agribusiness

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Top 10 core agribusiness enterprise management areas that you should optimize for faster business growth.

agribusiness

Agribusiness enterprise management areas are major categories of things that need to be handled well to optimize business growth. Management is done both vertically and horizontally. Agribusiness is a chain reaction or a system where the success of one unit depends on and affects the success and performance of all the other different units. Thus everything should be handled thoroughly well. For example poor yields → less quantity and damaged crops → poor sales → fewer profits → less money to buy inputs. With proper management of these different areas, a business will see stupendous growth. These are the top 10 core agribusiness enterprise management areas that you should optimise for faster business growth  1. Farm management  The farm is the heart of the agribusiness. All agribusinesses like food-processing factories, and grocery stores get their raw materials from farms. Those other ones dealing in agriculture-related equipment, feed, machinery, chemicals etc. also rely on profits got from selling farm produce to operate as farmers buy from them. Farm management is therefore crucial and comes first. Experienced technical knowledge and skill is therefore required to get good farm yields and keep the whole enterprise running well. 2. Bookkeeping and accounting Business and farm records should be kept and documented well to manage finances well and stay in business. All inputs, outputs, expenditures, profits, liabilities, assets etc. should be balanced well and thorough accounting and planning should be done in all the farm’s production cycles. 3. Store management Business goods are kept in stores for safety and released according to the need of use or demand. Improper store management exposes goods in storage to spoilage and destruction as a result of attacks from pests, weather conditions, Bacteria and fungi degradation.  Groceries, produce and equipment should be handled and stored well to avoid losses in storage. 4. Procurement Inputs should be delivered and made available in time to facilitate the smooth running of the agribusiness. This may also involve buying stuff that will be used in future activities or production cycles earlier and keeping it in storage. The absence of things to facilitate the production or sales cycle can create a bottleneck in the entire production process. 5. Data management Agribusiness/ farm data and records should be kept and stored well to facilitate financial management, planning and planning for the future. 6. Sales and marketing This is another very important area that should be optimized for faster growth. Marketing and sales bring in customers for agribusiness goods, products and services that buy them at a profit. The more customers, the more profits, and the more growth. The marketing and sales team should be very efficient in setting up effective sales and marketing strategies that bring in more customers, sales, leads and drive business growth. 7. Customer service Customer service helps handle queries by customers related to agribusiness products and services. The customer service team builds great relations with customers so that they continue supporting the business/ brand by buying the goods or using the services 8. Transportation Goods, input and staff need to be moved from one place to another to facilitate the production and sales process. Public transport is great but it’s also vital that the business has its own vehicles to move things and do deliveries. 9. Staff management Staff should be well trained and experienced to handle and do the day-to-day business work very well. They are also paid and thus should do work that brings in returns and grows the business in whatever department or position that they may be operating in. Regular training should also be done to ensure that they are competent and can do work efficiently and effectively. 10. Activities and scheduling All activities follow a schedule in accordance with the production cycles, market demand and growing seasons. One activity prepares for the next and like a chain reaction, if one fails, then the whole season will be lost and affected. For those selling agriculture-related goods, daily activities should be balanced in line with business goals, market demand and other business-related activities like marketing. Conclusion The above agribusiness management areas are core and when managed efficiently, a business will run well and grow stupendously. It’s also important to know that these are like a chain reaction, one activity affects the other, and thus all should be managed well.

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market research

How to do market research in an agribusiness in 7 easy simple ways that yield great fast results

agribusiness

How to do market research in an agribusiness is an important question that must be addressed to expand an agribusiness venture, get more customers, and generate more sales or leads. The more marketing that is done, the more growth there is for an agribusiness as more people will get to know about the business products/services. Market research has its ups and downs. It needs to be done right in order not to waste resources and time with people who aren’t the right fit for the agribusiness. It’s therefore important for the business owner to first know their ideal customer; who they are, where they are found, likes, dislikes, how to reach them, and some other important demographics. Ways how to do market research in an agribusiness depend usually on; 7 easy simple ways on how to do market research in an agribusiness that yield great fast results The following are ways how to do market research in an agribusiness that yields great fast results   1. Surveys Online and offline community surveys can be used to find out customer opinions about certain products or services that the agribusiness offers. Simple questions are usually asked and giveaways are offered to entice more people to fill out the survey forms. The questions can be about; 2. Agricultural organizations, boards, and government bodies These always have large databases of information on agricultural and agribusiness-related topics and subject matter which is always free. This can help provide thorough background information on a topic not only for a piece of particular information but also worldwide. Examples include; FAO, and CGIAR. 3. Online databases Online databases, research organizations, newsletters, articles, and blogs can also be a great way to do market research in an agribusiness. The beauty of these is that they also contain statistically proven data, summaries, and the right conclusions. This results in informed decisions and great results 4. Experimental selling; samples, freebies When introducing a new product on the market, it’s vital to look at all the 7 points but the most important is to first make a few products at a subsidized price and experiment with them on the market. Hitting the market hard with a large number of products can result in losses if the consumers don’t like it and if there are changes that need to be made to suit the tastes of the market.  Besides great feedback got from the initial set of a few products or samples given out to the consumers can be used to adjust and improve the product; quality, flavor, price, and appearance among other product-related factors. 5. Product modification; adding value to existing products so as not to veer far from the market Let’s say the new business is selling products that are already on market and the competition is stiff. The success of how to do market research in an agribusiness of this scenario will depend on the ability of the business owner to identify which key pain points aren’t met or those that are missing from the market and address them in order to beat the competition. Under most circumstances, existing products would need to be modified through value addition to create an entirely new but not different product that addresses key needs and tastes. This way the business owner can penetrate the market, beat the competition, create a new product, take existing customers and grow their agribusiness. 6. Online Advertising Advertising metrics like clicks, sign-ups, sales, likes, and shares for a new product/ service can be used to determine whether it will be successful for a particular group of people. The results and feedback of the advertising campaign can be useful in conducting agribusiness market research analysis. Extrapolations and forecasts can then be made for future marketing goals for particular regions that had been advertised to. 7. Agricultural shows and trade fairs At agricultural trade fairs, an agribusiness can conduct market research to get a public opinion about its products or services. They can get instant feedback from questions asked, product samples given out, and also get direct leads through contacts got from people who visit their tents.   Conclusion When market research in an agribusiness is done right, it can help a business grow greatly by reaching new people, generating leads, and introducing an entirely new product on the market that can generate big revenue as a result of less competition. In most cases, a professional is needed to carry out market research or generate a great marketing strategy. The above ways can be a great start in agribusiness.

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agriculture automation

Automation in agriculture: advantages. Savory reasons you should do it now.

agribusiness, urban farming

Automation in agriculture is the future. The advantages are numerous and the modern farmer or gardener can harness them all and grow big in a short time while maximizing profits and minimizing risks or loses  What is agriculture automation and modernisation Automation is the process of letting things get done almost by themselves while putting in less effort. This allows the farmer to prioritize other tasks, work efficiently and effectively. Who wouldn’t like to sit back and get some free time while getting the work done at the same time? Long-ago humans used to do every single bit of work themselves:  mailers used to travel thousands of miles to deliver mail on horses which would take months, businesses, and daily farm activities required 100% constant human labor which is no longer the case today thanks to the rise of technology and machines. You may be having a farm and you sell produce or you may be having an agricultural-related enterprise that would require labor and time to get things done and meet business goals. With automation, the process can be streamlined and done efficiently along the vertical and horizontal lines of production. Different units can also be run at the same time. There are a lot of machines today that can handle different day-to-day farm activities like milking, planting, weeding, harvesting, irrigation, and spraying. Automatic water supply, irrigation, feeding, and cleaning systems can also be incorporated into agricultural systems to get the work done at set intervals. The internet of things is also used in climate-smart agriculture and modern farming systems. Here, a range of interlinked farm devices and robotics are controlled at one central unit or tablet and linked via a network or the internet. These devices can include; There is a large amount of software today that can handle different day-to-day agribusiness activities: like emails, accounting, and bookkeeping, advertising. Marketing agricultural products can also be done online through digital marketing. 1.Saves time Labor that would have been done by many people is done efficiently and effectively in the shortest time possible. This frees the farmer time to do other farm activities 2.Eases work Machines do the work fast and easy peasy. At the tap of a button or a switch; a farmer can irrigate or spray crops, water animals, get environmental crop data, control all farm lights, and manage other parameters using machines in modern urban farming and agriculture. 3.Saves money Money is saved on labor and other costs like security. It’s also easy to monitor and manage farm activities. Wastage is also reduced. Inputs from one unit can be efficiently utilized in another unit. 4.High yields and profits As a result of increased efficiency and ease of work, farm yields and profits increase. Automated devices can also be used to monitor farm activities at a single point which data is used to foresee issues and avoid losses. 5.Possibility of growing on a large scale Food and animal production can be done easily and efficiently on a large scale since most of the work can be automated. Large-scale production results in increased profits for the farmer. 6.Ability to serve a large market. With large-scale production comes the ability to grow more and meet market demand both locally and internationally. 7.Possibility of growing a variety of crops and animals on the same piece of land Agricultural automation and modernization allow for easy integrated crop and animal production on the same piece of land. Different units can be set up, controlled, and monitored together. Output from one system can easily be transferred and used in another system. Its also easy to control pests and diseases. 8.Smooth business activities Agricultural automation and modernization allow a streamlined flow of farm activities, easing work while improving efficiency and effectiveness. 1. Very expensive Modern agricultural equipment ain’t cheap. Irrigation systems alone are very expensive and cannot be afforded by majority of the poor farmers. Besides most don’t exist in developing countries and importing them can also be very costly. 2.Lack of technical knowledge Equipment may require some good technical knowledge and expertise which most farmers may not have. 3. Maintenance issues To work properly, the equipment must be kept in pristine conditions. Regular routine checkups are required to make sure all equipment are working properly, no damages or blockages, and that replacements are done where need be. A technical person should always be a call away. 4. Increased power consumption The equipment uses electricity to run which increases the power bill at the farm. 5. Possibility of entire shutdown In cases the systems are interconnected and co-dependent, damage to one system can cause a shut down of the entire system. Results can also be affected especially when the problem wasn’t identified early enough and action is taken immediately. conclusion Agricultural automation and modernization are the future of agriculture. With the rise of world hunger, modern systems are needed to easy food production and efficiency so that the planet has enough food. It’s very expensive to start but it’s possible anywhere if you start small, incorporating one system at a time. Automation has great benefits to farm production if practiced in whatever form. Start today.

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fifo

FIFO. How is it important in agribusiness?

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Fifo stands for FIRST IN FIRST OUT. This is a principle where earlier acquired produce is sold first before that which is newly acquired in the production cycle. In urban farming and agribusiness, all produce dealt with is mostly perishable and therefore it’s very wise to sell off the old produce within the validity period before that which is new to prevent losses that could result from expiry and rancidity. The principle also holds true for goods that have undergone some value addition and simple processing like curing, canning, vacuum sealing, and packaging. FIFO is also used in-store management. Here, goods are arranged in batches with the newly acquired produce put at the back while the older is being pushed at the front as it is being removed for sale. Let’s take an example of Seth who is a fruit farmer in California. He harvests his fruit and organizes it in batches in his warehouse. Each of the batches is labeled with a batch number, the amount, section of the farm where it was harvested, the operator, and the date of purchase. Seth is a smart farmer who stores his fruit on organized separated racks with rows in a cold storage room to preserve them. He also washes his fruits, packages them in boxes, and follows quality assurance standards. He also keeps records of all the batches and the entire production cycle. To apply the FIFO in his agribusiness, Seth sells the old fruit first to his customers which is always at the front while the new fruit is arranged at the back in a continuous production process. FIFO is very important in agribusiness management because of its many advantages which include;  Bottom line FIFO is a very important aspect in agribusiness management because of its importance in business growth and loss prevention. Once adopted, business owners can see a positive effect in their businesses.

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Agribusiness-Marketing-scaled

10 easy agribusiness marketing promotion strategies that actually work

agribusiness

Agribusiness marketing encompasses many different aspects depending mostly on the size and needs of the business. Small retail localized agribusinesses have limited marketing needs compared to large commercial farms which serve different areas groups of people. Whichever the case, it is very important for any business to promote / put their products and services in front of the right people such that they can generate sales and grow. Agricultural products are very perishable so they can go bad if not sold as soon as possible which can result in catastrophic losses for the farm business. For traditional farmers who don’t use modern urban farming techniques like indoor vertical farming and smart agriculture, perishability can be very disastrous because their costs of production are very high. Factors like cost of tilling the land, weeding, harvesting, planting, labor all increase the price of production and lower the profits from the produce as compared to indoor urban farming. On top of that weather factors also come in, pests and disease prevalence also affect the yields from the crops. On the other hand, modern commercial urban farms may have much surplus which can go to waste and may need to sell more produce so that they can break even and get back the money they invested in the business and also get to run their daily management operations. Other types of agribusinesses types like those providing inputs, and services also face severe competition from other sectors so they need to scour the market thoroughly and acquire more customers if they are to grow, expand and survive. That being said, it is very important for any agribusiness to have a solid marketing plan with which they can sell their goods to customers and also promote their goods to new people so that they can grow. Marketing involves promotion and putting of goods and services in front of the business’ customers so that they get to buy them. These are the four Ps which constitute marketing; 1.Product; This is what the business offers to its customers. Does the business offer goods or services? The products are in what form; raw or processed? Are they packaged or not? Are they branded or not? In what amount are they sold? Is the quality good? Do they meet the demand of the target customers?  2.Price; This is the final cost at which the end customer purchases the goods or services of the business. Price is majorly affected by the forces of demand and supply. When the demand is high and supply is low, the prices will be high but when demand is low and supply is high, the prices will be low. However, it is very important to check the prevailing market prices before you can set the prices for your goods and services. If you over price your vegetables while other farms are selling at lower prices, no one will buy them and they’ll go rancid resulting in huge loses. 3.Place; These are channels where the agribusiness sells its goods and services. They can be; marketplaces, online stores, a chain of retail stores like supermarkets, personal business shops or any other customer point of sale contact. The agribusiness distributes its goods to these places for sale. 4.Promotion; these are actual means by which the business gets to put its goods and services in front of its customers. It encompasses processes by which customers get to know about the products and how they will help them, and finally influencing their decisions to buy. The following are the agribusiness marketing promotion strategies you can employ today so that you can profit, grow and expand. 10 easy agribusiness marketing promotion strategies that actually work 1.Have an online presence The world is very digital today and first way for any agribusiness to promote themselves before even bothering to go out and look for customers is to have an online presence. It is very important for a business to build a business website, have a listing in yellow pages and online directories like Google my business, do email marketing, and have social media pages to promote products and engage with business customers online. With this, a business can reach its customers wherever they are, answer customer queries, sell online, ask for reviews, handle orders, and even acquire new customers. 2. Advertisements Advertisements can be done on local media; television, radios and online using paid web ads or social media ads like those of Facebook, and Instagram. The can be visually appealing images or videos that tell people about the goods or services of the business. It can be an Instagram image of the organic fresh vegetables a farm offers or a video showing a farm consultant giving expertise at a local farm. Text image combo advertisements can also be put in newspapers, agricultural magazines and leaflets to inform people about the goods or services. 3.Partnerships Partnerships can be made with small businesses and stores like supermarkets, mini groceries, shops so that the farm can supply them with their farm fresh produce. Partnerships can help agribusinesses to become sole suppliers of target customers which helps maintain them and generate regular sales.  4.Public speaking Doing public speaking and presentations about the business and what it offers at conferences, organization meetings and concerts can help create product awareness. Guest posting on blogs and online platforms with a staunch audience about content related to the business can also be another way to get people to know about the business.  The speaker or guest poster can then give business details to the audience like the address, product fliers and coupons or product freebies. 5. Business branding A branded business is easy to promote as compared to a brand less one. A branded agribusiness has its own unique name, logo, and business colors which separates it from other businesses in the market.  These can further be put on business cards, letter heads, websites, social media and branded equipment to enable people differentiate your business from others on the

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agribusiness

Agribusiness: secrets and everything you need to know.

agribusiness

There are a lot of agribusiness enterprises out there. Some people may even be dealing with agribusiness without even knowing it. Every country depends on agriculture to feed its people and in some, it is also the backbone of their economies. Agribusiness commerce has been practiced for thousands of years. In the bible, produce was sold at market places as it is of today. It is therefore a whole world of transactions, dealings, and profits that you should join today to earn some income and make a living. what is agribusiness Agribusiness is a term used to refer to businesses that deal with agriculture and related business activities. Agribusiness encompasses everything and everyone along the agriculture value chain right from production at the farm and all activities involved up to the final consumer of the end product. For example; Seth a vertical urban farmer produces fruits and vegetables which he sells to people, processors and suppliers right from his farm. The supplier might have a storage facility from where whole sellers can buy and these sell to retailers like market places, grocery stores and supermarkets who in turn sell to the final consumers. The supplier might also sell to processing factories that turn the fruits and vegetables into products like; tomato sauce, food dressings and juice which are sold to retailers. Seth buys seeds and other inputs from input dealers at the farmer’s mall in town. He also uses equipment and machinery he bought from a John deere outlet in town.  Seth, the suppliers, whole sellers and retailers all have business bank accounts where they store their money. They also receive some input and business information from a local NGO and a government body. The most major advantage of agribusiness is that it involves food production and people have to eat. So you’ll never go out of business if you follow this line because of the ready market. Losses are minimal and can be avoided with proper business knowledge and guidance. In the case of profuse production, value addition can be done to make different products and avoid losses. Urban farming also involves less risk and ensures high yields since most of it can be carried out in a controlled environment like a greenhouse or an indoor farm. This results in high profits for the business owners. Examples of agribusinesses These include; feed producers, chemical and seed sellers, transportation services, agriculture machinery sellers, co-operatives, wholesalers and retailers, grocery stores, farms, marketing agencies, and food processors. Agribusiness types and products 1.Farms These are the epitome of the whole franchise. They produce food that goes up the chain up to the final consumer. They can sell their farm-fresh produce directly to consumers or sell it to suppliers and processors. Examples include; vertical farms, greenhouses, Indoor farms, hydroponics, and traditional farms producing bird and animal products  2.Agricultural inputs These provide inputs needed for the smooth running of agricultural activities e.g. 3. Food processing factories These add value to raw produce to make new products which are in turn sold to whole sellers and retailers before they can reach the final consumer. A lot of value addition is done and the end product is always of better quality, taste, and high value. Food processing includes processes like; pasteurization, smoking, drying, flavouring, vacuum sealing and frying. The products are also branded and well packaged to ease transportation and packaging. Such products include; 4.Storage facilities  These are warehouses owned by suppliers who can be the farms themselves or private individuals who buy from the producers and distribute to other people. They are usually large and organized infrastructures that can handle a large amount of produce. The products can be stacked in sacks or boxes on crates and or trays organized in the first in first out manner. Perishable produce is stored in cold rooms or large refrigerators. Meat and bird carcases can be hung on hooks on the roof above the ground. Some individuals just deal in providing storage facilities and these charges a fee to store goods at a specific rate for a specific time. 5.Marketing and sales Major business dealings involving most of the money transactions in the franchise are carried out here. The top performers are; 6.Farm services These are provided by professionals in the agricultural field to farms; veterinary officers, agronomists, soil scientists, aquaculturists,  and biologists 7.Financial services These are provided by financial and lending institutions like banks, SACCOs, and cooperatives. They mainly offer financial advice and loans to agribusiness people at a substantial interest. 8.Government bodies and NGOs in agriculture. These offer a variety of services to help out majorly to farmers and small agribusinesses to improve their income or standards of living depending on their project goals, themes, or interests. Their services are usually interest-free and tend to cover a large number of target people. Many NGOs are providing such services for example; IFAD, CIP, and send a cow. Agribusiness is practised by millions of people around the world. it has helped improve the economic situation and standards of living for many people around the world who are diectly or indirectly involved in the trade especially in Africa. It is one of the ways we can reach one of the UN sustainable development goals by eliminating poverty worldwide.

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15 easy ways to save money for quick profit maximization in your agribusiness.

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After learning to save money, there can be a great leap in the profit margin of every business. This is a super power every agribusiness owner must possess and harness since every business is started with the aim of growth and making profit. Even those started as hobbies; for the fun of it end up needing capitalization and monetization. Saving money is one of the most important metrics for business growth without which impending failure is guaranteed. Unfortunately the ever-fluctuating economies and unseen circumstances cause business ups and downs.  Without precaution, a new business, or a very up performing agribusiness can fail even before you know it. Besides capital is hard to come by nowadays even from family members and friends. Banks also have very exorbitant loan interests which make payments hard and upon absolute default, one can lose their assets in case of unlimited liability. The business owner therefore has to effectively maximize the capital and scale the economies well to ensure that the business stays afloat with precedent steady growth. Advantages of saving money in agribusiness  Saving money greatly assures agribusiness growth. Enterprises should therefore employ strategies that minimize expenses and keep the money within. The saved money can be used; It’s therefore very imperative to save money from day one to prepare for the worst and to use the savings to grow the business. 15 easy ways to save money for quick profit maximization in your agribusiness Here is the list of the best and easy ways to save money fast and maximize great profits in your agribusiness. 1.Buy in bulk. For perishable goods, this isn’t advisable, buy only that which can sell out depending on the needs of the market as not to make losses but for other goods, this is very advisable especially when prices are very low and the goods can be sold at a later profit. Bulk purchases also come with discounts and even free transport costs at times which helps reduce on the operational costs which helps to save money. 2.Preserve goods to stay longer Preserve goods to make sure they stay long through value addition, packaging, freezing, vacuum sealing and simple processing. The goods should also be stashed and orderly arranged in clean storage facilities. Proper storage management practices should also be employed like; control of pests and vermin, record keeping, contamination control, weather proofing and dryness. Urban farming businesses like farm fresh stores and vertical farms which sell fresh produce should take this seriously. Keeping goods in good condition helps prevent loses that result from wastage and selling goods cheaply after they’ve gone bad. 3.Use the FIFO principle. The first in first out (FIFO) principle is where earlier purchased goods are sold before the newly purchased ones. This   helps to ensure that goods are sold before they expire by making sure that earlier purchased goods are out of the store before the recently bought ones. The store manager should also ensure this in goods arrangement by stacking the new goods at the back and bringing the old ones at the front depending on the purchase cycle. This helps to save money by ensuring that goods are sold before they expire thus preventing loses. It also eases accountability and management by selling merchandise and inventory depending on purchase cycles. 4.Cut back on bad suppliers The goods once sold are not returnable comes in as a disaster after purchasing poor quality goods from bad suppliers. Some suppliers may want to do away with damaged goods and transfer the loss to the buyers by selling it to them.  They may even employ cunning or offer attractive rates to entice people into taking the goods. This is a total loss as they will go a begging and seller will have to do much convincing to customers so that they can buy them. On the other hand a business may lose on good customers if these goods are sold to them. Always check on the quality of the produce before purchase or even paying half on purchase and give full payment after the goods are entirely sold. 5.Do away with bad employees. If someone doesn’t add value to the business then they become a liability. Money that runs the business doesn’t rain from heaven. It’s worked for and grown daily through operations and sales. It’s always imperative to employ hardworking efficient people who will bring good returns to the business and actually do their work instead of desultering around and chewing money. 6. Do book keeping Knowing the inputs, expenditures, liabilities of the business can help keep it afloat especially when everything is documented. This helps determine the setbacks of the business, improve strengths and set strategies that promote growth. Most agribusinesses don’t do that especially sole proprietorships and family owned businesses. There are a number of tools and software platforms like QuickBooks, and slick pie which actually help to simplify the process by automating business transactions. With these one can keep track of their business inventory on the go with their mobile devices.  It is also advisable to employ the services of an experienced professional auditor to help give a current standing of the business and project future business growth. Auditors also advise on taxes to prevent paying high rates even when business is slow. 7. Do partnerships, vertical and horizontal integration These help to ease marketing ensuring that goods are consumed as soon as they get in. On a vertical basis, a business like a wholesale grocery store can partner with farmers who bring goods to his store and who in turn sells the goods to food processing factories he’d partnered with. On a horizontal basis, he can partner with fellow grocery stores to help them form a union thus helping them market their goods and put their interests forward. Integrations also help to keep market prices uniform as people in the chain can unanimously agree to sell their goods at a certain price and maximize profits depending on the seasons, economic

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Value addition

Advantages of value addition.

agribusiness

Value addition means changing something it from its original state to a high quality state which enhances the overall end product. Value in simple terms is how something weighs vis-à-vis quality, cost, and importance. In the days of old, it encompassed, smoking meat and fish, sun drying, salting, wrapping in leaves and storage in granaries. In present day, with the development of technology, it involves innovation and product modification through processing, packaging, crafting, branding and quality assurance procedures both on small and large scale using modern machines. Value addition is very vital since it increases product quality and selling price thus increasing the profit margin. In agriculture and a green business, value addition involves transformation of raw products into higher value goods. For example, processing maize into flour and packing it, drying herbs and grinding them into powder, canning products, pasteurizing milk, drying and packaging products, smoking, marinating, sun drying and curing fish. Crafts and trees can be made into different products like furniture, bags and ornaments. Different other products from different raw materials can also be made like perfume from flowers, herbal drugs and ailments. Value addition can be done on both small and large scale. Small scale value addition is done at home, small farms and factories while on large scale its done in large factories and involves profuse production and use of complex machines for processing products into goods like processed foods, beauty products like perfumes, health products like drugs, and tangible goods like furniture, crafts, ornaments. Almost all the products on market today which we use in our daily lives are value added products. The value addition processes not only raise us income but also guarantees that the end product lasts for a long time through; 1. moisture reduction or elimination that prevents growth of bacteria and fungi. 2. packaging that protects the product keeping it in good physical condition and eliminates contact with the external environment. 3. processing that makes the product better in terms of taste,smell,appearance, and condition. Value added products are usually packaged in tins, cans, bags thus can be moved longer distances and can reach greater markets thus increasing marketability and profits.The packaging also eases storage and handling. Economic and post harvest loses of food and green products are prevented through value addition. This is crucial for economies and people who depend solely on agriculture for their survival without which wastage would result into breakdown. After growing, value addition is done and the products are then exported for sale at a higher price. The resulting profits can improve income and livelihoods substantially At home, money is saved as food doesn’t go to waste. Industries and factories involved in value addition create employment opportunities for people who work there like; industrial chemists, food processors, factory laborers. Vertical integration can also be involved where for example a farmer, or gardener sells their products to a produce collector who in turn sells to a factory which in turn exports or sells to local markets. This results in easy income flow , job security and continuity in production. More jobs are also created as various industries will rise up; for example those that make packaging, those that make industrial machinery and those involved in trade, transport and distribution. The cumulative benefits also include infrastructural development like roads and improved standards of living for the people. It contributes to food security by ensuring that that food stays fresh and longer. This helps to avoid food loses , ensures availability, and quality maintenance. this helps to reduce global hunger for people every where around the world especially for those in arid and war torn areas. It thus contributes to sustainable development. Wastage and disposal of unwanted refuse is curtailed since they can be made into different quality products. This helps to ensure zero waste and protect the environment. For example, making briquettes out of saw dust, processing waste cuts into dog food. it therefore facilitates waste recycling and re-usage. Value addition is done in everything. it helps us get wealthy by being creative and innovative when we change raw materials into products that meet other people’s needs. As seen above, its important not only to us but also to our environment. By adding value, we can minimize wastage, reduce pollution and ensure eco sustainability.

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