AtoANI

AtoANI address the problem on excessive supply wastage and unmet demand through the “Produce-to-Demand” business model. Here, agreed market demand of AtoANI customers through the pre-orders dictates the type and amount of crops to be planted and processed by the Farmers in the identified locations based on their soil type. Overall, the process runs as a cycle beginning from the customer pre-orders and then ending with delivery of the pre-ordered fresh produce and processed food products. These ensures sustainability of the business model.

If the solution is scaled globally, the solution can positively change the lives of both the farmers and the consumers. With the solution, not only is there an assured market for agricultural products which is beneficial for the farmers, but the customers benefit as well from the fulfilled demand with guaranteed delivery of fresh and naturally-produced products.

AtoANI is looking to solve the following problems:

(a) Lack of farms that grow healthy and good quality organic fresh produce (fruits/vegetables/crops) through natural and sustainable farming practices since majority of the farmers are using conventional and inorganic farming methods 

(b) Aging population of our farmers (averaging to 54 years old). Hence, the youth are not enticed to take farming as a career or source of living so in the future, there might be a scarcity of farmers if the youth is not involved in the initiative early on.

(c) Multiple distribution layers from the farmers to the consumers resulting to low price or revenue on the part of the farmers and high cost for the consumers. In this system, only the middlemen wins with high profit. 

(d) Global Warming due to the harmful effects to the environment of conventional farming methods which makes use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides.

(e) Problem on excessive supply wastage and unmet demand continue to exist due to lack of platforms that enables reverse estimation of crops to produce based on demand.

AtoANI's solutions under its "Produce-to-Demand" Agriculture Business Model which addresses the problem on excessive supply wastage and unmet demand include:

(a) AtoANI’s Analytics / Calculation tool – using this, agreed market demand of AtoANI customers through the pre-orders dictates the type and amount of crops to be planted and processed by the Farmers in the identified locations based on their soil type. Products are then delivered to the customers who gave a pre-order at the beginning.

(b) E-commerce platform (www.atoani.com) – this is where some customer transactions happen particularly individual customers that directly connects farmers (AtoANI’s own farm and partner farmers) to the customers eliminating the multiple distribution layers via the middlemen

(c) Fresh Produce and Products that are made using sustainable organic farming practices in AtoANI's own farm and partner farmers farm (free from pesticides or fertilizers). Since majority of the farmers will practices organic farming and employing the "Produce-to-Demand" business model, the soil is sustainably maintained to its optimum condition which is resilient to the harmful effects of climate change.

Target communities in the following locations within Bohol, Philippines: Cambuhat, Buenavista; Anonang, Inabanga; Nueva Granada, Buenavista. 

Residents generally rely on farming, fishing, raffia weaving and occasional river village tour for day-to-day sustenance. Overall, the people are generally friendly and want to uplift their lives and the lives of their family. Sadly, most of the children stop schooling due to lack of adequate financing.

To better understand the needs of our target population we have situated our farm in one of the target locations (Cambuhat) and is planning to expand our operations in the other targeted locations (Anonang, Nueva Granada). We do believe, that being present on the grassroots level and doing what these farmers do (operating our own farm) and beyond just partnering with them allows us to understand what they really need and what their pain points are. This is beneficial for us as well since its helps as improve our solution to better serve them and the end consumers.

AtoANI's solution would address their needs as it will provide additional employment opportunities and allow them to switch to sustainable natural farming practices with an assured market and less supply wastage with the Produce-to-Demand Business Model.

AtoANI's solution is aligned to theChallenge dimension selected which is Sustainable Food Systems due to the following reasons:

(a) AtoANI's Analytics / Calculation tool is a technology-based solutions that support small-scale farmers with access to knowledge in improving yields while sustaining productivity of land

(b) Improve supply chain practices to reduce food loss, scale new business models for farmer-market connections with its "Produce-to-Demand" agriculture business model and e-commerce platform (www.atoani.com)

(c) Switch to natural sustainable farming practices as advocated by AtoANI supports creating a low-carbon global food system that provides nutrition with minimal environmental impact.

AtoANI's solution is innovative since our existing competitors in the Philippines such as Tagani, Mayani and Holy Carabao only tackles the issue on eliminating multiple distribution layers through connecting the farmers directly with the consumers through an e-commerce website. However, they fail to take into consideration the excess in supply that is wasted on the part of the farmers due to the mismatch of the demand and supply which in turn lowers the farmers' income which is even more apparent in the current COVID-19 pandemic situation where restrictions within communities are existing. This gap is exactly what AtoANI's Produce-to-Demand Sustainable Agriculture Business Model is addressing using an analytics platform making use of a Business Intelligence tool whereby pre-orders from existing and potential customers dictate the type and amount of crops to be planted by the farmers in the partner farmers location based on their soil type. Through this solution of AtoANI, not only is there an assured market for the agriculture products which is beneficial for farmers. The customers benefit as well from the fulfilled demand with guaranteed delivery of organic fresh produce. This is complemented by AtoANI's direct market linkage platform between the farmers and the consumers through AtoANI's e-commerce website (www.atoani.com).

 AtoANI’s Analytics / Calculation tool - This will use Tableau visualization and data obtained from initial run of the targeted land and data from the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines with regards to amount of fresh produce that can be produced in a particular land area. Here, agreed market demand of AtoANI customers through the pre-orders dictates the type and amount of crops to be planted and processed by the Farmers in the identified locations based on their soil type. Following the crops growing process in the designated farm locations, identified crop quantities are prepared as fresh produced and others are processed into high value products. These are then packaged with AtoANI’s brand and then delivered to the customers who gave a pre-order at the beginning.

E-commerce platform (www.atoani.com) – This is where some customer transactions happen particularly individual customers that directly connects farmers (AtoANI’s own farm and partner farmers) to the customers eliminating the multiple distribution layers due to middlemen.

AtoANI's E-commerce Website: www.atoani.com

This is where some customer transactions happen particularly individual customers that directly connects farmers (AtoANI’s own farm and partner farmers) to the customers eliminating the multiple distribution layers due to middlemen.

Analytics Tool using Tableau Business Intelligence to effectively visualize correlation between the land's productivity based on soil type, crops that fit the identified soil type and the land coverage of the crop per type to plant based on demand from customers. The final result is a recommendation of the crops to be planted and the extent land coverage for each crop type to match the demand. This will use Tableau visualization and data obtained from initial run of the targeted land and data from the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines with regards to amount of fresh produce that can be produced in a particular land area.

Activities:

- Use of AtoANI's Analytics Tool to provide crop recommendation for identified partner farmers

- Direct market linkage between farmers and consumers and/or customers through AtoANI's e-commerce website

- Custom On-Farm Trainings for Organic Agriculture, Organic Fertilizer Production and Basic Business Concepts 

- Initial Seed Provision for partner farmers 

- Scheduled Product pick-up and Scheduled delivery to customers

- Recognition for Farmers' Family Involvement

- Connect and Partner with Institutional Customers for Pre-orders

Outputs: 

- Increase in Farm Productivity

- Less Supply Surplus

- Regular Knowledge Transfers resulting to more Skilled and Business-Minded Farmers

- Increase in Farmers Income

Short-term Outcomes:

- Higher Market Value of Farmers' Crops

- Higher Profit Margin or Return

- High Quality Crops

- Low Cost and Sustainable Farm Inputs

- Low Cost Technology Inputs and Operations for Crop Processing

Long-term Outcomes:

- Sustainable Farming and Soil Conservation Practices

- Zero Supply Surplus

- Expansion and solution application to other farm locations to enable optimum cost-effective and efficient logistics

- Business-minded and Forward-Thinking Farmers

- Pride in Farmers' Family Involvement

The current number of people AtoANI is serving:

 20 partner farmers, 7 part-time/full-time employees, 40 individual customers, 1 institutional customer, 4 restaurant customers, 12 small store customers, 1 cooperative, 1 tourist establishment

In One (1) Year:

41 partner farmers, 9 part-time/full-time employees, 60 individual customers, 3 institutional customer, 6 restaurant customers, 18 small store customers, 3 cooperative, 3 tourist establishments

In Five (5) Years:

150 partner farmers, 18 part-time/full-time employees, 250 individual customers, 15 institutional customer, 20 restaurant customers, 30 small store customers, 10 cooperative, 12 tourist establishments 

Goal Next Year:

- Partner Farmers Expansion: 41 partner farmers 

- Expand existing collaboration with World Vision in Cabalawan (21 Farmers, 21 ha.)

- Increase productivity for existing collaboration with Farmers in Anonang (20 Farmers, 5 ha)

- Increase Number of Customers: 60 individual customers, 3 institutional customer, 6 restaurant customers, 18 small store customers, 3 cooperative, 3 tourist establishments

 

In Five (5) Years:

- Increase Number of Partner Farmers: 150 partner farmers

- Increase Number of Customers: 250 individual customers, 15 institutional customer, 20 restaurant customers, 30 small store customers, 10 cooperative, 12 tourist establishments 

Financial: 

- Expansion requires investment and costs related to: initial seed provisions towards farmers, initial land preparation

Cultural:

- Resistance of some farmers to practice sustainable farming

Market Barriers:

- Transport bottlenecks and restrictions brought about by difference in community quarantine measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Financial: 

- Application of Grants new expansion projects and/or secure seed provisions from the Department of Agriculture or seed companies

- Take out part of the profit from the existing operations for the expansion

- Produce seedlings from existing crops after harvesting (to address initial seed provision towards the farmers for the expansion)

Cultural:

- Custom On-Farm Trainings for Organic Agriculture, Organic Fertilizer Production and Basic Business Concepts 

- Regular Farming Community Meet-up

Market Barriers:

- Use of AtoANI's produce to demand solution (its e-commerce website and analytics tool for recommending the crops to plant)

- Secure potential customers where the pre-orders can be taken to those that are near the farm location for an assured delivery without restrictions (cost-effective and efficient logistics)

7 people:

- 5 Full-time Staff

- 2 Part-time Staff

- 3 Contractors / Based on need

We have the right skills in the right places based on our assigned functions that enables us to execute our roles.

• Maria Wilvenna Añora
• Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Aviation MRO Multinational Company (2015 to present)
  Current Role: Digitalization & Innovation Pillar Head, Company-wide Corporate Strategy and Program Development, Strategy Project Manager
  Previous Roles: Leading Projects in Finance (Financial Accounting, Treasury, Controlling) and Material Management (Logistics, Planning and Procurement, Strategic Purchasing) Department
  
  Procter and Gamble Philippines, FMCG Multinational Company (2011 - 2014)
  Role: Leading a Site-wide Quality System with Regional Counterparts (work process improvement, troubleshooting, capability building and compliance improvement), Quality Assurance Engineer
  
  AtoANI, Organic Agriculture Social Enterprise (SE)
  Current Role: Strategy and Finance Head, Co-founder
  Responsibilities: SE Strategy, Platform Development

Venecia AnoraWork Experience related to Current Full-time Function
Farm Operations and Management
Organic Fertilizer and Pesticide Formulation
AtoANI
Cambuhat, Buenavista, Bohol

Officer
Buenavista Irrigators Association
Cambuhat, Buenavista, Bohol

Seminars Attended:
Coconut Production by Philippine Coconut Authority
Cambuhat Enterprise Development Fisheries Association (CEDFA) Training
ASEAN Agriculture Summit
Agribusiness Forum, Agrilink
Mushroom Production
Cutflower Production
Organic Agriculture
World Vision Social Innovation Bootcamp
ISIP Boost Camp

World Vision Philippines - collaboration for implementing the solution in Cabalawan, Sogod, Cebu to 21 farmers 

Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP) - knowledge sharing for growing the social enterprise and access to network of potential investors (participation in ISIP Impact Boost Camp which is in partnership with UNDP and PhilDev)