Farming for Life!
Thank you to all our donors, we have met our fundraising goal.
WHY ARE WE INVESTED IN THIS PROJECT?
Doing the same thing worked for a long time, but with the ever changing and dynamic markets that Keerthyani now finds herself in, this now means declining profits and rising costs. Lower profits means that she struggles to give the best to her children. However she has an entrepreneurial spirit and always willing to trial new techniques to improve the way her farm works. However because she is based in a hard to reach village and she has little access to new techniques and practices.
In order to increase her yield, better farming practices and technologies has been identified with the assistance of local experts that will transform Keerthyani’s farm enabling her to increase her income and better meet her family’s needs.
THE BENEFITS
The project will directly impact 30 small scale farmers and indirectly benefit over 100 people
- Introduction of new technologies and practices that will significantly increase yield
- Prevent losses during flooding
- Improved quality to meet more profitable market requirements
- Farmers will know how to assess and self-produce seeds reducing costs of production
- Increase income for families to better meet their needs and pursue goals important to them
HOW WILL THE PROJECT WORK?
We have identified high performing peanut farmers in the Village of Colony. With these farmers, we worked with local experts and identified new practices and technologies that could significantly improve the yield of the farmers in the village. The estimated yield increase is approximately 50 – 60%.
Adoption of new practices takes time and in many instances, the poorest are reluctant to engage with these practices because of the risks of the unfamiliar.
In this project we will be working closely with 30 small scale farmers in the village who we call early adopters. They are stronger peanut farmers who see the potential of these practices and are willing to trial and test the method.
We will be providing training on 7 key innovative practices during their harvest, providing close mentoring, linking with the agricultural extension services and subsidising the inputs required for these new practices.
Through the engagement of these early adopters and through the results they produce, we can accelerate adoption through the village to significantly improve their production and quality. This will in turn enable Ranjini and the other farmers to better access profitable markets, increase their incomes and improve their ability to meet their daily needs.
HOW DO WE ENSURE THE PROJECT IS SUSTAINABLE AFTER WE LEAVE?
The program will support the training of the new techniques and provide intensive mentoring so that in time, farmers understand and have fully adopted these improved practices. With improved skills, farmers will be able to stand on their own two feet without the continued support from our local team.
In the initial harvest inputs are subsidised, to encourage adoption of new technologies, but following that, farmers are independent in supporting themselves to purchase the improved inputs. As part of the technologies shared, farmers will learn how to assess and self-produce some inputs such as seeds.
This program forms part of a 5 year village program in the village of Colony. For 5 years our local team will be based in the village supporting farmers to learn new techniques and supporting them as they adopt the practices. After 5 years our team exists from the village and the farmers and the village will continue to thrive!
