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OUR COMPANY

 

 

Before SOBBA

The Strategic Organization for Business in Agriculture (SOBA) Group of Companies was established in 2011 by three farming families in Sierra Leone.  SOBA's original business strategy was the cultivation and multiplication of mix of certified seeds and tubers and certain cash crops on its farms. In 2011, SOBA cultivated 180 acres (on three Farms) using a dual diversifying strategy in cultivating both Seeds/tubers (Cassava, Maize, Cow pea and Groundnuts) and Cash Crops (Cashew, Mango and Pineapple). The 2011 production season was a successful exploratory season during which the necessary knowledge and experience were gained and better analysis of investment priorities and returns were analysed. The cash crops production business division (Consisting of 150 acres) was divested to another farming group and "The strategy Organization for Building Business initiatives in Agriculture- Sierra Leone (The SOBBA initiatives, SOBBA for short)" was formed in 2011 to solely focus on developing the seed and tuber multiplication business. 

 

Budding SOBBA

As of May 2015, SOBBA operations spans 140 acres/80 hectares of arable land. Seeds (maize, groundnuts, rice, cowpea) and tuber multiplication (cassava, cocoa and potato) were successfully cultivated on 60 acres of the farm land. There are also some left over cash crops (palm-oil, mango, cashew, pineapple and banana) being cultivated on some portions of the farms.  The company (despite being a relatively new company that is engaged in the most challenging agricultural business in Africa, seed multiplication) has experienced growth in crop output, land area, and profits since its inception in 2010. Equally as SOBBA has been growing in size, its has being making marked inroads in the corporate environment. SOBBA employs 5 qualified and trained agricultural consultants (to provide targeted and specific guidance on agricultural growth strategies and supervise current operations), 12 farm hands on its three farming locations. SOBBA also has farming agreements with 20 farmers with network of 200 farm hands. SOBBA is in the process of securing contractual agreements/understanding with an additional 30 Master farmers in these farming localities.

 

Nursing SOBBA

SOBBA benefits from quality management guidance provided by its group of consultants from the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) and the Seed Quality Control Unit (SQCU) of the Sierra Leone ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFFS). The most inspiring aspect of SOBBA is that we have gained local recognition in our communities in which we operate and is leading the drive for food security and nutrition in those localities. SOBBA also actively promotes a public/ private approach in its business dealings with the main aim of driving business in tandem with agricultural policy development for all Sierra Leoneans. All of these benefits and partnerships have positioned SOBBA to be one of the fastest growing seed companies in Sierra Leone. 

COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SEEDS, AGRICULTURAL INPUTS AND SERVICES

Challenges that SOBBA must Respond  to:

  1. Shorter, and extreme weather conditions and fluctuations attributable to climate change.                             

  2. Water becoming and increasing scarce community.                                      

  3. The strengthening of the Sierra Leone economy due to other economic, investments, improved governance and a demanding middle class.                  

  4. The increase in world commodity prices.                                             

  5. Increasing globalization and its impact on the competitiveness of African Agriculture with particular emphasis on the small holder and farmers in particular.                                        

  6. The emigration from agriculture and homesteading practices by the youth, the increasing dominance of the female gender in agricultural activities.           

  7. The need to feed the populace on reduced land and water area due to increasing mineral extractive activities and soil degradation.                          

  8. The increasing entry of the enticing bio fuel industry in Africa which will entice/require farmers to adapt/adopt.  

  9. The increasing African population will demand more agricultural crops.           

  10. Increasing global economic shifts which will force former donor countries to mandate that African countries take more control on the welfare of their populace. 

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