The Purpose and Impact of a Business in Agriculture

From avocados, cashew nuts, macadamias, you name it – I’m into it. It’s been 18 months and counting since I founded LB & LN Limited, an agribusiness in Tanzania. This has been an exciting learning process for me because of the exposure that I have gotten along the way. I’ve come to understand what patience and hard work mean, as well as the role of collaboration in getting to where I want to be. I am grateful to my partners and those I work with for where we are currently.

Now that you’ve had a glimpse of my work, let me briefly share my story with you. My name is Lusekelo Nkuwi, an ALA alum and agripreneur from Tanzania. Like most young people on the continent, at first, farming was not what I would have termed a “cool” job, but I certainly knew that I wanted to keep my tummy full! This slowly but surely started to change my perspective on farming to that of an entrepreneurial mindset. I began to see things in a way that I had not seen them before. Feeding people, creating jobs and caring for the soil became a focal point for me. This presented opportunities that I’ve been able to realise through my agribusiness. I’m happy to say that I can now provide “cool” employment opportunities to young people and contribute to the development of our community. Above all, I’m creating a sustainable agribusiness that is financially profitable, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible.

It doesn’t end there. My goal is to expand the business even more by having a diversified crop portfolio, expand into other regions, and to become more impactful by providing increased opportunities for young Africans. Speaking of growth, I was fortunate to be part of the AL for Agribusiness network, which highlights various opportunities available to young agripreneurs like myself, which have been really helpful in me achieving my goals. After joining the network, I had the opportunity to connect with fellow agripreneurs from across the continent at the Monthly Member’s Hangout to exchange ideas and experiences, while creating a baseline for collaboration. This network has enabled me to locate market opportunities across Africa and also partner with other members in the network.

I strongly encourage other young agripreneurs looking to access advancement opportunities in their ventures to join this amazing network!