enterprise for life
the problem
the problem
Many people living in poverty do not have the skills, knowledge or market access to ensure they grow the right crops that will yield a good return on investment, or know how to get a fair price. Increased food production not only provides important nutrition for the farming family, but opens up opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.
what are we doing?
Farming represents an important income-making opportunity that can give families access to better education, housing and healthcare. Through our 'Food for Life' projects we help communities develop farming solutions that increase crops, and through 'Enterprise for Life' we support the development of local enterprises. We do this by teaching communities business skills and connecting them with markets so they can consistently earn more.
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Pre-harvest: Identify high quality and in-demand crops that will grow successfully in their local environment and train them on producing these types of crops that will yield a higher return.
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During harvest: Provide safe storage of the harvest to protect crops from rodents, pests and weather conditions.
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Post-harvest: In addition to selling fresh produce, post-harvest processing enables farmers to create marketable snacks, for example, drying fruit such as papaya, mango and banana, and grains like peanuts and sunflowers. Such processing offers differentiation to their product line, increases crop longevity by drying them and provides healthy snack options to school children as an alternative to snacks produced in large factories.
how we do it?
practical training
We have practical training in sustainable and environmentally-sensitive agricultural practices that help people grow their own food either in small house gardens, school gardens or larger farms. This approach makes it more accessible for people in a range of environments to adopt.
business training
Provide business skills' training for communities so they understand how markets operate, supply and demand, making a return on investment, diversification, how much to sell for and other essential skills.
supporting entrepreneurs
We have revolving loans to provide budding entrepreneurs with the capital they need to scale their business.
