Our project’s main goal is to start a healthy, profitable greenhouse company. This company should become an example for farmers on how to use modern farming techniques. We, three students from the TU Delft will go to Ghana for three months. At the end we want to deliver a detailed businessplan and a greenhouse design. An important aspect of our activities is to check the feasibilty of all our ideas on the company. With this deliverables our supervisors should be able to receive funding and start the company. In this section is described who we are, what our different roles are and which other stakeholders are involved.
To start we will shortly introduce ourselves and explain our main focus point within the project.
I am Gijs Hendrickx, a third year Civil Engineering student. A large part of this project is the design a 800m2 greenhouse. The rainfall, which is on average twice as much as in Holland, is a threat to plants growing outside, our greenhouse should be a closed environment. Furthermore we want to build with durable bamboo. A challenge is to design such a strong construction that it can withstand the weight of the tomato plants and the forces of nature. These challenges will be my main focus points.
My name is Senja Ramakers, I am also a third year student, but in Applied Physics. It is not directly related to physics, but I will specialize in the optimal climate and conditions for growing tomato plants. This of course also has influence on the greenhouse design.
I am Valerie Sels, a Life Science & Technology student, I am in my fourth year now. For the feasibility of the project it is very important to know what the local Ghanaians really want. Market research has to be done on the demand on tomatoes and possibly also other vegetables. Furthermore, it is important to find out if the youth and potential entrepreneurs is interested in working in the studyprogramme we want to introduce.
Next, we want to give some information on the different stakeholders.
First of all we will be in close contact with a few local supervisors from AfroEuro. They will guide us in knowledge about Ghana and how to work with locals. One of them is also interested in being the entrepreneur and starting HortiTerra.
For research on the construction we contacted the Barbarugo foundation. A Ghanese-Dutch organization which is involved in bamboo cultivation in Ghana. We will have to find capable local constructors who can work with bamboo.
For the cultivation of tomatoes we will need to find different suppliers for seeds, fertilizers, bumble-bees and pesticides. They need to offer high quality products, because our tomatoes must be of the same high quality.
Lastly for the market research we will make contact with local supermarkets, restaurants and hotels. It is important to know whether high quality tomatoes are in demand and can be selled for a higher price.