AgDevCo

Agribusinesses are increasingly exploring how digital communication can help build relationships with smallholder farmers. 

Increasing rates of phone ownership in Africa means that phone-based services can be a good option for reaching smallholder farmers, even in rural areas.

Radio offers significant opportunities to agribusinesses and other organisations to communicate with smallholder farmers. 

The Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC) in northern Uganda works with tens of thousands of smallholder farmers who produce organic cotton. Organic production is often challenged by the large numbers of pests which attack the crop, notably the African bollworm, aphids and various species of sucking bugs. 

Aiming to raise farmer incomes by increasing yields by 50%, 10,000 smallholder farmers are benefitting from video-based technical support and training on good agricultural practices. This baseline report discovered approximately half (49%) of farmers surveyed were living below the food poverty line.

With support from AgDevCo’s Smallholder Development Unit (SDU), the scheme aims to benefit over 4,000 farmers. Over the course of three years, household incomes are expected to increase by up to $200 per annum. This baseline survey indicates the poverty rate of Tropha households (37%) is still slightly higher than the national poverty rate (32%), and the poorest of the poor are more likely to be living in female-headed households.

Improving extension services with a non-recoverable investment of $335,000 aims to raise the annual average income of smallholder farmers by 131% by 2021. The farmers surveyed are generally poorer than the population of Tanzania as a whole – 24% were living below the national poverty line.  

AgDevCo’s Smallholder Development Unit is supporting GADC to provide microloans and training to build financial skills, with the aim of stabilising household incomes, and improving productivity. The VSLA members are generally poorer than the population of Uganda as a whole, with 20% of members  found to be living below the national poverty line for Uganda. When asked, 13% of respondents reported to having eaten only one meal the previous day.

Rungwe Avocado Company (RAC) is investing in Tanzania’s avocado production to reach international market standards. RAC outgrowers will benefit from AgDevCo’s Smallholder Development Unit support through improved extension services. The goal is for 75% of avocados  procured  from smallholder farmers to be of export quality.

In this blog post, Sandi Roberts explains three practical steps agribusinesses can take to help close the gender gap in smallholder outgrower schemes. 

In this report, we share research-based insights and practical findings from our gender research for the benefit of the wider investment community, including investors who are interested in ESG issues in general, as well as those operating in the agriculture sector of sub-Saharan Africa.

Read how AgDevCo's SDU showcases best practices to promote women’s economic empowerment in outgrower schemes.