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I am a late career American businessman.\u00a0 Currently I spend up to half of each year volunteering with NGOs in developing and middle income countries.\u00a0 I assist across a range of business disciplines (marketing, sales, strategic planning, and organizational improvement.) Over the past eight years I have conducted 45 volunteer assignments in 20 or so countries.<\/p>\n
Just recently, I spent three weeks conducting a volunteer business assignment in Marrakech, Morocco.\u00a0 Two US-based NGOs, IESC and Land O\u2019Lakes, sent me on this assignment.\u00a0 Our client was the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a United States and Moroccan NGO reaching twelve provinces throughout Morocco. HAF trains communities to integrate agricultural and other human development initiatives. HAF invests in projects in participatory democratic governance, sustainable agriculture, school environment, health and sanitation, integration of women in economic and social environment, and environmental resource management.<\/p>\n
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My specific assignment was to address HAF as a crop nursery business. Since 2003, HAF and its partners have planted more than three million trees and are currently engaged in a campaign with its public, business, and civil partners to plant one billion trees in Morocco. HAF and community tree planting efforts benefits 5,000 households (about 45,000 people) throughout Morocco.<\/p>\n
HAF is the only non-profit tree-providing nursery in Morocco. Thus it has no direct competitors. The foundation views commercial nurseries, not as competitors, but as business collaborators.\u00a0 Some 50 percent of the seedlings HAF donates to beneficiaries are sourced from commercial nurseries. HAF offers multiple fruit and nut trees as well as herbs and medicinal plants to its customers.<\/p>\n
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HAF donates its nursery crops free to beneficiaries, usually funded by donor grants. In 2017 to date, 101 organizations (cooperatives, communities, and schools) have received various trees and plants from HAF.<\/p>\n
HAF offers multiple fruit and nut trees as well as herbs and medicinal plants to its customers. Demand likely exceeds supply for the most popular trees provided by HAF nurseries. The foundation will benefit by focusing on a more limited number of products offered.\u00a0 It is difficult to be efficient and successful when trying to be all things to all people. Consequently, HAF requested assistance to develop a business plan for their tree and plant nurseries.<\/p>\n
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The following organic trees plus various plants are offered or under consideration by HAF.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0 Almond
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0Argan
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0Carob
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0Cherry
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0Dates (under consideration)
\n6.\u00a0\u00a0Figs
\n7.\u00a0\u00a0Lemon (under consideration)
\n8.\u00a0\u00a0Olive
\n9.\u00a0\u00a0Pomegranate
\n10.\u00a0\u00a0Walnuts
\n11.\u00a0\u00a0Plants (oregano, thyme, wormwood, fennel, rosemary, verbena, lavander, marjoram, sage, geranium, peppermint, capers)<\/p>\n
I conducted a strategic analysis of the HAF nursery business in order to identify action steps required for the organization to take and included this information in the development of a business plan.\u00a0 The recommendations provided were designed to be realistically implementable and to offer paths of improvement to HAF.<\/p>\n
In order to prioritize HAF\u2019s crop offerings ideally we would evaluate such measures as:<\/p>\n
–\u00a0Production for the domestic market
\n–\u00a0Production for the export market
\n–\u00a0Sales value of seedlings and of harvested crops
\n–\u00a0Cost of production
\n–\u00a0And so on…<\/p>\n
However such metrics are not easily available, consequently we elected to rely on estimates and qualitative criteria in order to prioritize the products. The following list shows eight metrics that we have used to prioritize our product offerings.<\/p>\n
–\u00a0Uses (food, medicine, cosmetics, environmental, fuel)
\n–\u00a0Years until transplantable as a seedling
\n–\u00a0Years until commercially viable
\n–\u00a0Life of orchard in years
\n–\u00a0Current demand for seedlings
\n–\u00a0Production metric tons 2014
\n–\u00a0Seedling sales price
\n–\u00a0Water demand<\/p>\n
The result of our analysis showed that the most attractive trees to concentrate on were olive, pomegranate, carob, fig, and walnut.\u00a0 Next in line were almond, cherry, and medicinal plants and herbs.<\/p>\n
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I thoroughly enjoyed my three week volunteer assignment with the HAF organization.\u00a0 I hope to be able to assist them again in the future.<\/p>\n
Finally, HAF is an NGO with noble goals and with substantial skills.\u00a0 The foundation has achieved notable success to date.\u00a0 Even if none of the recommendations offered in our business assessment are implemented, HAF and its organic nursery business would continue to be a force for good in Morocco. However, the organization has even greater potential to achieve good in the country.\u00a0 With the implementation of the business plan presented, I believe that the High Atlas Foundation, its partners, and particularly its beneficiaries will all reach an even higher level of success.<\/p>\n