MASO is a five year programme, focused on creating employment opportunities for the youth (aged 18-25) in Ghana’s cocoa communities.
Richard Sakyi started “The Lord is My Shepherd Agro Chemicals” shop in October 2016 two months after enrolling in the MASO Business Academy in Ataase near New Edubiase in the Ashanti Region.
He was motivated to join the MASO programme as a result of his determination to transform the many problems in his community into business opportunities, as well as supporting himself and his family.
The MASO Business Academy, trains youth interested in starting businesses along the cocoa production chain or businesses that will enhance the life and general well-being of cocoa growing communities. As part of the training in the academy, Richard learned about opportunity identification and analysis. Using his newly acquired skill, he identified that farmers were in his community dire need of the farm equipment and agro chemical.
He was able to mobilize GHS 700 from multiple sources to start his business. As of March 2017, six months after setting up the business, his total investment stands at GHS 1,750 ($437.5 dollars). Richard has also saved enough money to buy a mist blower costing GHS475 ($118.75 dollars) to provide spraying services for farmers. He has already recruited another youth in his community to help deliver services to the farmers.
“I have partnered with someone who undertakes the spraying on cocoa farms on commission basis. We hope to recoup the cost of the mist blower during the raining season”, he explains .
Currently, the business has a customer base of ninety farmers. Richard, ever the ambitious entrepreneur intends to increase his customer base to 200 by the beginning of raining season in April 2017. Richard observes the lessons from the MASO Business Academy have been useful to him in establishing his agro chemicals retails business.
“Testing of my business concept which was part of the training enabled me to confirm that the problems I identified did actually exist and also allowed to me build a very strong customer base, who are happy with my services”. Richard says
Going into the future, Richard plans to transform his current table top stall into a permanent shop. He hopes to add additional products and services. Richard also plans to save up to get a tricycle so he can start selling his inputs to other communities.
