By Gaiangela
Farming is one of Ghana's main economy boosters, it represents 22.7% of our GDP, and so it is not also a traditional career, but it is also quite fruitful. If you have a farm or wish to start one, here are some important tips to help you gain more profit of your field.Do market research - not all farmers grow the same crops and certain vegetables and fruits are required more than others. By conducting some research you will find out what are the best products to grow in terms of number of competitors, demand for the product, the amount of time it takes to grow them. Talk to other growers, buyers, and farmers, listen to their suggestions and always pay attention to food trends.
Diversify your marketing Strategy - When it comes to selling products, diversify your marketing strategy so that if one buyers doesn’t purchase you have other options. Devise a strategy to sell part to a marketer, processing factory or a market women., Leave part of your production aside to sell yourself at farmers markets and even in classifieds sites where there is even a section dedicated to agriculture. Indeed, this will allow you to diversify your marketing strategy so you are not relying on a single end market to sell your product.
Start small to think big – overdoing it is the worst thing you can do. Test the market and learn about the crops and available markets for your crop before you limit yourself to growing just one crop. Identify different end markets, and learn the product specifications FIRST before you begin to grow a specific crop.
Build a brand personality - To have a strong brand personality will make people notice and remember you more. What does this mean? For example at the farmers market, design your stand and your logo, using strong and happy colors to gain attention. Also, use your personality and always have a positive attitude, customers will appreciate you more; build a relationship with them: share information about your farm, connect with them, sharing for example a special recipe or pictures of the place where your products come from.
Mingle - As a final tip, don’t be afraid to relate with other farmers: collaborations are always a great way to success! If there are other farmers near you, a good idea is to start some sort of agricultural cooperative, so in this way you can all gather funds to buy equipment and sell your products all together at a larger scale without the need of retailers.