M&B Seeds and Agricultural Services (Gh.) Ltd. produces and markets high-yielding, drought-tolerant seed for small-cale farmers in West Africa. M&B Seeds received a debt/equity investment from Injaro Agricultural Capital Holdings to execute an aggresive strategy to grow operations from 100 to 1000 metric tons of seed sold annually to small-scale farmers in Ghana.
The Need in M&B was to lay the foundations for business growth with effective managemnt practices. The business needed systems, tools, and procedures tailored for a seed production agribusiness.
Our Results from our embedded approach included 171% top-line revenue growth over 9 months, expected 21% cost reductions due to efficiency improvements, and increased pro-activeness among middle managers to take initiative in solving business challenges.
Our work included:
– supporting implementing of Tally financial management software and developing Excel-based financial management tools to analyse cash flow, budget progress, and accounts receivable.
– counducting internal record-keeping audits and analysis of financial and management accounts to provide business insights to improve profitability and sustainability of operations.
– Conducting business analysis of large capital expenditure purchases (e.g. vehicles, farm equipment, irrigation development) to inform top management.
– Developing a Management Information System with detailed infromation in production, processing, marketing & sales, financial statements, as well as social impact. We also developed an automated high-level dashboard for top management and investors.
– Setting up and commissioning seed processing equipment. We troubleshoot equipment failures, implemented efficiency improvement, and triined operators on managing the equipment.
-Developing a nascent outgrower supply program from two to eight growers. This included formalizing the relationships and incentivizing performance through supplier contracts.
– Developing user friendly quality control and inventory management systems.
– Conducting targeted market research to inform product and brand improvements.
– Developing marketing material and coaching sales agents to ensure consistent, effective messaging to customers.
– Facilitating sales including direct sales to end-customers as well as sales through widespread distribution channels. We developed a Customer Relationship Management module to track large buyers which facilitaed a new profitable customer relationship.
– Developing the HR growth plan to sequence the business team growth from an organizational structure of three to seven. This included developing Job Descriptions, designing the hiring process and supporting the on-boarding process of newly hired employees.
– Coaching leadership in effective people management techniques and financial management.
