Everlyne
Cherobon,
heading Emeden Kenya was awarded the EMRC-Rabobank Project
Incubator Award, receiving a cash prize of US$15,000 during the EMRC-UNDP
AgriBusiness Forum in Johannesburg.
Competing
against 4 other candidates representing various countries and projects
throughout Africa, Cherobon was overwhelmed with emotion as her name was
announced in front of a joyous and ecstatic crowd.
EMRC cought up with Everlyne for an update on her post win of the EMRC-Rabobank Project Incubator Award:
EMRC: The AgriBusiness Forum 2011
was a defining moment for you and your business. Tell us how you felt the
moment your name was announced and what this prize means to you?
Everlyne Cherobone:
Indeed, winning the prize
was a defining moment for me and my business. It is difficult to put in words,
exactly how I felt when my project emerged the winner. It sounded surreal like
it was about someone else. It was only the following day that I truly believed
my project had won. Winning this prize, means for me a vote of confidence on
what I hope to do with smallholder farmers in the drylands of Kenya. It means there
is business sense in working with smallholder farmers in Africa. It means a lot
of attention needs to be focused on them.
EMRC:
In 2010, you were named
runner up for the Project Incubator Award. What did you do to improve and
ensure that you were nominated as the winner this year?
EC:
Before going to the AgriBusiness Forum 2010 in Uganda, I had received very little encouragement and
support for my work with smallholder farmers. Indeed my peers felt that I was
wasting my Agribusiness Management degree by working especially with farmers
from drylands due to the myriad of problems facing them. However, I nurtured my
vision and kept working on it. During the Uganda forum, I met so many successful practitioners and I received a high level of motivation that fired me to devote
more time and resources on scaling up my work. As a result I developed an
integrated model that not only addressed production and marketing problems but
also input supply and financial access. I also did a wider outreach and
increased membership of smallholder farmers. I established farmers resource
centres to act as linking points for farmers. I want to believe this is what
improved my chances of winning.
EMRC:
Having won the coveted
Project Incubator Award prize, where do you see Emeden Kenya in the next 5
years. What are your projections for the company?
EC:
Within the next 5
years, EMEDEN Kenya will be a key and
leading player in rural agribusiness in Kenya. It is expected that it will be a
household name, especially among rural farmers in drylands. By the end of 2012,
total turnover is expected to be over $25,000 and this should increase fivefold
in 5 years time to at least $100,000.
EMRC:
Your story and path to
success can be considered an inspiration to all people wishing to establish a
small to medium enterprise in Africa. What words of advice do you have for
those wanting to emulate your success?
EC:
First of all in Africa
we need to change our attitude towards acquiring an education. Most parents
educate their children with the sole aim of making them get white collar jobs.
Very few ever advise their children to go to school, and help create jobs by
themselves. The focus should be in developing entrepreneurial skills and
changing attitudes towards rural life. In Africa more than 80% of the
population live in rural areas and indeed most African economies rely on
agriculture. This means, our sole focus should be on developing this key
strength. My advise therefore to all aspiring entrepreneurs is to look back in
rural Africa and see the opportunities and develop systems to exploit it. There
is a lot of unexploited gold in rural Africa.
EMRC:
As the 2011 winner you will
automatically be invited at next year’s Agribusiness Forum. What topics linked
to the Agri-Food sector do you feel should be discussed in 2012 and what do you
say to those wanting to apply to the 2012 Project Incubator Award?
EC:
- Developing rural
infrastructure as a key to opening up investment in rural Africa
- Harnessing rural
financial services
- Land policies and
rural agribusiness
- Dryland farming and
technology
My word of advise to
aspiring 2012 Project Incubator Award applicants: The key winning strength is
linking your enterprise with rural smallholder farmers in a win win
relationship. Develop this and you are sure to win. Transfer knowledge, skills,
expertise on developing agriculture to rural smallholder farmers and you will
transform Africa and become a winner.
For more information about the 2011 EMRC-Rabobank Project Incubator
click here