Agribusiness
Agribusiness
Farmers Sell More, Earn More.
In the majority of countries where we work, agriculture drives the economy.
A
n innovative training program we launched in Rwanda in 2011 has helped farmers grow and sell more of their staple crops to lucrative markets.
We promote agribusiness systems that improve production and link farmers to national, regional and international markets to create economic opportunities and enable rural families to thrive. We also build the capacity of farmers and agribusinesses in business development, input supply, cultivation techniques, post-harvest handling, storage, processing, transportation and marketing. We help farmers use scarce resources responsibly, introducing drought-resistant seeds, careful use of agrochemicals, and effective irrigation, water management and agroforestry techniques. Through industry partnerships, we leverage the resources of private sector stakeholders in commodities like maize and rice, value-added products and specialty crops such as coffee and cocoa.
8 | 2011 Annual Report
{
“I am very grateful to the SCVC program for the opportunity to learn about my coffee farm. I am a farmer, and now I am also a Licensed Q-Grader.” — Member, APROECO Coffee Cooperative, Peru
The Sell More For More (SMFM) training module was developed by ACDI/VOCA under the USAID-funded Rwanda Post-Harvest Handling and Storage Project to help farmer groups practice better post-harvest handling and marketing and meet the high standards of top-quality buyers. SMFM works through farmer-based organizations (FBOs), ranging from informal groups to formal cooperatives; it helps them sell more product by increasing quantity and sell it for more revenue by increasing quality. Through a cascade training approach, ACDI/VOCA provides training on a series of topics ranging from farming practices to business operations to lead farmers, who then teach other FBO members. Training sessions devoted to postharvest handling and storage demonstrate proper cleaning, sorting and storage techniques to ensure high quality and minimize loss. Participatory workshops teach leadership, marketing, recordkeeping and operations skills to cooperative leaders. And cooperatives receive one-on-one consultations on credit to address financial needs.
{
SMFM improves the ability of FBOs to meet the specifications of the most demanding buyers, including those of the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), which is one of the most stringent buyers of staple crops. In Rwanda, FBOs that completed SMFM training met 100 percent of WFP’s quality standards for maize purchases, and WFP began sourcing maize from them under its Purchase for Progress initiative. Selling to WFP sends a strong message to other buyers, and the FBOs’ profits are rising as they form new business relationships with private sector enterprises. Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture has adopted SMFM training for its agricultural extension workers and other staff. Indeed, the program has proved so successful that we are expanding it to Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana.
2011 Annual Report | 9
