Editors Note:

Ezedike Fredrick is a “northern farmer” who hails from Imo State. He is a graduate of Pure and Applied Physics from Lodoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) Fredrick’s interest in agribusiness developed during his youth service year when his students became his friends. They took him to their various farms after school hours and enlightened him about the business of agriculture. He was encouraged to buy bags of onions for storage and make extra money apart from his NYSC allawe. Unfortunately, the onions spoilt but He did not give up! In fact, the situation triggered him to have a better interest in farming. Today, he is an onion, garlic and tomatoes farmer and CEO of Sawah Farms based in Sokoto state, Nigeria. Fredrick is our Young Agropreneur of the Month!

Introduction

My name is Ezedike Fredrick. I hail from Nwagele Local Government Area, Imo State. I had my primary and secondary school education in Lagos, so I will say I was born and brought up in Lagos State. I studied Pure and Applied Physics from Lodoke Akintola University (LAUTECH). Great Lado-ki-te!

How did you develop the interest in Agriculture and when did you consider it as a business to venture into?

My interest in agriculture developed during youth service year in Wurno Local Government Area, Sokoto State. I was posted to a school and my first new friends were the students I taught Physics, my new friends enlightened me about farming by taking me to their individual farms. They encouraged me to buy bags of onions for storage and make extra money apart from the NYSC allawe – assuring me that within few months, before my passing out parade day I would make huge returns. Unfortunately, the onions spoilt but I did not give up! In fact, the situation triggered me to be very interested in farming. This is because I wanted to know what caused the spoilage of my onions.

What aspect of Agriculture do you practice?

When service year ended, I travelled back home to Lagos but before I did, I bought a cow with the little money I had and left the cow in Wurno with one of my friends because I knew I was still going to travel back. I worked in Lagos for some time hoping to get funds and go back to farming, but it did not work out as planned.

In March 2015, I resigned from the teaching job I got in Lagos and went back to Sokoto to learn about farming- with no money and no plan of how I was going to get accommodation. The only source of getting income was the cow I bought and left behind after youth service. Also, Language (Hausa) was another barrier but I moved around with my young friends, and volunteered to take free English lessons, this made me popular with other people around. I learnt the Hausa language and was able to communicate well with people about my wants and as God will do it a lot of people gave me advice on what to get and how to start farming. I presently specialize in the area of onions, garlic, and tomatoes farming.

Can you tell us the challenges you faced while starting up?

My main challenge while starting up with agribusiness in the northern part of Nigeria was having to call the names of chemicals used in farming in the local language (Hausa) and not in English. Also in the area of nursery development, the rain was a major factor that destroyed the seed beds while growing up.

What societal problem are you experiencing, and what measures have you implemented to curb it?

The major societal problem that affects my business directly is the inability to get people that are educated technology wise. Also, communication is very much needed in farming – most of the rural farmers don’t have a means of communication talk less of knowing how to operate a phone. I buy phones and give to some farmers I work with, I also teach them how to operate it – so as to ease our work as a team.

Read the full story at http://www.agropreneurnaija.com/young-agropreneur-of-the-month-yap/how-i-resigned-my-teaching-job-in-lagos-to-start-a-big-farming-business-in-sokoto-ceo-sawah-farms/

you should have stayed in your region where you have people that are educated technology wise, rubbish

Jibril659:
you should have stayed in your region where you have people that are educated technology wise, rubbish

Ever since you started hating on people...... What have you achieved so far?

benedictnsi:



Ever since you started hating on people...... What have you achieved so far?

ask me again

benedictnsi:



Ever since you started hating on people...... What have you achieved so far?

Forget it, what is he doing in Sokoto that he so much hate? He should have remained in his region where there are more "educated" people from whom he can get the knowledge of the latest farming practices rather than the Ab0kis where he stands no chance of learning anything. Are the northerners allowed to farm in Imo state? This one will soon start moving his family members to Sokoto now and when he becomes very comfortable, the next thing is to start insulting them and their religion to their face. But for now, he will be carrying innocent face and be behaving like one rejected orphan.

Sokoto ? From lag to sokoto Lol