Farming my way into the fastlane

[Awakened2022]

It's a real pleasure reading your thread.

I always think of the Poem 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke due to the line 'That there's some corner of a foreign field...' although the poem is not even remotely correlated to what you are doing.

I admire the way that both you and @Isaac Odongo are building up yourselves, your communities, and your countries.

Dan

Thanks for the kind words. I will search for that poem and read it. I am glad to know you are cheering me on.

I am looking forward to next year to see how the market will respond when my product hits it massively.

Hope you also have a project that makes your heart beat faster.

Till then,
Aura.

 

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[Stargazer]

It's a WW1 British war poem so not really related to you, it's just I imagine you in a corner of a foreign (to me) field hence your thread making me think of that poem as it's a line from that poem.

I don't wish for you to be buried

Dan

 

[Awakened2022]

It's a real pleasure reading your thread.

I always think of the Poem 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke due to the line 'That there's some corner of a foreign field...' although the poem is not even remotely correlated to what you are doing.

I admire the way that both you and @Isaac Odongo are building up yourselves, your communities and your countries.

Dan

Thanks for your kind words. It is also an immense pleasure to me to know that someone is cheering me on. It means a lot in "this corner of a foreign field" to have people whose lives are much different from ours pick interest in our attempts at creating a life worth living.

I hope you are working on a project that makes your heart skip a beat.

Let me look up that poem.
I promise to drop here a poem of mine with my next update. My dream is to gain financial freedom and spend the remainder of my life writing poetry.

Till then,

Aura.

 

[Isaac Odongo]

I don't know whether you heard of this in the news. But I immediately thought of you when I heard it.

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI LAUNCHES UGANDA TRADE HUB IN SERBIA | The Republic of Uganda

www.mofa.go.ug

 

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[Awakened2022]

I don't know whether you heard of this in the news. But I immediately thought of you when I heard it.

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI LAUNCHES UGANDA TRADE HUB IN SERBIA | The Republic of Uganda

www.mofa.go.ug

Thanks for the article. He recently said he is 78 because he lives on bananas, millet and cassava.

Wish he could hear about my farm!

 

[Isaac Odongo]

2026 is not very distant.

In the past years' state of the nation address for the budget, he has talked a lot about cassava flour. Take time and go through them. You may get a better idea.

 

[Awakened2022]

2026 is not very distant.

In the past year's State of the Nation address for the budget, he has talked a lot about cassava flour. Take time and go through them. You may get a better idea.

My thinking also. Our president truly has a soft spot for cassava. I plan to gain acquaintance with the area members of parliament to attract the attention of the powers that be.

2026 is not very distant.

In the past years' state of the nation address for the budget, he has talked a lot about cassava flour. Take time and go through them. You may get a better idea.

 

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[Awakened2022]

Back with the rains

If excitement were a person, that would be me! Never in a million years would the Aura of yesteryears have dreamt of inviting and later on hosting a member of parliament in her humble home.

Happy to report that the Honourable Member of Parliament spent over an hour touring our farm and was impressed by our coffee project. He reached out to the district Chief Administrative Officer and told him that our farm, given the magnitude of its impact on the community, should be given priority for solar irrigation. The C AO promised to have the district production committee visit our farm to assess the feasibility of turning it into a model and demonstration farm. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

About electricity, the Honourable regretted that his hands were tied since rural electrification is done using loans, yet the world bank has recently suspended all grants to the Ugandan Government following the signing of the anti-homosexuality bill into law. He said he would lobby for electricity extension to our village if such a ban was lifted.

Thank you to @Bekit for your copywriting tips. I was able to project an abundance mindset and the Honourable was impressed to meet the members of our village savings group that he contributed some money to our savings scheme.


All in all, I think we are onto something, and this forum and @MJ DeMarco's books take most of the credit.

About my cassava project, the rains have begun(as usual with the celebration of the Assumption of Mother Mary). Since schools close for the second term holidays next week, I will be heading to the village to try and meet my goal of planting 10000 cassava plants or even more.

In other news, my son who will be doing his End of Senior Four exams said he has trouble with English Composition Writing. As a teacher of English, I am going to put together some materials that can help him master the writing skill. If they prove resourceful, I will expand on them and turn them into a work book that my students can purchase. Perhaps I will give @Isaac Odongo some competition and practical tips on how to sell a book.

I promised @Stargazer one of my poems with this update. Let me see if I can attach it. I wrote it last year

Any advice, comments suggestions are welcome.
Till then,

Aura.

 

[Isaac Odongo]

In other news, my son who will be doing his End of Senior Four exams said he has trouble with English Composition Writing.

I think I have grown a kind of mastery over creative writing. Been doing it since 2015, and spent about 3 years reading and practicing.

Have made some book drafts before on the topic. All are incomplete.

Whenever you want to, beckon and I will help him on freemium.

Congratulations for the MP visit and the involvement of your local government officials.

 

[Awakened2022]

Whenever you want to, beckon and I will help him on freemium.

Thanks in advance.What is freemium?

 

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[Isaac Odongo]

High quality service at no fee.

 

[Awakened2022]

High-quality service at no fee.

Oh, ok. He is coming for the holidays next week. You know how to reach me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Isaac Odongo]

Back with the rains

If excitement were a person, that would be me! Never in a million years would the Aura of yesteryears have dreamt of inviting and later on hosting a member of parliament in her humble home.

Happy to report that the Honourable Member of Parliament spent over an hour touring our farm and was impressed by our coffee project. He reached out to the district Chief Administrative Officer and told him that our farm, given the magnitude of its impact on the community, should be given priority for solar irrigation. The C AO promised to have the district production committee visit our farm to assess the feasibility of turning it into a model and demonstration farm. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

About electricity, the Honourable regretted that his hands were tied since rural electrification is done using loans, yet the world bank has recently suspended all grants to the Ugandan Government following the signing of the anti-homosexuality bill into law. He said he would lobby for electricity extension to our village if such a ban was lifted.

Thank you to @Bekit for your copywriting tips. I was able to project an abundance mindset and the Honourable was impressed to meet the members of our village savings group that he contributed some money to our savings scheme.


All in all, I think we are onto something, and this forum and @MJ DeMarco's books take most of the credit.

About my cassava project, the rains have begun(as usual with the celebration of the Assumption of Mother Mary). Since schools close for the second term holidays next week, I will be heading to the village to try and meet my goal of planting 10000 cassava plants or even more.

In other news, my son who will be doing his End of Senior Four exams said he has trouble with English Composition Writing. As a teacher of English, I am going to put together some materials that can help him master the writing skill. If they prove resourceful, I will expand on them and turn them into a work book that my students can purchase. Perhaps I will give @Isaac Odongo some competition and practical tips on how to sell a book.

I promised @Stargazer one of my poems with this update. Let me see if I can attach it. I wrote it last year

Any advice, comments suggestions are welcome.
Till then,

Aura.

About the poem,

Well done.

Quite brief.

I think syllable and word agreement in terms of sound may be your next mission.

The words want to belong. The sounds want to belong.

 

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[Awakened2022]

About the poem,

Well done.

Quite brief.

I think syllable and word agreement in terms of sound may be your next mission.

The words want to belong. The sounds want to belong.

Thanks for the feedback. Hope you can explain more about those agreements since I love writing poems.

 

[Sega Saph]

It has been a long time, Lady. Do you have anything new to share? Really curious about your progress and wish you only best of the best luck!
How is it looks like to live in Ugand anyway? Do you guys struggling with clean water and shelter?

Sega.

 

[Awakened2022]

It has been a long time, Lady. Do you have anything new to share? Curious about your progress and wish you only of the best luck!
What does it look like to live in Uganda anyway? Are you guys struggling with clean water and shelter?

Sega.

Thanks for reminding me to make an update. I will give a detailed account tomorrow.

To answer your question about the situation in Uganda, I am going to tell you three stories about the events of this past week.

Story 1

On Saturday, I attended the wedding of a family friend. I traveled over 30 kilometers on a motorcycle over roads that looked more like terraces to reach there. The fare was around $5.

The groom is what you would call a rich person by the standards of his village since he owns a secondary school(some unplastered buildings with dusty floors). I wouldn't want to imagine the quality of teachers and the earning capacity of his parents(clients).

Lunch was a simple affair of bananas, beef, millet, beans, groundnut paste, and rice(this was doled out to those personally known to the servers). Cheap beer was in plenty, and so was soda. They must have assumed no one wanted water at such a feast since I failed to get even one bottle of water.

The guests were mainly simple village people, the entertainment was rudimentary and the tents were scantily decorated. The microphone was on and off and the Master of Ceremonies was a simple housewife who was the president of The Legionaries of Mary. The wedding cake(normally the highlight of the function )was the sorriest affair of them all.

What was evident was the aura of excitement and genuine happiness of the guests. It was so palpable that even a blind person could have seen it!

Party 2.

Another teacher was also celebrating his wedding some 5 kilometers away. Though I arrived at the party late, I was greeted by an assortment of well-prepared foods ranging from bananas, Millet, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, rice both fried and steamed, chicken, goat's meat, beef, cabbages, chapatis, pumpkins, pineapples, watermelon, apples, name it. A carton of water was placed near me in case I needed more than one bottle.

The servers and Master of Ceremonies were hired and the cake was in a tent of its own.

Wine and spirits were served in bottles. Tables with good beer were in easy rich of the guests.

Dress-wise, it looked like a fashion show. The drinking and merry-making went on till way past midnight.

The guests were glued to their phones, scrolling through God-knows-what.

I guess the first party is the Uganda I know, and the Second is the Uganda people imagine.

Story 3.

Today, I attended the burial of a thirteen-year-old girl. Her mother gave birth to three girls, two of whom are disabled. They can talk, hear, and eat, but can't walk. The firstborn is okay.

Their dad passed on last year, leaving them in a hovel that defies description. It has a general sitting area and a bedroom. The windows are matchboxes and the floor is dusty. The walls are made of mud and wattle and old iron sheets make up the roof.

Africans are social animals and the whole village contributed food for the mourners to eat. No digging takes place when a village mate dies, so no one has an excuse for not attending. The community members contributed money for the purchase of a coffin, and they also dug the grave.

I had never seen the girls but had been employing their mother on a casual basis.
I thought I had seen poverty in its rawest forms, but this was something I could never have imagined. You wouldn't wish such destitution even on your worst enemy.
Note:I come from the part of the country that others deem wealthy.

On a positive note, the local leaders have started a campaign to fundraise and construct a brick house for the family, but will they feed them as well? By the way, I didn't spot a toilet anywhere.
P.S. If you Google the village house of the speaker of Uganda's parliament, you will get to know the other side of the story.

Hope I have satisfied your curiosity.
I will be back tomorrow with an update about my venture.

 

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[JordanK]

@Awakened2022 Thanks for the updates and cool posts. I am learning so much about a part of the world that doesn't get much attention here in Ireland. Keep up the good work with the business!

 

[Awakened2022]

@Awakened2022 Thanks for the updates and cool posts. I am learning so much about a part of the world that doesn't get much attention here in Ireland. Keep up the good work with the business!

@JordanK, you are welcome. Glad to know you are from Ireland because Dublin is one city I dream of visiting when the gods smile at me(the only foreign country I have been to is Rwanda_our neighbor to the South).

Why do I love Dublin? I read Maeve Binchy's The Glass Lake and Dublin People and was smitten with Ireland.

 

[Isaac Odongo]

They must have assumed no one wanted water at such a feast since I failed to get even one bottle of water.

A semi drinker like me would surely treat that beer like they were my in-laws. I wouldn't touch them.

And yet the people were happy. Which is fantastic.

A carton of water was placed near me in case I needed more than one bottle.

OMG! You were in a water party.

I am a semi teetotaler.

I would be well catered for.

I have noticed lot's of people around Uganda adore pork.

In my small city there's a suburb renowned for it. It is dedicated to pork.

Everyone who comes to town is quickly given the initiation.

 

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[Awakened2022]

End of August Update

The rains have betrayed us, and I imagine this is a sign of tough times to come. It has only drizzled twice since August 15th. Previously, most of the planting used to be done in August and early September. This is the major planting season for bananas, coffee, beans, maize, peas and coffee. I shudder to think of what food prices will be next year given that most have doubled this year.

Nonetheless, our people have a saying that," A farmer looks at the soil, not the sky." Encouraged that the cassava I planted in June has germinated despite there being no rain at all, I have convinced my brother-in-law to allow me to use his land ( about half an acre) for a year, and he has agreed. In effect, together with three of my workers, we planted 680 cultivars on Monday, and we have planted 530 today (at a spacing of 1 meter by 1 meter). I hope to plant 300 more tomorrow.

I have also engaged the services of 5 women to plant beans for me tomorrow. I can only supervise them since I am unable to do serious digging because I have had 5 cesarean deliveries and such work causes me some bit of ache in the lower abdomen.

I have two pieces of land that have been plowed and are set for cassava planting as soon as it rains. I hope to plant at least 5,000 cultivars this season and 3000 in February to hit my 10,000 goal.

On the market front, I guess I have cemented my stance as the lady with good cassava chips. The one tonne I bought is almost sold out, the good news being that we have started selling in bulk eg 100kg sacks.

The store is doing fairly well save for the fact that we are not reinvesting the profits because the economy is tottering and other than salaries, which are a pittance, our schools haven't paid our allowances since May. Mind you, I have two rents to pay, 5 workers, and 7 kids to educate. No wonder, for me the the fast lane is something I must achieve for the sake of changing my family's narrative of scarcity.

Following the Member of Parliament's shout-out to the Local Leaders, we had a visit from the District Production Department and they deemed us eligible for solar irrigation. It is done on a cost-sharing basis and we shall soon need to raise about $1700.

The cassava I planted in April(900) is now four months old and has some tubers already. Let me attach a picture.

I guess that is it for now.

Till it rains,

Aura.

 

[Awakened2022]

Po

A semi drinker like me would surely treat that beer like they were my in-laws. I wouldn't touch them.

And yet the people were happy. Which is fantastic.

OMG! You were in a water party.

I am a semi teetotaler.

I would be well catered for.

I have noticed lot's of people around Uganda adore pork.

In my small city there's a suburb renowned for it. It is dedicated to pork.

Everyone who comes to town is quickly given the initiation.

Pork is selling like hotcakes this end.
I raise a few pigs on my farm.

 

[Awakened2022]

The miraculous thing about miracles is that they still happen!

Mine has just happened in the form of the sweet sound of raindrops gently pouring down and quenching the thirst of the land that has for long been scorched by the sun.

And just after I planted more than 250 cassava cultivars.

May good things continue happening to me and you.

 

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[Awakened2022]

September Update.

I am excited to report that I have planted 3250 cassava cultivars so far this season. When I add the around 1200 nearing maturity, that brings me to almost half my goal.

I am going to slow down about planting and resume in February when my sharecroppers harvest their millet. That piece of land should accommodate around 1,500 plants.

Even if I do not hit my goal of 10,000 plants, my calculations already show me that short of the weather being unfriendly, I will harvest enough cassava to serve my local customers next year.

On the cassava front, I won't be having big updates to make until April next year when I harvest the first batch.

In the meantime, I will be posting some updates about the changing trends in the demand and supply of cassava flour and chips so that by the time mine comes on the market, I know what to expect.

Presently, it rains almost daily, and we don't expect fresh supplies since few people have solar dryers this end and the majority depend on natural sunshine to dry the chips.

If you think there is something I should be doing either to prepare the market for my produce, increase its value, or raise capital for the purchase of a solar dryer, feel free to share it with me.

Looking forward to life,

Aura.

 

[Awakened2022]

End of September Update

On Monday, I woke up to the sweet sight of a PM from one Fastlaner rooting for my venture and asking if he could help me if ever I became interested in selling in his country. While I am still miles away from dreaming of being an exporter, I tremendously appreciate your interest. It woke me up to the fact that I still had a scarcity mindset. I am now exploring that possibility for when my cassava gets ready for harvesting.

As if the stars were reading your thoughts, a friend of my sister has promised to network with her friends who export agricultural products to see how they can help me get mine into foreign markets. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

On the planting front, I have planted 600 more on my brother-in-law's piece of land. I guess that is all the planting I will do for this year since getting cultivars was getting more difficult.

Interestingly, more than ten people have expressed interest in buying from me some of the cultivars of the improved variety which I sourced from the National Agricultural Research Organisation. The culture here though is that you cannot sell cultivars or sweet potato vines to your neighbor, and my conscience wouldn't give me peace if I did.

I plan to get in touch with our female member of parliament and convince her that distributing the cultivars to local women's groups would go a long way in securing her votes come election time in 2026. I will then offer to sell her the cultivars. I have become a schemer, haven't I?

I recently attended a fundraising function where she was one of the guests and I used the opportunity to introduce myself to her. So, she won't view me as a total stranger when I pull my move on her. Hopefully, this too will come to fruition.

I realized my venture was attracting local attention when a neighbor wondered loudly if I was planning to build a cassava factory. He couldn't have been more spot-on.

In the market, things have slowed down a bit, but my heart leaps every time I see my neighbors offloading cassava flour from the capital city. I know they will be offloading mine next year.

I guess that is it for now. Thanks for accompanying me on this incredible journey of optimism and discovery.

Till then,

Aura.

 

[Awakened2022]

Silent October

Nothing big is happening here save for the fact that I have more time on my hands since the candidate classes are beginning their national exams on Monday. Hopefully, I will find some need to fill and make some money on the side. Any suggestions are welcome.

At the grocery store, many traders are counting losses as they had purchased millet, beans, and maize flour expensively in anticipation of price increases. No one could have predicted that Tanzania would flood the Ugandan market with cheaper foodstuffs. Even cassava flour has seen its price plummet. Are there lessons in predicting markets?

In the meantime, it is raining steadily and my cassava gardens look good. Till next year when I start harvesting the crop, I cannot invite you to a victory dance yet.

One thing I have learned these past few months is that I need to look for traders who will buy my produce in bulk so that I make deliveries say twice a month and concentrate on the drying and processing end to preserve the quality.

I have been looking at the possibility of getting into the export market, and boy, is it daunting! Company registration, T I N, fumigation, certification...I have broached the subject with hubby, but he is up to his neck in bills and the children's fees. I will bring it up again when I sense some breathing space.

A member here( God bless you) suggested that I could apply for grants to raise money for the solar dryer. I am constantly on the lookout for grant opportunities, and I have applied to one advert so far.

All in all, October is promising to be silent this end. The sales are negligible since many people have cassava chips due to the preceding dry months we enjoyed.
My competitive advantage will be my ability to dry the chips during the rainy season. So focus is on the dryer.
P.S: I haven't pitched to the member of Parliament about the cultivars since I deemed it necessary to do so when they are mature and ready for harvesting. If she buys into the idea then, I can begin counting money.
P.P.S:My first born is doing his End of Ordinary Level Exams starting on Monday. Some good luck wishes directed his way can't do any harm.

Thanks for walking with me on this journey of financial improvement(freedom? ).

Till next time.

Aura.

 

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[WestCoast]

@Awakened2022

This is a very inspiring story. Congratulations on making a business work in conditions most of us wouldn't dream of.
So many of us complain if our internet is slow.... or the amazon box is late.
You are petitioning the ministers of your government to get reliable electricity.

And you're making things happen.
It's great to see.

Thank you for keeping us updated as well. You're growing a crop, depending on the weather and traders and all sorts of things. It's just so fascinating compared to what most of us know.


--
I've only been to Uganda once, but I've spent a chunk of time in many African countries.
For the most part, I've always been impressed by the hustle and fortitude of everyone.
There is so much going on, young people trying to make money, doing anything neccessary.
I am always energized when I visit.


Onwards!!

 

[Awakened2022]

@Awakened2022

This is a very inspiring story. Congratulations on making a business work in conditions most of us wouldn't dream of.
So many of us complain if our internet is slow.... or the amazon box is late.
You are petitioning the ministers of your government to get reliable electricity.

And you're making things happen.
It's great to see.

Thank you for keeping us updated as well. You're growing a crop, depending on the weather and traders and all sorts of things. It's just so fascinating compared to what most of us know.


--
I've only been to Uganda once, but I've spent a chunk of time in many African countries.
For the most part, I've always been impressed by the hustle and fortitude of everyone.
There is so much going on, young people trying to make money, doing anything neccessary.
I am always energized when I visit.


Onwards!!

Thanks for the kind words. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Uganda.

I don't know what my life would be if I had not found M.J.'s books and this amazing forum.

I am confident my narrative will be book-worthy in the next two years. Thanks for cheering me on.

Aura.

 

[Awakened2022]

Saintly November.

This far hath the Lord brought me!

I have been reading through my progress and was amazed by the changes that can occur in a space of six months. From May when my idea was born up to today, a seed was sowed and previously redundant space now boasts a luxuriant cassava garden!

The price of good quality cassava flour still stands at 2500 shs. The supply of dry cassava chips has come to a halt since it rains almost daily. The quality of the flour from the capital is not as good as mine, and now more people are finding their way to my store.

The demand has been increasing steadily since we are starting the Christmas festive season. Schools have started releasing senior four candidates, hence more mouths to feed. The hunger situation in villages is alarming, and some homes are living on a single meal a day. This means I will easily get farmhands to help in harvesting my beans later this month.

In other news, an official from the National Water and Sewerage Corporation came to our village last Saturday to carry out estimates for the extension of piped water. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

If you are in Africa and wondering what to do, why not go into food production and processing?

Anyway, I wanted to post my progress for October, and hope November lives up to its reputation of being a busy month for those who sell foodstuffs here.

Below are pictures of the 5 months-old garden and a tuber.

Greetings from Uganda.
Till next time, Aura.

 

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[EL_00]

Saintly November.

This far hath the Lord brought me!

I have been reading through my progress and was amazed by the changes that can occur in a space of six months. From May when my idea was born up to today, a seed was sowed and previously redundant space now boasts a luxuriant cassava garden!

The price of good quality cassava flour still stands at 2500 shs. The supply of dry cassava chips has come to a halt since it rains almost daily. The quality of the flour from the capital is not as good as mine, and now more people are finding their way to my store.

The demand has been increasing steadily since we are starting the Christmas festive season. Schools have started releasing senior four candidates, hence more mouths to feed. The hunger situation in villages is alarming, and some homes are living on a single meal a day. This means I will easily get farmhands to help in harvesting my beans later this month.

In other news, an official from the National Water and Sewerage Corporation came to our village last Saturday to carry out estimates for the extension of piped water. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

If you are in Africa and wondering what to do, why not go into food production and processing?

Anyway, I wanted to post my progress for October, and hope November lives up to its reputation of being a busy month for those who sell foodstuffs here.

Below are pictures of the 5 months-old garden and a tuber.

Greetings from Uganda.
Till next time, Aura.

Hi mam,

Just read your thread from the start. You looks like the live version of Stardew valley game that I love to play.

Some questions
1)what did you do with the leaves of cassavas? in my country it becomes a delicacy/ vegetables that goes along in many meals. I just hope it will not be wasted.

2) do you think cassavas suitable to be plant on dry land? My mom's land in hometown is so dry that we cannot planted rice on it. Only chocolate trees and palm trees, which in my calculation has high initial cost and suitable networking to sell those. Cassavas for me is low cost, low care, and based on you write has many derivative products

Love and thank you

p.s what happened to the girl who lost her mother? It breaks my heart, I wish her relatives could take care of her

 

[lifemaker]

After reading @ Prime Periwinkle's reply to@ @ Marcus Aurelius' request for guidance, I decided to start this thread so that I may not be the faker she mentions after two years.

I joined this forum two years ago after reading TMFL. I had had a series of FTEs at my workplace and in my financial life that one of my goals was to become a millionaire and drive my life.

Since joining the forum, I have seen a massive transformation in my life, especially mindset-wise. When I first came here, I was asking if $240 should hold me hostage. I received lots of support and advice, some of which I implemented.

I am happy to announce that come next year around this time, I will no longer be held hostage by such a paltry amount.

HAVE I ROBBED A BANK, OR KILLED A EUROPEAN?

No! I have found an idea the execution of which is guaranteed to free me from the clutches of a job that no longer holds any attraction for me.

Is the idea SEXY?

It is the most unsexy, and that is what makes it a must-win.

Early this year, I changed my business from a small retail shop to a grocery store. My funds were pretty small, but my head was full of ideas garnered from this forum. The store is in the central district shopping center where retailers from all over the district shop. No MBA could have taught me the lessons I have since learned.

The most important one is that NO BUSINESS PLAN SURVIVES CONTACT WITH THE MARKET. I went in guns blazing ready to secure tenders from various schools for the supply of maize flour only to learn that I would need lots of capital to pull off such a feat.

In my introduction as Anon 05554, I mentioned that we as a family own agricultural land and we're beginning to earn more from the farm than from our day jobs. Because of the farm, we rarely buy food items. Hence, I didn't know that there was a big demand for dried cassava chips and high-quality cassava flour.

I launched my new business with half a tonne of beans, a tonne of maize,200kgs of millet, and 400kgs of dried cassava chips (all produced on my farm). Because I had produced them myself, and my mother taught us to produce clean food, the quality was out of this world.

Within two weeks, I had sold everything. It was then I appreciated the meaning of a productocracy. Referrals were coming in to the extent people started leaving their contacts so I could notify them when I brought in fresh supplies!

WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS?

I have decided to grow cassava. A kilo of cassava flour sells for slightly less than a dollar and a cassava plant can at worst give one kilo. So, to make over $10k a year, I need to plant over 10000 cassava plants. An acre accommodates 4000 plants at a spacing of 1 meter by one meter. This means I need about three acres of land.


I have always grown cassava for home consumption. I know which variety yields more, which one makes a good dish, and which makes quality dry chips.

I have already planted around 2000 cassava plants and hope to hit the 10000 mark in August when the rainy season starts. I will use our land and even rent some of my inlaws'.

The major challenge will be how to dry such big quantities. I am looking into the possibility of constructing a solar dryer.

Uganda is facing a big food crisis with the population growing at a supersonic rate without a corresponding increase in agricultural investments. The price of food items has doubled and I don't expect that of cassava to go down any time soon.

I will be updating this thread whenever there is a new development. I want to look back two years from today and laugh at how small my dreams were.

I am looking at $100k a year as some big money to start with since I only make $240 a month as a teacher of English in a government secondary school.

I hope to leverage the fertile soils in my area, the fact that I already have a grocery store with a steady stream of customers, and the fact that farming comes naturally to me(I would rather spend the day chopping cassava than marking exam scripts).

My value skew will be unparalleled cleanliness and timely delivery since I will be drying it on my farm. (Currently, my neighbors order theirs from the capital).

If you have read this far, thank you. I have a lot to say, but typing on a phone has its limitations.

Looking forward to a year of growth and plenty of advice from those who know better. Good night good people.

firstly, good luck to you and your close ones.

secondly, your story is life-changing.
I have read it all and feel that me: 15 year old boy in a very rich country, have not just comfortable, but a luxury life compared to you.
and yet you still make history,
and yet still excuses come to mind when thinking of getting a part time job for domain experience. idiotic.

All in all you took the phrase "Actions skew the probability, which others mistake for luck" seriously enough to make history.
Whish you all good and to never give up