AgDevCo

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. 

This short guide summarises the business case for using video to communicate with and provide training to smallholder farmers.

Many agribusinesses are now using video as a tool to communicate with smallholder farmers and to provide extension services effectively and efficiently. This document provides practical guidance for agribusiness managers on deciding how to use video, developing content, and on how to share videos with farmers.

Digital technologies provide great opportunities for agribusinesses to streamline their operations, create new business models, expand to new markets, and reach more smallholder farmers. This document provides step-by-step guidance for agribusinesses to assess their requirements and develop a technology strategy, based on AgDevCo's experience of working with several of our investees and partners as they go through this process.

In this three-step guidance document AgDevCo shares lessons learned and practical tips to help commercial agribusinesses realise their full business potential through well-designed and inclusive smallholder outgrower schemes.

This is a case study of the transformational change our investment in Jacoma has had on Northern Malawi and the Malawi macadamia industry.

This is a case study of the transformational change our investment in Saise Farm Enterprises Limited has had on Northern Zambia and the Zambian potato industry.

This report analyses losses incurred by smallholder farmers due to traditional grain storage practices in Zambia. We assess how the introduction of hermetic technology could improve post-harvest losses while offering practical suggestions.

Can new technologies reduce the cost of training for Africa’s smallholder farmers, with a significant positive impact on agribusinesses and, therefore, on the farmers they work with? The jury is still out, but the idea was tested recently when AgDevCo’s Smallholder Development Unit (SDU) hosted a Knowledge Sharing Workshop in Kampala.

How can impact investing boost the economy of undeveloped areas? Read this case study on Katito Farm in Northern Zambia. 

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.