At Fortress Rock Investments Farm, our maize mill supports the community by providing freshly milled flour from locally grown maize. It aids local farmers, delivers essential resources to the community, and enhances food security.
Fortress Rock Investments Farm is in the process of opening an Agro-business shop to enable farmers to buy seed and inputs closer to their farms, improving access and convenience for their agricultural needs
Members have been connected with NBS Bank, resulting in many new accounts. NBS has provided financial literacy training, and Fortress Rock Investments is now an NBS Bank Agent, offering additional banking support and education.
Serves as a buyer for Kilombero rice and groundnuts, providing a reliable market and consistent demand for local farmers. This helps ensure their produce is sold at fair prices and supports their income stability.
PROGRESS MADE
Since its establishment in March 2020, the business has made significant strides in its development and operations. By the third quarter of the same year, the business commenced trading, marking the beginning of its journey in the agricultural sector. Over the past 12 months, the business has achieved a total turnover of MWK120,650,000, with a profit of MWK 31,234,200, reflecting its growing presence and success in the market. Key achievements include securing initial funding to cover establishment and operational costs, which laid a solid foundation for the business's growth. The completion of infrastructure setup, including essential storage facilities, has been crucial in supporting the farm's operations. Additionally, the business has successfully hired a team of skilled agricultural professionals, ensuring effective management and oversight of crop production. In its pursuit of excellence, the business has established valuable partnerships with local suppliers and distributors, ensuring a reliable and efficient supply chain. This strategic move has been instrumental in maintaining a steady flow of resources and products, thereby enhancing the business's operational efficiency. The business is also managing four reliable customer markets for all its products, (ADMARC, Auction, Pyxus and local market). The initiation of the first planting cycle for rice, maize, tobacco, groundnuts, and cassava marked a significant milestone, showcasing the business's commitment to diversifying its agricultural offerings since 2020. During the past four years, a critical lesson learned, has been the importance of conducting thorough market research to identify demand trends for each crop pro-actively. This insight has enabled the business to align its production strategies with market needs, thereby optimizing its output and profitability.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
1. Turnover exceeding MWK120,650,000 in the last 12 months
2. Over MWK31,234,200 profit produced in the last 12 months
3. Secured initial funding to support the establishment and operational costs of the mega farm (2022 - 2023).
4. Secured and adequately managing four large markets for its products (2021 - present).
5. Established and managing partnerships with local and foreign suppliers and distributors to ensure a steady supply chain (2021 - present)
6. Completed the initial setup of infrastructure, including storage facilities (2022)
7. Hired a team of skilled agricultural professionals to oversee crop production and farm management (2020 - present).
8. Initiated the first planting cycle for rice, maize, tobacco, groundnuts, and cassava (2021 - present.
PRODUCTION READINESS
In terms of production readiness, the business has successfully sourced nearly 15% of materials required for the production of its diverse product range, which includes herbicides, pesticides, innoculants, fuel, poles for balan renovations, sprayers and other more. This proactive approach in securing materials ensures that there are no foreseeable disruptions in the production process, allowing for a seamless transition from production to market. The availability of these materials is a testament to the business's preparedness and strategic planning, which are vital for sustaining production efficiency and meeting market demand. With the products being ready for commercial production, the business has commenced operations with land clearing, harrowing already completed . The groundwork laid in terms of regulatory compliance the business expects no limitations from regulatory bodies. Forecast about labour demand has been laid and an action plan has been developed to put into action the next operational activities. As the products are already aligned with market requirements, the focus will shift to executing the marketing strategies in advance to effectively reach potential customers and establish a strong marketing preparedness.
PRODUCTION READINESS
In terms of production readiness, the business has successfully sourced nearly 15% of materials required for the production of its diverse product range, which includes herbicides, pesticides, innoculants, fuel, poles for balan renovations, sprayers and other more. This proactive approach in securing materials ensures that there are no foreseeable disruptions in the production process, allowing for a seamless transition from production to market. The availability of these materials is a testament to the business's preparedness and strategic planning, which are vital for sustaining production efficiency and meeting market demand. With the products being ready for commercial production, the business has commenced operations with land clearing, harrowing already completed . The groundwork laid in terms of regulatory compliance the business expects no limitations from regulatory bodies. Forecast about labour demand has been laid and an action plan has been developed to put into action the next operational activities. As the products are already aligned with market requirements, the focus will shift to executing the marketing strategies in advance to effectively reach potential customers and establish a strong marketing preparedness.