Alone moments to think is a skill that one must cultivate.  It is very difficult to shut the door on all the noise that is around us.  From social media, not forgetting all the pressure from the perception that you have been

Many years ago,I spend quite a bit of time empowering the rural youth on entrepreneurship.  One of the exercises,

In today’s world quiet moments have become difficult. 

So, what is a cocoon moment.  The term refers to the

One of my absolute favorite Bible verses is 1 Thessalonians 4:11 “That you aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your own hands, as we

Cocoon moments are also moments of creativity and business strategy.  It is in my cocoon moments I have found the guts and the strength to make my most difficult, risky and scary life’s decision.  Innovations is another benefit of cocoon moments.  God has placed such

In my cocoon moments, I also get to hear God remind me that I have a role to play in encouraging others to dare dream and trust God for their cocoon moments.  I may not sing like my favorite gospel singer, but God reminds me that the same way I have found encouragement in the

Kenya’s informal economy constitutes of US$136 billion. Today we are seeing large companies including leading supermarkets beginning to sell open sacks which will allow Africa’s Informal markets to cut their cloth according to the size of their pockets.  Today, package unit size no longer work, Africa wants what they can afford.

Kenya’s Safaricom and Airtel have realized Africa’s micro mass market is the way to go.  And they have literally disrupted if not taken business away from many leading companies that provide pay television and high-speed internet services such as Zuku. Kenya’s Safaricom and Airtel hit the “Kadogo Economy” by selling their products and services at their lowest divisible level and allowing consumers to make small daily purchases.

Vitual tills either for shops, banks, or other services providers in the form of Mpesa Tills, Poshi La Biashara and Paybills are very important services and products offering from Safaricom and Airtel in on boarding Africa’s micro and small entrepreneurs into mobile money.  Kenya is virtually using mobile money to pay for everything.  This has also seen the rise of several mobile applications that are taking part in the mobile money space. 

Did you know Kenya leads in the world Tiktok usage? According to Reuters Institute Digital News report 2023, Kenya has 54% of global TikTok usage, followed by Thailand and South Africa. Tiktok has created one massive platform that allows every African to showcase their talent and compete with many internationalbrands.  Many micro entrepreneurs are turning smart phones into virtual shops, wallets, as well as electronic transaction receipts especially when dealing with taxes, which drastically cuts down on operating expenses.

The entertainment industry in rural Africa is booming business.  Young African MC’s who would never compete with celebrities are making serious money, by simply showcasing their services online.  Today, we can truly say the world is flat, it is an even playing ground for all entrepreneurs across the globe regardless.

An old and very valuable African tradition we unintentionally lost, which we are currently heavily paying the price for is youth mentorship.  See! In the African traditional custom, the family which normally went beyond the parents and children, and included aunties and uncles, would gather outside and sit around a fire to share stories. 

The women would normally sit around the fire in the kitchen with their grandmothers, while the elders sat outside, mentoring the young men.  The African Three-legged stool is where as young African women, we were taugh how to sit properly with our legs closed together.  My maternal grandmother used

The entertainment mainly through the television and social media with all its benefit, has replaced mentorship in many homes. Mentorship has completely been removed from many homes, especially today for the young person who is not really involved in church programs, youth clubs, or professional clubs.  Today many young people are clueless on the many life skills that used to be passed on around a fire in many African homes.  In this series of African Youth in Agribusiness, I hope to share my stories to inspire young people as an African Mother, wife, trader, especially as a woman in technology to cause Africa to think differently especially about Africa’s Agricultural markets and trade.

Did you know the total value of Snail Import in 2022 was US$61,801,000 (Ksh9,412,292,300) against exports of US$59,520,000 (Ksh9,064,896,000). With a shortage of US$2,281,000 (Ksh347,396,300), and I have been busy killing snails because they are eating away at my fruit seedlings. I have been using the self-watering plants technology to grow my fruit seedlings using my recycled kitchen water waste. When I noticed a lot of snails around the plastic bottles. It was peaceful co-existence at first, until they started eating at my seedlings, then it became personal.

Suicidal thoughts amongst women entrepreneurs seem to be on the rise.  In the last couple of months, I have found myself amid conversations with women entrepreneurs who have lost a

In my most recent conversation was at a hospital, where one female entrepreneur openly admitted that she was there because she had contemplated suicide a few times.  When asked her why? She simply told me that she owed a lot of money because her business had failed.  It turns out the lady was lending out money to people for a fee. She had investors whom she got money from, then she in turn loaned out the money at an interest.  Without going into much details it turns out that she was conned.  She cannot exactly recall how but before she knew it she had lost all the money investors had given her, now she was having to deal with a lot of threatening calls and harassment from her creditors.

I was intrigued that if the money was not the problem, especially if she was confident that she could pay it all back.  Why kill yourself I asked?  Do you have any children?  She happily said she had children, and they were not small children. My mouth went ahead of me, and I asked her if she realized that most people would probably forget about her within two weeks after her

By the way why am I trying to kill myself? I was like “You tell me?”

Recycling my Kitchen water waste has become my new obsession, especially after seeing how it has slowing converted me into a horticulture farmer.  Many farmers and medium traders have reached out to me asking if I could develop a horticultural market information website similar to my current one for dry agricultural commodity trade www.bettagrains.com.  I toyed with the idea, but really lacked the incentive to do it, because I was not particularly trading in fresh produce.  Yes, I have data on the horticulture but data without any street business smartness especially from the African informal market’s perspective was not enough motivation for me. I saw the need but lacked the incentive to develop the website.

Until one day as I was watering my mangoes and avocado seedings I noticed a tomatoes plant sprouting near my mangoes and avocado seedlings.  Then a thought to myself, let’ssee what will happen, so I continued watering it along with my mangoes and avocado seedlings.  Before long another tomatoes

Hi my name is Fostina FOSTINA last name Mani spelt MANI (www.fostinamani.com).  I am the Global Trade Engagement Director at Betta Grains (www.bettagrains.com) am also the Founder of a market place called Mothers of Africa Mobile Soko (www.mothersofafricamobilesoko.com).  I believe Africa can feed itself.  I believe Africa can profit from agriculture trade.  And that is why I am championing for an Agricultural Markets Revolution that favours Africa.

Well, the tomatoes did grow, and kept on growing.  What I had not realized was the few seeds from my chopping board had found their way into my small garden through my recycled kitchen water. The tomatoes ignited an additional passion of playing around with different types of seeds.  I ventured into passion fruit farming, the only problem was it was during the dry season, and both my husband and especially my mother-in-law did not seem to understand my logic.  They gave me a lecture or two about how not to plant when it is not rainy season.  However, seeing that I was raised in the city, they decided to humor my excitement and figured out I would soon find out for myself when my passion fruits dry up.  In addition to the passion fruits, I also

So, I planted my mangoes, avocadoes, and passion fruits.  I had also carried water in plastic bottles, I was going to use the plastic bottles for drip irrigation by simply making a hole on the lid of the plastic bottle which I would turn upside down.  I also incorporate the zai pits (planting pockets, or basins), so that water can last longer.

Africa is heavily dependent on rain feed agriculture, even though every homestead using a minimum of about 80 liters of water daily.  Most of that water is used in the kitchen and in washing clothes.  If each family would collect only 60 liters of kitchen waste daily, that is more than enough water to grow enough onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and every type of food consumed in every homestead both during and after the rainy season.  There is a myth that Africans believe.  That soapy water will dry the seedlings.  That is not true, I use both the water waste from both the kitchen and that used in washing clothes and am yet to see any seedling die.  I hope you have enjoyed my story. Thank you for listening to me. 

Is there Maize Demand in Kenya? Yes! about 3.9 million MTs is what is required for Kenya’s

How come we cannot find any maize in Nairobi?  Maize queries from both buyers and sellers have been our most frequently asked questions.  We have compiled a very well researched, and business focused maize report.  That will help traders make more informed business decisions.  Such as where are the profitable business opportunities within Kenya’s counties.  What is the size of the maize business opportunity in Kenya Shillings and US Dollars? What is the most profitable county to sell the maize? What prof it should one expect from a 28MTs container or trailer of maize?  Where else should a trader sell the maize besides Nairobi? What are the profit margins in Out-Of-County trades especially for a 28MTs of maize? How much should I sell my maize? Are there risks traders and farmers should be aware of? What about fluctuation of Maize Market Prices?

We have extensively studied maize market demands and supplies, against prevailing market prices.  Using our experience as traders, we have also factored in the various logistical costs to better advise you on what profit a trader can make on a 28MTs container or trailer of maize. There are counties where it is more profitable to sell the maize within that county than selling across other counties.

Is there Maize Demand in Kenya? Yes! about 3.9 million MTs is what is required for Kenya’s

How come we cannot find any maize in Nairobi?  Maize queries from both buyers and sellers have been our most frequently asked questions.  We have compiled a very well researched, and business focused maize report.  That will help traders make more informed business decisions.  Such as where are the profitable business opportunities within Kenya’s counties.  What is the size of the maize business opportunity in Kenya Shillings and US Dollars? What is the most profitable county to sell the maize? What prof it should one expect from a 28MTs container or trailer of maize?  Where else should a trader sell the maize besides Nairobi? What are the profit margins in Out-Of-County trades especially for a 28MTs of maize? How much should I sell my maize? Are there risks traders and farmers should be aware of? What about fluctuation of Maize Market Prices?

We have extensively studied maize market demands and supplies, against prevailing market prices.  Using our experience as traders, we have also factored in the various logistical costs to better advise you on what profit a trader can make on a 28MTs container or trailer of maize. There are counties where it is more profitable to sell the maize within that county than selling across other counties.

I have been looking but there are no jobs offers. I have just lost my job. What do I do? What business should I start? Am stuck in the village with no job prospects. What do I do? What agribusiness venture can I start? Am seriously worried about what I will do when I retire? What can I do to earn money quickly? I want to move my business to the next level. What do I do? I hate my job, but I have bills to pay. What do I do? Am tried of making others rich. When will I work for myself and be rich from my work?

These are just but a few of the many questions I get asked a lot from many Africans youth, and many agribusiness entrepreneurs as well as professionals. The root cause without a doubt is uncertainty with regard to what ones talents, giftings, calling, and skills. The uncertainty I have discovered lies in the lack of discovering the beauty of quietness in thinking.

Hi, my name is Fostina Mani, am the Global Trade Engagement Director, Betta Grains www.bettagrains.com and Founder of a private marketplace Mothers of Africa Mobile Soko www.mothersofafricamobilesoko.com. Am a recognized sector leader in Africa’s Agriculture, am credible, reputable and much sort after global trade engagement facilitator by many development partners, non-profit organization, and foreign government commercial attaches seeking partnerships and distribution opportunities for trade in Africa’s mass markets especially the bottom of the pyramid. As a woman of the Christian Faith, am serving God by championing for an agricultural markets revolution that favours Africa, as my contribution towards #Agenda2063 – The Africa We Want. Am using my social media platforms #Legacy2063byFostinaMani to serve farmers, traders, women in agribusiness, and youthful (young, mature, retired) professionals to create the “Africa We Want”.

I recently stumbled on this verse “Surely, I have calmed and quiet my soul. Like a weaned child, resting with his mother. My soul is like a weaned child within me composed and freed from discontent. Psalms 131:2 (Amplified). The art of individual critical thinking is one of the most difficult things I have seen individuals struggle with. The discipline to just sit quietly by yourself with your thoughts especially positive thoughts that lead to problem solving ideas is an art many have not discovered. Yet there within lies the answers to the many questions raised above.

My heart breaks every time I see Africa youth idling wasting time because they simply do not know what to do with themselves. Yes, unemployment may be high, and even those able to find jobs, the money is not all that. There are those who know they do not want to work for anyone, but the question is what businesses they start. What pains me the most is Africa’s rural youth, who have so much land within their reach and yet cannot think of any projects they can come up with. Land is God’s best gift for Africa. Yet! Africa has youth who cannot wait to get out of the rural areas to the urban cities.

Did you know Africa is doing extremely well in the fresh and frozen potatoes trade. Some African country exported USD264, 319,000 worth of fresh and frozen potatoes, while African countries imported USD127,884,000 worth of fresh and frozen potatoes, given Africa a positive trade balance of USD136,435,000. Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, and Tanzania were those that exported millions of dollars’ worth of potatoes. While Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, and Malawi were sadly importing potatoes in the millions of USD. This tells me Africans especially youth and women, have no business complaining about unemployment, there are opportunities worth millions of USD within and around your country.

One of my all-time favorite bible verse is found in Isaiah 55. “As the rain and snow comes down to water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud. That it may give seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater”. This statement perfectly describes agriculture as Africa’s solution to agricultural transformation in identifying the seeds to sow.

I recently celebrated my son’s traditional marriage, and as we gifted our future in-laws with the dowry. They also blessed us with lots and lots of potatoes, cabbages, and bananas. All of us left with abundance, which was such a gift especially considering the effects of drought in Kenya, especially for my people in Ukambani.

After ensuring everyone who participated had more than enough of their share of the gifts, as the mother of the groom. I found myself with more potatoes than my husband and I could consume. Then I remember my family had land. It’s not lush green, but rather extremely dry, in fact at the time of my visit it was more like grey, not brown with hardly any green. Then I thought to myself, I wonder if I can still use my recycled water to grow those potatoes in sacks. 

See as I planted my potatoes my people of Ukambani and pretty much many African countries were waiting for the rain. As I watered my potatoes with recycled water, many wondered if the soapy water would not kill the plants. A myth believed by many, but my potatoes kept growing, as my people still waited for the rain. Not to mention the price of potatoes has skyrocketed. My potatoes have flowered as my people still wait for the rain. The weather forecast has predicted poor rainfall, not to mention the delayed rainfalls. Yet my people are still waiting for the rain. I will harvest my potatoes as my people still wait for the rain.  Who would have thought a simple bible verse would have lead to such an innovative disruption and dismantling of such limiting beliefs with regard to using recycled water to grow food. Much to my surprise the potatoes in Makueni have done much better than the potatoes in Nairobi. Am suspecting lots of sunshine has everything to do with it.

Planting potatoes in sacks was such a game changer in Zimbabwe, I was pleasantly surprised to see how Zimbabwean farmers where able to bring the price of potatoes down, by simply planting potatoes in sacks, they were able to produce large harvest. It was more effective because they were using less space, more precision watering, and less labor intensity. When I look at current price of potatoes, am so glad I sowed the seeds, because I will not be buying potatoes for a while, and most importantly. I will eat my bread and remember to keep some seed for sowing. I no longer have buy potatoes, that is money saved, and I still make money from selling some potatoes. Who said recurring revenue streams can only come from online work. Africa wake up, there are plenty of Agricultural markets opportunities that favour us, no matter the climate, the region, or the season.