Jola Venture

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As Cameroon’s premier agricultural platform, we provide: (1) micro-financed technologies, (2) capacity building and (3) access to better markets to local producers and high valued food to the general population.

Standings & Awards

591 out of 591 in Africa
139 out of 139 in Agriculture
573 out of 573 in Pilot
1066 out of 1066 in Blended
4003 out of 4003 Overall

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VOTES

Jola Venture

Increasing broad base economic growth by giving access to information, resources and markets to local citizens

We will make small-scale farming more productive and profitable by establishing a one-stop shop where producers can access resources that are critical to increase their production capacity and have an outlet to sell some of their harvested produce. Most importantly, we will be pivotal in lifting impoverished communities to a higher standard of living and be a model of success for alleviating poverty in other developing nations. Through this pioneer program among universities, Northeastern University in Boston, MA, in collaboration with overseas counterparts, seeks to create a model for academic-based poverty alleviation on a global basis.

Jola Venture’s Solar-POD (SolPOD) technology is an effective, low-cost solution to food spoilage that is very common among most developing nations. Using solar energy to dehydrate fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats, the SolPOD extends the shelf lives of perishable food items, giving its users a simple and cost effective means of food preservation. A unique technical feature of the design is the creation of a natural flow of air over food items in a central chamber. Alternative processes bring perishable food items to cooking temperatures, and traditional methods employ harmful smoke and necessitate at least five weeks of exposure to smoke or sunlight. The SolPOD effectively and efficiently reduces drying time from 840hours to mere 6 hours. With no electrical parts involved in its design, the SolPOD is very inexpensive, and easy to maintain and repair.

In the rural areas of Cameroon, where some 17 million out of the 20million people depend on agricultural income for their livelihood, affordability of inputs like fertilizer and returns is based on market conditions and greatly influences the yield of the variety of more than 20 products that are cultivated. Estimates suggest a 50 – 80 percent loss between harvest and consumption due to a lack of modern farming infrastructure. And a preliminary calculation, extrapolated from the observed and demonstrated need of a sharecropper farmer suggest that in the primary market areas, the potential demand for a low cost solution to food spoilage device could stand at 4.2 million assuming one for every four farmers. With Jola Venture, a small scale farmer will have a 250% profit increase within the first year of operations

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

The SolPod, is a portable and effective, low-cost solution to food spoilage that plagues many developing countries. By using solar energy to dehydrate fruits, vegetables, and even meats, the SolPOD takes perishable items and extends their shelf lives, giving its users a simple and cost-effective means of food preservation. Using a through-pass technology, it absorbs moisture while retaining food nutrients. It effectively and efficiently reduces drying time from over 850 hours to mere 6 hours

2. Who gains the most?

The introduction of our devices into the markets in Cameroon will certainly ignite a change in the current market system and include the multiple farmers in the value chain of their produce. It is estimated that with our model, a small scale farmer will have a 200% profit increase within the first year of operations. With over 60% of the 20 million population dependent on farming, JV and its SolPODs will potentially impact over 11.4 million people and multiplying their earning potential

3. Who pays?

Jola Venture is a product of an "innovation of aggregation" where the multiple parties involved contribute to the sustainability of the company. 1.Our institutional affiliation with schools in the U.S and Cameroon permit us to tap into student expertise giving us access to innovations and human resources. 2.Our microfinance model permits us to provide farmers with technologies where they pay only after use through commissions. 3.Our community social impact permits us to tap into various grants

4. What is your success?

Currently, the average farmer makes approximately $120/month. With the introduction of JV's technoplogies, this same farmer will be able to make $360 per month. This 200% growth in income means that this farmer can increase their farming base, apply more farming techniques to make him/her more productive and more profitable. With over 60% of the 20 million population dependent on farming, JV and its SolPODs will potentially impact over 11.4 million people and increasing their earning potential

5. How will you do it?

JV started introducing the SolPODs into the Cameroon market during the summer of 2011. The trip was vital in cultivating a relationship with the farmers built on mutual trust to ensure its welcome into the marketplace. We are currently in Cameroon and training leaders of various farming groups on the use of our devices who will in turn share this knowledge with their constituencies. Farmers will receive our devices to dry their produce and sell to us at a commission until full payments are made.