Sustainable Agribusiness: The Role of the Impact Cluster Model in the Business of Tissue Culture

Last month, the African Farmers Stories Initiative, fondly referred to as TAFS, clocked 2. For the second anniversary commemoration, we chose to run a free 2-day webinar and one free online training. The theme was Sustainable Agribusiness: The Impact Cluster Advantage. For the team at TAFS, we wanted to showcase the good ol' hub farming method as a business advantage for sustainable agriculture.

Cluster farming isn't new to most parts of the world, including Africa. It is not unusual to find rural dwellers farming in a group and within the same location as families, cooperatives, partners, out-growers, etc, for many reasons, which may include land possession, security, shared costs/benefits, collaboration, etc. The African Farmers Stories Initiative will be working with like-minded partners, local and foreign, to establish agro-focused impact clusters to encourage and support agro-entrepreneurs and consequently, increase productivity in the agricultural industry in Africa.

When I was asked to present the introductory session at the training programme, I was totally taken aback. Let me tell you why. The topic for the training was to address the business of tissue culture in the impact cluster agribusiness model. I'm not a scientist, just an agro-entrepreneur. Wouldn't I be biting more than I can chew talking about what I know little about? Well, my colleagues didn't think so. I had been posting some of my 'experiments' with plant tissue culture in my backyard on social media and turning nearly every agro-activity into a business opportunity. So, here's the floor!

It's an introduction, not so? I can manage that. It's not like the participants are expecting me to talk like someone from a research institution. I'll just keep reminding them that I'm not a scientist so I don't get dragged before the scientific jury for committing scientific heresy. So, here's what I shared with the class that day.

What is Tissue Culture?

I took the definition from the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Tissue culture,?basically, is a method of biological research in which fragments of tissue from an animal or plant are transferred to an artificial environment in which they can continue to survive and function." From this definition, I understand that specimens from plants and animals are taken to a sterile environment where other actions take place for their further breeding/cultivation.

Why Tissue Culture?

In the course of my study, I learnt that tissue culture is an important agro-technology for breeding agricultural materials with certain desirable characteristics such as disease-resistance, fast maturity, high yield and rapid productivity species of plants and animals. We are told that agriculture is an art, a science, a process, and a culture. Tissue culture is a major element of that science. Also, that tissue culture is a common form of applied biotechnology in Africa and plants such as?oil palm, plantain, pine, banana, date, eggplant, jojoba, pineapple, rubber tree, cassava, yam, sweet potato, and tomato have been grown and improved using tissue culture. Animals too!

Importance of Tissue Culture in Sustainable Agribusiness

1. It contributes positively to the production activity in agriculture and brings about improvements in food, fiber, fuel, and feed
2. It is a major strategy for attaining food security and sustainable agribusiness
3. It ensures that the genes of plants/animals are preserved
4. It enables the rescue and propagation of rare and nearly extinct plant/animal species
5. It complements conventional propagation methods with modern breeding techniques
6. It helps to develop more vigorous plant/animal species
7. It provides opportunities for career development, improved skills and wealth creation
8. It increases revenue for farmers and other stakeholders

The Impact Cluster Agribusiness Model

The Impact Cluster Agribusiness model is about a group of businesses, usually SMEs, involved in various activities in the agriculture value chain, coming together as partners in a common operational location for mutual benefits. They could be engaged in similar activities or activities along a specific value chain or mixed agricultural activities or along inter-related and inter-dependent activities, etc. In many cases, they operate in the same location.

The Benefits of the Impact Cluster Business Model

1. Better access to research/technical information
2. Better sourcing of good quality inputs/materials
3. Better quality of extension services
4. Greater access to markets
5. Better access to financial support, etc
6. Improved negotiation power
7. Lower cost of operations
8. Promotes the establishment of cooperative groups
9. Promotes strategic alliances for agribusiness development

Tissue Culture as a Business

I first heard about tissue culture while studying about planting methods for urban farming. In a city like Lagos, Nigeria, the residential areas are characterised by walled-in houses and concrete floors. I couldn't understand how food crops could be cultivated in such places. I knew about planting in pots, and a few other receptacles but planting yams in bags was an eye-opener for me. About 4 years ago now, I got some yam tendrils from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria and went to work in my backyard. My eyes have opened even more since then.

Like I said, I'm not a scientist, so I won't go into the nitty-gritty of the process of tissue culture but I have no doubt that it is a good business idea, not just a research exercise, and it can be successful as a business. I do know for certain that the tissue culture activity takes place mostly in what is known as a cell culture laboratory and that, as an agricultural research and development endeavour, it has the potential to churn out innovations that will deepen the growth, development and sustainability of the agricultural industry. How?

The tissue culture laboratory will develop hybrid and inbred species of plants and animals, improve yield potential, provide species that are better resistant to pests and diseases and increase their tolerance to droughts, etc, add nutritional value, develop new and better inputs and improve agricultural techniques, among many others. Tissue culture laboratories can become good business ventures if they have identified a good market, possess the right technical knowledge/skills, identify their purpose and type of product, including the quality of the final product, and the legal aspects required for production and commercialization.

Advantage of the Impact Cluster Model

1. The cluster provides a good R&D 'market' for the tissue culture laboratory. Whether crop or livestock activity, the laboratory will serve the hub by providing beneficial species for breeding and cultivation in one location. The cluster also provides the laboratory with opportunities for improvement and innovation, and... partnership.
2. Whether we like it or not, admit it or not, R&D is part and parcel of the success of any business. It is important that agro-entrepreneurs recognize the significance and benefits of R&D to their business bottom-line and be ready and willing to embrace it. With the tissue culture laboratory as a resident-partner in the cluster, other partners can participate and support the research activities, like paying for the outcomes, for their benefit and that of other entrepreneurs.
3. In so doing, we find that academic efforts can contribute greatly to (and complement) the growth of the commercial tissue culture laboratory. Meaning that research outcomes will get into the hands of beneficiaries rather than sitting inside some file cabinet hidden between sheets of paper. Meaning that research professionals can obtain funding for more work by providing their 'market' with tested-and-tried results for a fee. A win-win, if I may say so!

The Drawbacks

1. Despite the many years of tissue culture research in Africa, there's still little public knowledge about what happens in those laboratories, the benefits and the business case for commercialization. It's time to remove our hats of ignorance. The partnership of the laboratories and cluster businesses will provide more awareness, information and knowledge about the tissue culture activity.
2. I came to understand, having engaged some agro-researchers lately, that setting up a cell culture laboratory is very expensive. Well, so are other businesses. When we continue to regard this sector as an academic facility only, we will unceasingly remain 'frightened' by the startup cost but if we see it as a business from the onset, we will treat it as just that - business, and apply the principles, processes and procedures for its startup... and nobody ever said that businesses don't attract grants!
3. As I rubbed minds with the scientists, I could sense the struggle between the concept of the tissue culture activity as a 'serious' academic endeavour as opposed to a 'mere' commercial venture - professional turf fight ehn... and that's alright, but we should continue to engage one another as partners rather than adversaries.

Unfortunately, we had to discontinue the training programme as a result of the unfortunate interruption by hackers which prevented our guest facilitator, Dr. Ugochi Izuora, from continuing with her presentation... the scientist I was so anxious to listen to. Here's sending our apologies, once again, for the disappointing incident.

Let me conclude with this quote: "Tissue culture has been a booming field of science over the last few decades. Nowadays, its knowledge is so readily available that anyone with genuine interest can do it. In the long run, it can generate enormous financial returns." - Nancy Bhatia?