Creation of working capital and start value-adding activities Manyakabi Area Cooperative Enterprise (MACE), registered as a cooperative in 2004, is a result of several mergers of different women groups over the years. The number of members is 8.016, divided in 400 male members and 7.616 female individual members. The members are part of 28 Rural producer Organisations (RPOs). 

MACE is active in the bulking and marketing of maize and beans. In addition, it has a small input shop, where members can procure seeds and fertilizers. As an additional service, MACE has a Market Information Centre where members can use computer facilities to contact extension workers. In addition, MACE has established a SACCO. 

Growth figures decreased since 2010. This was caused among others by the major setback that the World Food Program (WFP) decided not to continue with the procurement of maize from MACE. As MACE had become dependent on this buyer and had not focused on diversifying to multiple buyers, they could not easily sell the maize to other buyers. 

Therefore MACE started to write proposals to different NGOs. This turned out to be a beneficial choice, as MACE since has benefitted from several development organizations. USAID and Abi Trust subsidized a storage warehouse and grading machinery to add value to maize and beans. 

In order to reap the fruits of these donations, MACE needs to procure a maize miller. In addition, in order to start the business again, MACE is also in need of working capital to procure the raw produce of its members. 

To summarize, MACE has acknowledged that it has not focused on its core business since 2010. It has focused on donor and development organizations in order to benefit from grants and subsidies and was successful in it. It now has all the hardware and facilities (via grants) it must have in order to add value to the members produce. The time has come to take advantage of the facilities and start with the business. A first start is generation of working capital from the members in order to procure raw materials. The season starts in December till March 2014. This will provide good insight in the ambitions of the ACE.

MACE has committed itself to procure a maize miller and start in 2014 with manufacturing maize flower which offers a higher price and therefore in potential a higher value for its members. The maize miller needs to be procured by the members itself. In addition, to start with, the working capital needs to be generated internally for the start of the season of both beans and Maize, which starts early 2014. Later in the year, based on a thorough business plan and market analysis, additional working capital is required to make full use and benefits of the storage, graders and milling machines. 

In order to facilitate the ACE in this new focus, Agriterra will support the ACE in 2 main areas: organization and market. On the organizational side: Agriterra will work together with MACE on making a thorough analysis of the viability and profitability of the maize marketing, flower manufacturing and marketing of the flower. Later in the year a closer look will be taken to the opportunities on the side of the input shop. Agriterra will also support MACE with the generation of internal capital via its members and by professionalizing financial management.

In addition, Agriterra will provide trainings to enhance different capacities  of both staff, management and board. of different areas like Excel, accounting, financial analysis and business planning 

Targets, expected output and impact: how does the business case contribute to the targets of team Agribusiness?

-	Increase in turn-over (deliverable 17)
-	Business plan developed (deliverable 13)
-	Board & staff trained (deliverable 17)
-	Increase own equity for working capital purposes

Procure a maize miller to start adding value activities for its members and to professionalize and increase the business activities of  Manyakabi ACE.