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Harness the power of crowd sourcing to improve your business.

 

How to use the power of the crowd to start a business, scale and dominate your sector.

The most successful businesses are built on aggregation, a combination of various teams to deliver a product or service. Business success is about people, process and the tools.

As businesses have become more aware of both the popularity and effectiveness of crowd sourcing, new tools, platforms and strategies have emerged to adopt the practice more effectively.

How do you want to combine the factors of production intelligently to solve a friction in the market? How do you built a relevant team with your tools?

 The world today is a global village creating more opportunities for collaboration.

You want to start a business,solve a problem or create an exceptional product? use the crowd sourcing technique. Do you know why apple products are  highly rated ? a crowd sourcing technique. Getting the very best into your business by understanding the customer experience.

Top brands like Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Oreo are turning to the crowd. It’s not only the popular (and cheap) thing to do. It’s good marketing.

“It is simply becoming attractive because it’s a way of getting ideas through others,” said Ryan Mack, director of strategy at Carrot Creative, a social agency. “No one understands brands better than consumers and the best ideas aren’t necessarily coming from the marketing professionals. The idea is to tap into the collective knowledge of consumers.”

5 Difficult Business Issues Where Collective Intelligence Can Play An Outstanding Role.

 

 The collective intelligence of crowds is increasingly becoming a tool for solving various issues for many companies and organizations. However, these are often very specific and secondary tasks. More positively, at least three inherent factors give collective intelligence truly enormous potential for solving the most important and complicated business issues. 

 Collective intelligence’s power sources.

 1)Diversity It is impossible to foresee in advance what kind of life or professional experience, what features of people’s thinking and mentality, will be useful in solving a particular non-standard task. Non-standard tasks are so called because there is no pre-known list of standard competencies with which they can be solved. Sometimes it seems to a company that in order to solve its issue, it needs people with the competencies of perhaps a lawyer or an architect (because this was the case with previous tasks). However, it could turn out that a veterinarian or an art critic will be able to provide a solution. The more diverse the crowd, the more chances of success through using collective crowd intelligence.

2) Resource sharing. Putting in fractions of resources to acquire a product, properties or business stocks. Starting a venture in agribusiness with zero capital, crowd cow is the model. 

3) Scaling and expansion Sometimes it is necessary to find new categories of consumers or new sales markets for the goods or services produced by a company. A crowd consisting of people of different nationalities, ages and professions will be able to deliver various options for solving this task in the best way.

Agribusiness: creating innovative products using S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

What is S.C.A.M.P.E.R? This is a creativity tool employed when brainstorming on new product ideas or improving on current products and services. S.C.A.M.P.E.R is an acronym for

 

  S. substitute: what can you change in the product or resources now? 

                       What other product or process could you use? 

                        What rules could you substitute? 

                       can the product be used somewhere else? 

                           can the product be a substitute for something else? 

 C. Combine: what will happen if you combine this product with something else? 

                         what can you combine to maximize the uses of the product? 

 A. Adapt :How to adapt or adjust product to serve another purpose.

 M.Modify : What can you add to product to change the customer experience and create more value. 

 P.Put to another use: create a new way to use product. 

 E. Eliminate:Change some aspects of products, eliminate features not customer centric. 

 R.Reverse:what will happen if you changed the process,how can you re-organize the process or product? 

 This tool is what birthed the Garri revolution. 

1) Substituted garri with corn and produced Cassava flakes. 

2) Combined garri with other ingredients to make bread, cakes and chin-chin. 

3)Adapt: fortifying yellow garri to make extraordinary products.

 4)Modify:packaging garri with peanuts,sugar and milk= Garri on the go! into handy packs for export purposes. 

5)Put to another use: garri puff-puff, garri akara.

 6) Eliminate the notion that you can only drink garri and make eba.

 7)Reverse, reorganize the garri production cycle.

E-Livestock Global Launch Mastercard Blockchain-Based Solution to Bring Visibility to the Cattle Industry in Zimbabwe.

 

E-Livestock Global today launched a first-of-its kind solution powered by Mastercard’s blockchain-based Provenance solution, empowering Zimbabwean farmers to prove the origin and health records of their cattle, while reducing risks to buyers. 

 A first in the Middle East and Africa, the solution brings new hope to the country’s agricultural sector after an outbreak of tick-borne disease in 2018 led to the death of 50,000 cattle. 

The lack of a traceability system has seen Zimbabwe unable to export beef to lucrative markets in Europe and the Middle East in recent years, reducing export earnings from beef, which are important to the country’s economy. 

 The E-Livestock Global solution brings end-to-end visibility to the cattle supply chain. Commercial farmers and dipping officers tag each head of cattle with a unique, ultra-high frequency RFID tag – as mandated by the Ministry of Agriculture – and register it and its owner onto the solution. Each time the animal gets dipped, vaccinated or receives medical treatment, the tag records the event onto the traceability system.

UNESCO and FAO Trains Pastoralist Livelihood and Education Field School (PLEFS) Community facilitators and supervisors in Rumbek, South Sudan.

UNESCO and FAO in partnership with the implementing partners and the three-government line-ministries (General Education and Instructions, Agriculture and Food Security and Livestock and Fisheries) conducted a two-week capacity building training for 63 Pastoralist Livelihood and Education 

Field School teachers/facilitators and 36 County supervisors and State technical working group members from 14 to 27 October 2021 in Rumbek, Lakes State, South Sudan. 

 The capacity building training aimed at increasing the community facilitators’/teachers understanding and knowledge of the integrated Pastoralist Livelihood and Education Field School (PLEFS) approach and methodologies, as well as the curriculum and basic implementation steps in carrying out effective literacy, numeracy and life skills training sessions for the children, youth and adults at the cattle camps. 

UNESCO is partnering with FAO to implement the literacy, numeracy and life skills component of the project to enhance the acquisition of skills, strategies and education essentials for resilient pastoral livelihood by target communities.

Namibia now a net importer of controlled meat products

Namibia now a net importer of controlled meat products.Due to decreasing beef production during 2021 as well as an increase in pork imports, Namibia became a net importer of controlled meat and meat products in 2021. 

A net importer means the country imports more than it exports. Commenting on the monthly trade statistics for the third quarter of 2021, the Meat Board of Namibia pinned it on ongoing re-stocking activity as a result of the drought aftermath that created this unusual trade position.

 “An expected rebound in the cattle sector and better prospects in the sheep sector in the absence of quantitative restrictions is likely to reverse the current scenario,” reads the report. 

 “Exports of beef products increased substantially during the third quarter of 2021 on account of a doubling of the quarterly performance by export abattoirs in comparison to the year 2020.

Flood-mapping tool could change how agricultural planning works

A new flood-mapping tool, containing data from 1985 to now, could be what the Global South needs for agricultural planning that protects food security .

The new data source is the first comprehensive source of flooding information globally. 

  This will be particularly relevant for the Global South, where agricultural output and food security are directly connected to rainfall levels.

 According to one study, tropical rainfall will be drastically impacted by climate change – leading to new levels of flood risk, disaster possibility and food insecurity for people in those regions.

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Jack Ma, known as the founder of Ali Baba, and business partner David Yu visited the Netherlands this Monday for research purposes within the horticulture sector. 

The organizers of the reception, Pierre Bell and Jiayan Cai of the Flexibell Systems Group, speak of a successful visit and thank the receiving companies: World Horti Center, Growers United, Rijk Zwaan, Anthura, and Dutch Sino Business Promotions, as well as the translator Liu Mao (manager China) of Van der Knaap. 

 Jack Ma visited the company's latest automated packaging production line and asked about its daily and annual packaging volume, as well as some industry-related information. 

Jack Ma said that its vegetable outputs were amazing and mentioned that China aims to have the same logistics system in the future.

Recycled plastic films for greenhouse coverings.

Agriplast is a company that produces plastic films for the Italian agricultural and horticultural industry. They are currently using 7 and 5 layer blown film systems and the entire chain is controlled by IT systems. 

 Recently, Agriplast introduced a product line for the agriculture and packaging sectors that is P.S.V. (Second Life Plastics) certified and thus contains recycled raw materials or plastic films containing hollow glass beads to optimize light and heat conditions in green houses.

Horticulture recyclability: what are the eco-friendly alternatives?

Eco-conscious customers demand a reduction in plastics and an increase in sustainable packaging that does not damage the environment. 

After all, horticulture in itself is the preservation and beautification of the environment, so why damage it through lazy packaging? 

 There are a lot of products that are available across the industry to help you keep on top of your recycling game. Eco-friendly plant pots Plant pots can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, stone, metal, and terracotta. 

Terracotta pots are excellent because the manufacturing process does not include any harmful chemicals, and they are porous, which allows for air and water to easily move through to prevent root rot and soil disease. 

 Biodegradable and recyclable labels and tags

 A large portion of Dura-ID's horticultural stock labels has been recyclable since they started producing them, including the main two materials that they use across a large variety of sectors: polyplas and laserplas. Polyplas are horticultural stock labels for thermal printing, while laserplas are used in laser printing. 

The self-tie tags provide an easy identification procedure, even if you are wearing thick gardening #Agribusiness #Agriculture #horticulture #greenhouse #change #circularity.

Seedless snack peppers latest result of change in breeding programme.

 

Snack peppers have been a growth segment for years. New in this segment is a red seedless snack pepper by Eminent Seeds, which will be available on the shelves year-round for the first time next year. 

There is one hectare of the peppers in Spain as well as in the Netherlands, while there is also interest in other countries. "We seamlessly respond to the growth in this segment that seems to have no end," says Sales Manager Niels Koolstra. "With this seedless variety we are one of the first."

 What is special is that, because the variety is seedless, you can eat the snack pepper 'right up to the stem'. "Basically just like an apple, but completely seedless," explains Kevin Valk, Team Lead Pepper Breeding, "and with the same juicy bite." Other notable features are a high brix and a long shelf

Agribusiness, the most successful way to start in India in 2021?.

 

In India, agriculture employs more than 60% of the workforce and is successful despite the AIDS epidemic. India’s agriculture business has great market potential as its population grows steadily. 

 This explains why more and more people are interested in agriculture these days … it benefits the entire population, so it offers a cheap return on investment. 

In addition, there are no additional costs associated with starting this business in combination with other complementary businesses, making it a viable long-term investment. 

 For example, you can do organic farming and at the same time produce organic fertilizer on the same land.

 No additional cash is required except for the investment you need most. #Nigeria #India #America #UK #startupfunding

Researchers identify key indicators for ranch sustainability.

Standardized ecological, social and economic indicators can help ranchers track and communicate about sustainability. 

Livestock grazing on well-managed rangelands can help secure clean water, enhance habitat, address climate change, and sustain rural communities. 

Ensuring the sustainability of livestock agriculture is not only vital to feeding a growing world, but it’s essential to a healthy future, which is why a research team led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) set out to help ranchers more consistently measure, manage, and communicate about the sustainability of their operations. The indicators for sustainability.

How to use Ear tags to detect signs of cattle heat and stress.

The monitoring system includes individual electronic ear tags and corresponding software that sends information straight to a computer or mobile device.

UNIDO Trains 42, 000 Nigerian Entrepreneurs In Six Years.

 

The United Nations Indus trial Organisation (UNIDO), says it has trained 42,000 Nigerian entrepreneurs from 2016 till date. 

 The National Project Coordinator UNIDO HP LIFE, Mr Francis Ukoh, disclosed to newsmen at a five-day training programme for SMEDAN officials in Uyo, recently. 

 Ukoh said the organisation had so far empowered about 418 trainers and 10 master trainers in Nigeria to support the training for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. 

 According to him, the core function of UNIDO is mainly to strengthen and empower institutions of government. 

 To this end, he said that UNIDO had supported various institutions including universities and SMEs across the country. #Agribusiness #foodsecurity #entrepreneurs. #SMEDAN

Agribusiness: how to eat meat without harming animals.

What if you could eat chicken nuggets without harming a chicken? It's possible through "cellular agriculture," says Isha Datar. In a talk about cutting-edge science, she explains how this new means of food production makes it possible to eat meat without the negative consequences of industrial farming, and how it could fundamentally change our food systems for the better. "It's our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a second chance at agriculture," she says.

    

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Agribusiness : How to calculate dressing percentage in slaughtered cattle.

 Cattle business is no doubt profitable  but you can actually calculate the profit if you track the numbers, yes! do the math.

  Cattle business can be broadly divided into:1) sale of live animals. 2) buy the animal, fatten and sell. 3) buy, slaughter and sell. 

 How do you calculate the meat to expect from the carcass ? many people believe that the live weight of the animal is what to expect when animal is slaughtered. A lot of people  are often surprised at quantity of meat after processing because dressing percentage is different from live weight.

  The concept of dressing percentage is key to profit calculation in cattle business, this is the math critical to business evaluation.

  What is dressing percentage and how do you do the math?  The dressing percentage is the portion of the live weight that results in hot carcass weight.

 What is the hot carcass weight? this is the weight of the unchilled carcass after the head,internal organs and hides have been removed. The hot carcass weight for cattle is approximately about  60-64% of the live animal weight. The hot carcass weight can vary from one animal to another depending on some factors.

 The dressing percentage =  hot carcass weight / live weight X 100.

 If an animal weighs 300 kg, working with 62.5% as hot carcass weight means the dressing percentage will be: 187.5 /300 X 100=  62.5. 

The dressing percentage used in the meat industry  does not equate to amount of beef that will be available for sale because the carcass will be divided into various meat cuts.

 The whole animal is cut into halves and separated into front and hind quarters. These quarters are separated into primal cuts ,this is referred to as breaking down the  carcass. The  amount of beef available can be affected by amount of fat in carcass which will be trimmed off or the size /weight of bone because bone can weigh more. 

The more bone is left in the  beef cut the higher the yield percentage but when retail cuts are boneless then the percentage yield will be lower.

   This calculation is a template to determine profit whether you are supplying beef using different cuts or you are selling retail.