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Alfalfa project development and management
GLB Invest was owned by Lebanese and Sudanese investors. In 2011, 87 200 ha of land in Nile River State, Sudan, was granted to the investors by the government. The project aimed at securing significant and sustainable financial returns. Laking of agronomic capacity, the investors required the involvement of an international farming company to start up the project.
Alfalfa project development and management
Location
Sudan
Production
Alfalfa
Corn
Sorghum
Rhodes grass
Delivery
2013
Area
87 200 ha
Client
GLB Invest
Sector
Private
Service(s)
Management
The challenge
In 2013, the first phase of 40 pivots and its irrigation network was under installation. An operational plan of the project was not available, however, the client wanted to start seeding, as soon as possible, supported by a top-level crop management company to avoid any shortfall on its return on investment.
The result
Within 6 months after its initial involvement in the project, Expert Farmer was able to start the farming of 2000 ha, 90 % planted with alfalfa. Under the leadership of the Expert Farmer, GLB succeeded in achieving the production of top quality alfalfa recognized by the international market and exported to the Gulf Countries, Saudi Arabia and China.
Brief of the project
The agronomic and management design for the project was successfully completed by Expert Farmer. The crop planning for alfalfa, corn, sorghum, and Rhodes grass was meticulously designed with minimal soil preparation and optimized crop husbandry plans. The crop husbandry plan was optimized to reach top-level quality production, and farming equipment was procured for minimum tillage practices. The organizational structure of the farm, the workshop, and the maintenance procedures were established, as well as the record-keeping and budgeting systems for farming operations.
Expert Farmer successfully managed the full-time crop management. The recruitment recommendations were followed, and job descriptions were prepared for on-site and remote recruitment processes. The new management team and workforce were trained and evaluated, and the project was managed on-site by one of our dedicated senior farm manager.
The economic analysis was conducted successfully, including the economic study and profitability forecast for each cropping season. The Business Plan was reviewed and updated when relevant, and economic recording and analysis for SAP integration were performed.
In addition to the full-time management team involved in daily operations, Expert Farmer organized complementary missions to update the farm design according to the evolution of shareholder requirements and specific tasks requiring subject matter experts. These included:
- Review and update of large-scale equipment line
- Validation designs for housing, warehouse, storage and civil engineering
- Development of the project and setup of farm extension project
- Topographic and crop status remote-sensing with dedicated drones
- Site assessment of the full project extension potential reaching 87,200 ha
- Economic forecast
The project was a resounding success, showcasing Expert Farmer's expertise and meticulous planning in every aspect of the agricultural endeavor.