THE PRETTY FEMALE FARMER

Did I hear you say, this blogger seems to be a feminist. Guess you are 90 percent right. Sometimes I sit down at a corner in my room and wonder how these perceived fragile being prosper in their homes and profession. Delicate, yet dynamic and industrious.

This brings me to a pretty young farmer on this part of the world, who has established herself as a success in Agro-business - Mosunmola Cynthia Umoru

 

A 2004 graduate of Zoology from the Lagos State University (LASU). An Ashoka fellow. Alumnus of the U.S Department of States International Leadership Programme, and Pan African University under the Enterprise Development Center. Mosunmola is passionate about food, farming, youth’s development and community development.

She registered her company in 2004 when she was in her final year in the university. Honeysuckles PTL Ventures with the primary aim of selling processed food produces was launched to serve food retail chains in the country, when the fast food restaurant industry was emerging in Nigeria.

The first major business her company did was to supply chicken, snails and catfish for some branches of Tantilizers. This business opportunity came when her father tried to get her a paid job. Reluctantly, she went to see the procurement manager for Tantilizers – Her father’s friend and rather than get interviewed for a job, she got a business offer based on her experience in procurement. Though 25years at this time, Motunrayo took the challenge to become a vendor for Tantilizers.

As months passed, she had more outlets to supply and had to borrow money from family and friends to meet the ever increasing demand. By age 27, Motunrayo already owed twenty seven million naira (27m). An equivalent of 1million naira (1m) for every year she had lived. Did you just say, “Oh my God.”

It was during this challenging time, she came across a Goldman Sachs programme sponsoring 10,000 women in business. It was after this programme, Goldman Sach sponsored an article on Motunrayo Cynthia Umoru (aka Pretty Farmer) in in-flight magazine of an American airline. This singular event gave her the push that led to stardom. Soon, she won ‘The Future Nigeria Project Awards in 2009.

As years ran by, scarcity and low quality of farm produce she source for her different clients led her to venture into full time farming. Though started with a 4-Acre leasehold farm, Honeysuckles PTL ventures recently settled into a 25 Hectares (approximately 62.5 acres) property in Ogun State. This will not only increase the production of farm produce for consumption by Nigerians but provide more employment opportunities for the ever increasing unemployed youths. However her new company Harvesters Farm Limited acquired 3000 hectares of land in Osun State for its expansion.

Pretty farmer’s aim is to make farming a glamorous and cool profession to be cherished by all.

Some other achievements, awards and recognition attributed to Mosunmola Cynthia Umoru (alias Pretty Farmer) are listed as follows;

·         Founder, ABIRA Agribusiness Support Initiative

·         Consultant to African Union in 2011 on Youth Development

·         Participated in a book review on Africa Development at the World Bank in 2011.

·         African Union 2011 West African Youth representative

·         Owner, Farmshoppe

·         ELOY recognition Award in association with UBA for Entrepreneur role in the Agricultural Sector 2013

·         Youth representative at the National conference (CONFAB) at Abuja in 2013.

·         Member of the Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria,

·         An affiliate member of Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria

·         Member of Lagos State Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria.

Mosunmola Umoru with Former minister of Agriculture, Mr Akinwunmi Adesina

CREDIT: www.woman.ng, www.girlyessentials.com.ng, www.bellanaija.com, businessdayonline.com, demo.afuyemedia.com, The Fountain magazine