To achieve success in any business venture one must be ready to drink from the fountains of knowledge, gathered over the years, by those who have trod the path ahead of us.These are usually based on their vast and varied experiences in their chosen professions. There is no exception to this as those who have followed the exciting trajectory of the brains behind the increasingly popular XtraLarge Farms-the couple called Farmer Seyi Davids and the wife, Moji Davids-must have observed.
The truth of course, is that it takes vision, the courage to start small or the attribute of daring to dream big, the guts to overcome all odds, or what I call the will to win. This must be mixed in the pot pourri of passion, focus, pragmatic partnerships and integrity to deliver goods and services as at when promised. All these salient facts came to the fore at the recent launch of the first Agritech City in Africa as well as the Xtratoken digital currency-the first of its kind in the world.The vent took place at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.
Interestingly, what began with vegetable farming and the invitation of interested farmers to partake in the program tagged ‘Recession Exemption’ back in 2016 with the promise of 100 per cent profit has since expanded into several other business ventures. These include Xtralarge all-organic Foods (Wondermeal, fish, vegetable oil, plantains, carrots), Centre for Practical Agricultural Training, Homes and Property, and the newly Xtralarge MicroFinance Bank.
The icing on the sweet cake is the fast unfolding Agritech City predicated on cutting-edge technology. One can only imagine an Xtralarge University, Nursery and Primary schools, banks, shopping malls all located in a serene, airy vast city occupying 1,00 acres of land at the Idi-Iroko axis of Ogun state. And wait for this-an Xtralarge Foodspital where ailments, including seemingly intractable ones are treated- purely on carefully selected food recommended to the patients.
But all these mouth-watering dishes are just part of a larger picture ofbringing together one million Nigerians who share in the vision of the goal-getting and highly resourceful Davids as a family of modern farmers. And why not? What began in 2016 some 17 members has since exploded into 15,000 members and counting. Also, the Xtralarge Food network that costs N8,500 to begin with continues to attract legions of investors. So is the Super Farmer Package for anyone willing to invest in farming without the physical rigours of acquiring land, cultivation, sowing or planting, weeding, tendering to the flourishing seedlingsas well as harvest and marketing.
All one needs do is to pay N100,000 for one allocation or N500,000 for five allocations, or even N1 million for ten allocations. Mind you, the land is yours for life. This is for farming that takes a little longer than vegetable growth and you stand to reap a bumper harvest of 100 percent profit in 24 months! It looks unrealistic, isn’t it? Well, as the deluge of testimonies expressed during the event showed Xtralarge Farms”under promises but over delivers.” Is it the raring of snails, turkey, poultry, grass cutters or the cultivation of plantain and cassava? Xtralarge Farmstakes care of the entire process and you get paid directly into your bank account. Now you understand why it is referred to as “discovering the ATM in your soil”.
And talking about the monetary aspect of the proposed Xtralarge City, the real deal is the Xtratoken. And what is this digital currency all about? Simply put it is the acceptable currency meant for all manner of transactions within the City. Good enough, unlike other digital currencies this has the focus of erecting programs on the agritech-driven currency.
Billed to officially become valid for transactions as from June 2021, those interested now are given the opportunity to become part of the building process. With time they will benefit and get V.I.P treatment. It should however, be noted that it is not in any way a form of shares or debentures. It is not any form of securities either.
In specific terms the currency will pay for entry into the Agritech City, pay for farming, farm produce, accommodation, pay for shopping, as tuition for the schools, for travels and all manner of leisure activities within it.
As the Charman/CEO has rightly noted: “Modern, technology-driven agriculture is our future. We do not need to import any food item that we can produce locally here in Nigeria. My son is studying agriculture because I have enlightened him on the vast potentialities. Our children and youths should be attracted to agriculture. That is why all the equipment to be sued as tractors, planters and harvesters are fully air-conditioned. One modern agric equipment can do the work of 500 farmers.”.
And he rightly added: We all need to eat organic food. We ensure that all the food items we produce are organic in nature as there are no chemical preservatives. Spraying fruits with zinc to prolong their shelf life is really dangerous to our kidneys. Here our white carrots cure cancer. You can google it. If you invest in maize you stand to make huge profits because it is being used as part of seasoning.”
Not done, he has this to say to Nigerians. Every part of Nigeria is money.Our gutters are filled with money. Recycling is the way forward. We cannot run away from the future. And above all, we must learn to leave a legacy for our children.”
The lessons to learn from the Davids is that of the survival against all odds. The resilience to keep going when they faced low harvests.The wisdom to partner with knowledgeable people in virtually every field of human endeavour.The unfailing principles to start small and keep growing bigger. The self satisfaction derivable from the torch of integrity. And last but no means the least, the undisputable faith in God and belief inour abilities.
Kudos to them and all the members of the fast-growing Xtralarge family. Are you ready to join the million farmers all smiling to the bank? That is the million-Naira question. But the answer is right there in your hands!
Ayo Baje
