphasised: “The project has provided farmers who adopted it with real-time data on soil conditions, weather patterns, crop health, and other crucial parameters. FAGEX empowers them to make informed decisions and optimise their farming practices.”

FarmKonnect, with its decision to come back, “Must improve the process of gathering useful agricultural data. Kudos must be given to the company for pioneering this initiative that led to building the first agricultural data collection facility situated in Ibadan, Oyo State”.

The CEO pointed out that as FarmKonnect embarks on its rebounding as a profitable and reputable agric-tech brand, there is a need to avoid those deathtrap and controversial issues that bedevilled its operation leading to the negative perceptions that followed the brand.

Oluwole and his team at FarmKonnect hope to once again reconnect with the company’s goals and more critically reinvigorate the brand as one of the most reputable agritech companies in Nigeria.