Agrigreat Soiltech&Envirocare
What does your company do?
Agrigreat is an agricultural company& lab that aims to decrease food insecurity in Africa by producing organic scientifically specialised fertilisers that reverse the effects of soil degradation in soil using bio waste collected in local townships with little to no service delivery and where waste is gathered in the streets and parks decreasing the overall standard of living. We decrease carbon emissions in the agricultural industry by moving fertiliser&compost production from mining nutrients needed for soil preparation from the ground and increasing carbon emissions to removing waste from landfills and illegal dumping sites and turning them, according to their nutrient composition to fertiliser and compost. We as Agrigreat also promote access to organic food by people of all classes and decreasing GMO processed foods to decrease malnutrition around the world. We have just opened our waste conversion centre in the heart of the most prominent township of Alexandra in Johannesburg. We have expanded our impact by partnering with small businesses in the area of Alexandra Mainly being butcheries and food stalls Street vendors and local restaurants mainly being butcheries and food stalls, street vendor’s and restaurants to give them our Agri-bins which are big beans with a deposit their food preparation of food waste, Which we will collect and empty at the end of every week and take to our waste conversation site. We then formulate and turn all the waste collected into our fertiliser and compost which reverse the effects of soil degradation and restore damaged soil. We decrease the use of synthetic fertilisers because they harm our soils and degrade the soils Quality Leading to a decrease in food production in the agricultural sector over time. Our call is to make forming more sustainable so that we may feed future generations and curb food insecurity in Africa.
What is your biggest success?
Being able to exhibit and launch my business in Europe, Germany in February&March 2024 also Having the project join the bevisioneers fellowship funded by Mercedes Benz in 2023; being able to partner with the 5th biggest bank Nedbank to run Agricultural events and trainings for start up farmers and youth going into farming. It has also been opening our first waste conversion centre in the heart of Alexandra and starting the process of building a big waste conversion centre in Limpopo.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Being young has been a great benefit but also a hurdle on its own. Starting my business at the age of 20 not too many people took me seriously even at home but I had to push through with little funding and limited mobility so I had to gain credibility through outreaches and awards. Convincing clients to supply from me because I’m eco friendly was not enough, seeing that the fertiliser industry is really over saturated and male dominated. But I never gave up because I believed that my project can also change the world and transform the future of Agricultural practices from unsustainable to sustainable.