Page 176 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Since the start of the business, Apo has been struggling By the way, AFAP has also improved our
to sell NPK because the farmers are only familiar with DAP. relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture staff,
Farmers have always preferred to buy either what they especially the inspectors. We were looking at those
know or what their colleagues have suggested they buy.
people as our enemies, but we are now partners
Apo was struggling to find a better way to interact with and because of that, the certificate of premises I
some of his farmers (both commercial and smallholder was following up for two years, I have it now. The
farmers) until AFAP highlighted this struggle. Additionally,
many Agrodealers have struggled to break through to Arab potash training and public-private dialogue
sell their inputs, especially with the ongoing World Bank were just enough to get close to some of them and
Program, Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) it was sorted, AFAP has provided a long-lasting
in which inputs are being given out on a cost-sharing platform for us.
basis.
Apollo Bubolo, director of Apo Farmers’ Centre.

Initiative

AFAP and Apo Farmers’ Centre Ltd partnered and shared
costs to procure 12.5MT trucks. This saved on Apo’s
high operational costs, reduced his delivery times and Key Result/Insight/Interesting Fact
increased customer satisfaction. Since the purchase of the truck, Apo can now assure his
AFAP has organized training, business-to-business customers when the fertilizers are expected since he has
meetings and provided platforms for the private and control of the truck the partnership owns. Apo uses on
public sector to engage especially in the Annual Public- average three trucks per week and currently, two are hired
Private Dialogues (PPDs) in which different stakeholders while one is owned. Now Apo has a weekly schedule for
including Agrodealers have been key players. Prior to those input deliveries, which takes into account distance, orders
PPDs, AFAP ensured that the Agrodealers understood that came first, available stock of the person and payment
the content of the fertilizer policy through countrywide terms. This has increased sales per week from the
consultative workshops. previous (two trucks) 25MT to (four trucks) 50MT because
turnaround time was reduced.
AFAP also supported Apo Farmers’ Centre to carry out
demand-creation activities, such as setting demo plots Additionally, the retailers have also increased trust in Apo
and having weekly radio programmes to popularize the as his delivery time has greatly improved prompting more
available inputs they sell in the shops. demands for deliveries. Demand has also increased due

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