<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Calibri Light";
panose-1:2 15 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
h1
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:24.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
font-weight:bold;}
h2
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
font-weight:bold;}
h3
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3 Char";
margin-top:2.0pt;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#1F4D78;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-weight:normal;}
h4
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4 Char";
margin-top:2.0pt;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2E74B5;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:italic;}
h5
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 5 Char";
margin-top:2.0pt;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2E74B5;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoSubtitle, li.MsoSubtitle, div.MsoSubtitle
{mso-style-priority:11;
mso-style-link:"Subtitle Char";
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#5A5A5A;
letter-spacing:.75pt;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
address
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
font-style:italic;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:105%;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:105%;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:36.0pt;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:105%;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:105%;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW;
font-style:italic;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW;
font-weight:bold;}
span.Heading2Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2";
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW;
font-weight:bold;}
span.Heading3Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 3 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3";
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#1F4D78;}
span.Heading4Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 4 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4";
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2E74B5;
font-style:italic;}
span.Heading5Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 5 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 5";
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2E74B5;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.BodyTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Body Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text";
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.SubtitleChar
{mso-style-name:"Subtitle Char";
mso-style-priority:11;
mso-style-link:Subtitle;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#5A5A5A;
letter-spacing:.75pt;}
p.wp-caption-text, li.wp-caption-text, div.wp-caption-text
{mso-style-name:wp-caption-text;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.meta, li.meta, div.meta
{mso-style-name:meta;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.cbi-b-summary, li.cbi-b-summary, div.cbi-b-summary
{mso-style-name:cbi-b-summary;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.cbi-b-date, li.cbi-b-date, div.cbi-b-date
{mso-style-name:cbi-b-date;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.mh-meta, li.mh-meta, div.mh-meta
{mso-style-name:mh-meta;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.post-nav-links, li.post-nav-links, div.post-nav-links
{mso-style-name:post-nav-links;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.p1, li.p1, div.p1
{mso-style-name:p1;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.p3, li.p3, div.p3
{mso-style-name:p3;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.story-body-text, li.story-body-text, div.story-body-text
{mso-style-name:story-body-text;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.p2, li.p2, div.p2
{mso-style-name:p2;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.p4, li.p4, div.p4
{mso-style-name:p4;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.EmailStyle42
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.style30
{mso-style-name:style30;}
span.updated-wrap
{mso-style-name:updated-wrap;}
span.updated-text
{mso-style-name:updated-text;}
span.vjs-control-text
{mso-style-name:vjs-control-text;}
span.vjs-current-time-display
{mso-style-name:vjs-current-time-display;}
span.vjs-duration-display
{mso-style-name:vjs-duration-display;}
span.link600907a1
{mso-style-name:link__600907a1;}
span.pricechangea4e5ebde
{mso-style-name:pricechange__a4e5ebde;}
span.percentchange4644dd7b
{mso-style-name:percentchange__4644dd7b;}
span.nenh5bclitmmlhqori6r
{mso-style-name:nenh5bclitmmlhq_ori6r;}
span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
display:none;}
span.3vdg7tz3nbnbjk7gdr2y2
{mso-style-name:_3vdg7tz3nbnbjk7gdr2y2_;}
span.2ml6cep2ydeajtymouc70a
{mso-style-name:_2ml6cep2ydeajtymouc70a;}
span.z-BottomofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Bottom of Form Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"z-Bottom of Form";
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
display:none;}
span.EmailStyle59
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.is-hidden
{mso-style-name:is-hidden;}
span.sharing-screen-reader-text
{mso-style-name:sharing-screen-reader-text;}
span.gfieldrequired
{mso-style-name:gfield_required;}
span.EmailStyle63
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle64
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle65
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle66
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle67
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle68
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle69
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle70
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle71
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle72
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle73
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle74
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle75
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle76
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle77
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.td-post-date
{mso-style-name:td-post-date;}
span.td-nr-views-217783
{mso-style-name:td-nr-views-217783;}
span.EmailStyle80
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle81
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle82
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle83
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle84
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle85
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle86
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle87
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle88
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle89
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle90
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle91
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle92
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle93
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle94
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle95
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle96
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle97
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.s-caption-text
{mso-style-name:s-caption-text;}
span.EmailStyle99
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.il
{mso-style-name:il;}
span.EmailStyle101
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle102
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle103
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle104
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle105
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle106
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle107
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.social-share-icon
{mso-style-name:social-share-icon;}
span.d-ib
{mso-style-name:d-ib;}
span.pdf
{mso-style-name:pdf;}
span.EmailStyle111
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle112
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle113
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle114
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle115
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle116
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle117
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle118
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle119
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle120
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle121
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle122
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle123
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle124
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle125
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle126
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle127
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle128
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle129
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle130
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle131
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle132
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle133
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle134
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle135
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle136
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle137
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle138
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle139
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle140
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle141
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle142
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle143
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle144
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle145
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.cfemail
{mso-style-name:__cf_email__;}
span.EmailStyle147
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle148
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.entry-meta-date
{mso-style-name:entry-meta-date;}
span.entry-meta-author
{mso-style-name:entry-meta-author;}
span.entry-meta-categories
{mso-style-name:entry-meta-categories;}
span.entry-meta-comments
{mso-style-name:entry-meta-comments;}
span.EmailStyle153
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle154
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle155
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.post-page-numbers
{mso-style-name:post-page-numbers;}
span.EmailStyle157
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle158
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle159
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle160
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.apple-converted-space
{mso-style-name:apple-converted-space;}
span.EmailStyle162
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle163
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle164
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle165
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle166
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle167
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.s1
{mso-style-name:s1;}
span.EmailStyle169
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle170
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle171
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle172
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle173
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle174
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle175
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle176
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle177
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.s-meta-published-date
{mso-style-name:s-meta-published-date;}
span.s-meta-views
{mso-style-name:s-meta-views;}
span.s-meta-comments
{mso-style-name:s-meta-comments;}
span.EmailStyle181
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle182
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle183
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle184
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle185
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle186
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle187
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle188
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle189
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle190
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle191
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle192
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle193
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle194
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle195
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle196
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle197
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle198
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.a2alabel
{mso-style-name:a2a_label;}
span.EmailStyle200
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle201
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle202
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle203
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle204
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle205
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle206
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle207
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.s2
{mso-style-name:s2;}
span.EmailStyle209
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle210
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle211
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle212
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle213
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle214
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle215
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle216
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle217
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle218
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle219
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle220
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle221
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle222
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle223
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle224
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle225
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle226
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle227
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.posted-on
{mso-style-name:posted-on;}
span.byline
{mso-style-name:byline;}
span.author
{mso-style-name:author;}
span.EmailStyle231
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle232
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle233
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle234
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle235
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle236
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle237
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle238
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle239
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle240
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle241
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle242
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle243
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle244
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle245
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle246
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle247
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle248
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle249
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle250
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle251
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle252
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle253
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle254
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle255
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle256
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle259
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:184950291;
mso-list-template-ids:-533026828;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:36.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:72.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:108.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:144.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:180.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:216.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:252.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:288.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:324.0pt;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-ZW link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=933 style='width:700.0pt;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="https://bullszimbabwe.com/"><span style='color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=246 height=120 id="Picture_x0020_8" src="cid:image001.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0" alt="cid:image001.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com/"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Bullszimbabwe.com </span></a> <a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw?subject=View%20and%20Comments"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Views & Comments</span></a> <a href="http://www.bulls.co.zw/blog"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Bullish Thoughts</span></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BullsBears2010"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Twitter</span></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Facebook</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bulls-n-bears-zimbabwe/57/577/72"><span style='text-decoration:none'>LinkedIn</span></a> <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/CF6wllAfScU9Wr6dXxoQnO"><span style='text-decoration:none'>WhatsApp</span></a> <a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw?subject=Unsubscribe"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Unsubscribe</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span class=style30><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Entrepreneurship Zone: 24 August 2021 :: Ethiopia: Digital farming platform targets revenue of over $10m by 2025</span></b></span><span class=style30><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=927 rowspan=3 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:3.75pt;margin-bottom:3.75pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#555555'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:3.75pt;margin-bottom:3.75pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#555555'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Abrhame Endrias’ first job was as a lecturer at the Adama University in Ethiopia after he obtained his bachelor’s degree in business management. It was during this time that he decided to start a vegetable farm, growing onions, tomatoes and cabbage.</span></strong><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Abrhame soon learnt farming in Ethiopia is tough. “I couldn’t get the right inputs (seeds and fertilisers) or mechanisation services and with the fluctuation in prices for the vegetables, my two-year journey in vegetable growing ended abruptly in bankruptcy in 2013.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>However, an idea had been planted: he could still be involved in agriculture without having to be the farmer. “I could be the service provider, the one-stop solution where smallholder farmers could get the inputs and support required.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>An estimated 85% of Ethiopia’s population is somehow engaged in agriculture, mostly through subsistence farming, says Abrhame. “It’s a way of life, a culture, rather than a business for these farmers.” He realised that dealing with individual farmers would not be profitable but that there was a real opportunity if their demand could be aggregated.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>In the following two years after his vegetable farming enterprise failed, Abrhame found a way to make some quick cash by selling stationery and computer accessories.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>At the end of 2015, he put down a 40% deposit on a tractor and a combine harvester (a machine used to harvest a variety of grain crops). He established the company Green Agro Solutions to provide mechanisation rental services to farmers in the Arsi and Bale zones of the Oromia region. He spent a lot of time talking to farmers. “It helped me to understand the type of business model required in the sector.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>This market research continued throughout 2016. All the while, he searched for the perfect location from where to put his plan in motion. In that same year, he established a farm services centre in the town of Sagure (about 190km south of Addis Ababa) and left his job at the university where he was lecturing. “It is a small town but it is well known for its production of malt barley, wheat, potato and garlic,” he adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The centre provided seed, fertiliser, farming equipment and training to the smallholder farmers in the surrounding area. “These services resulted in good growth and we could expand by opening a satellite shop in the Bale region.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 style='mso-margin-top-alt:18.7pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:2.5pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;line-height:initial;font-size:1.25rem;-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased'><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Going digital</span></b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></h4><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Abrhame, however, soon realised this traditional way of expansion – opening different branches across the country – would result in low operational efficiency. “We would have had to rent the facilities, hire agronomists, cope with logistics challenges in bringing the inputs from Addis Ababa as well as contend with the political violence that flares up from time to time. In 2018, I started to think about going digital,” he says.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The first step was to learn from existing platforms that aggregated demand for agricultural services and inputs in other countries. After a trip to Kenya, Nigeria and India, Abrhame used what he learnt and applied it in Ethiopia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>“Our government is a dominant player in agricultural input distribution and advisory services. There are more than 64,000 government-employed development agents assigned to <em><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>kebele</span></em> sites (wards); and in each of these wards, you could find around 1,000 smallholder farmers,” he says.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The probability of one agent being able to service 1,000 farmers without a platform to assist, is low, according to Abrhame. In November 2019, the company approached the ministry of agriculture for a partnership to test the viability of such a digital platform through a feasibility study.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The study’s results showed the farmers needed support in three main areas: mechanisation services, farm inputs and agro-climate advisory services. With these three pillars in mind, the company began developing the Lersha digital platform and app.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The platform’s purpose is to link smallholder farmers with the input providers (such as seed companies) and tractor owners. It pools together (aggregates) the demand from these farmers to make it worthwhile for the suppliers to provide products and services. Lersha earns a 5% to 8% commission on sales. Transactions are ideally meant to be facilitated through the app, but owing to connectivity constraints, low mobile penetration and poor tech-literacy levels in rural areas, it could not be the only channel. Lersha, therefore, also has a call centre and provides communication through SMS and voice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 style='mso-margin-top-alt:18.7pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:2.5pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;line-height:initial;font-size:1.25rem;-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased'><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Recruiting local agents and partners</span></b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></h4><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The app, call centre and SMS functionality were still not enough to effectively reach the target audience and facilitate the services. Many farmers could not use the platform as they did not have access to phones or data. As a result, Lersha began training agents, targeting unemployed but educated youth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>“These youths live in these communities; they already have their trust. We recruit them, give them training and they become Lersha’s agents on the ground, app in hand, travelling and assisting the farmers with access to the services. They register the farmers and facilitate the transactions. If for some reason the app is not working, the agents make a call to the call centre,” explains Abrhame. These agents receive a cut of Lersha’s transaction fees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>To simplify payment, the app is integrated with the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and its mobile banking solution CBE Birr, as well as with the Cooperative Bank of Oromia and the Bank of Abyssinia. Every farmer signed up to the Lersha platform automatically gets access to an e-wallet service provided by one of the three banks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 style='mso-margin-top-alt:18.7pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:2.5pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;line-height:initial;font-size:1.25rem;-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased'><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Scaling up by making agriculture easier</span></b><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></h4><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Green Agro Solutions and its Lersha platform have 35 direct employees. To date, more than 42,000 farmers have been registered and 88 agents recruited, onboarded and trained in 11 districts. Altogether, 172 mechanisation service providers have been integrated, whether private individuals, farmer unions or co-operatives that own tractors, combine harvesters and other farming equipment available for rental. Seed comes from the Oromia Seed Enterprise and the Ethiopia Seed Enterprise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>“The company has also onboarded 1,310 government-employed development agents. Lersha gives them access to the platform, specifically the available agro-climate advisory services,” says Abrhame.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Each Lersha agent is mapped to the closest farm service centre, from where the inputs and services are then distributed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-size:0.975rem'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>The company has big growth plans and ambitious goals for the next four years. “By 2025, the company wants a network of 4,500 agents, serving 4.5 million smallholder farmers in nine regions of the country. We are scaling up our recruitment drive; the plan is to have one agent for every 1,000 smallholder farmers. This will mean the company can generate a revenue of around 500 million Ethiopian birr ($11 million). Our mission is to make agriculture easy for everyone,” Abrhame says.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><img border=0 width=800 height=533 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D798DC.A21D8670" alt="https://hwmiia.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23163757/Lersha-Agent-new-800x533-1.jpg"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>A Lersha agent advising a smallholder farmer, supported by the mobile app.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:23.4pt;margin-left:0cm;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:10.05pt'><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Invest Wisely!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Bulls n Bears <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Cellphone: </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="tel:%2B263%2077%20344%201674" target="_blank"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>+263 77 344 1674</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Alt. Email: </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>info@bulls.co.zw</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Website: </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>www.bullszimbabwe.com</span></a></span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Blog: </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="https://bullszimbabwe.com/category/blogs/bullish-thoughts/" target="_blank"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>www.bullszimbabwe.com/blog</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Twitter: @bullsbears2010<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>LinkedIn: Bulls n Bears Zimbabwe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%;background:white'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Facebook: </span><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBullsBearsZimbabwe&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGhb_A5rp4biV1dGHbgiAhUxQqBXA" target="_blank"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'>Skype: Bulls.Bears <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><img border=0 width=278 height=110 id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image005.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0" alt="cid:image005.png@01D6FBBE.85AC06D0"></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-left:36.0pt;line-height:115%;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZW'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:10.05pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#1F497D;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#1F497D;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:white'>DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of any companies referred to in this report. Other Indices quoted herein are for guideline purposes only and sourced from third parties.</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=top style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>(c) 2021 Web:</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.bullszimbabwe.com"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'> www.bullszimbabwe.com </span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Email: </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:info@bulls.co.zw"><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>info@bulls.co.zw</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> Tel: +263 4 2927658 Cell: +263 77 344 1674<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=927 valign=bottom style='width:695.6pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid white 1.0pt;border-bottom:none;border-right:solid white 1.0pt;background:#F2F2F2;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td><td width=6 style='width:4.4pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:105%'><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>